Chinese President Xi Jinping has appointed Gong Tao as the new Chinese ambassador to Angola, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency says the appointment accords with the wishes of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the Chinese legislature.

The report quotes a written statement posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Luanda as saying Mr Gong took up his post at the end of last month and has presented his credentials at the Angolan Foreign Ministry, as well as met with Angolan government officials.

The statement quotes the new ambassador as saying his embassy will concentrate on improving Sino-Angolan co-operation and relations in general.

Mr Gong has been a diplomat since 1992, serving in the Chinese embassies in Portugal and Brazil before being posted to Angola, Xinhua says.