Angola’s Ambassador to China, João Garcia Bires, thanked China this week for its support to the reconstruction and development of the African nation, Angolan newspaper Jornal de Angola reported.

Mr Bires was speaking at a ceremony in the Chinese capital, Beijing. The meeting gathered guests including diplomats and members of the Angolan community in China.

The Governor of the People’s Bank of China and Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Zhou Xiaochuan, also attended the ceremony, according to the media outlet.

Mr Bires stated that co-operation between Angola and China was a living example of the success of the South-South co-operation plan. The diplomat also praised the Chinese President’s initiative to boost trade routes across Asia.

China’s President, Xi Jinping, proposed in 2013 the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, referring to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It mapped routes that have historically linked China’s trade with the rest of the world. The initiative aims to connect better the economies along the routes, and enhance trade across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa through infrastructure development.

China’s Ambassador to Angola, Cui Aiming, has recently said the two countries would explore new areas of co-operation in the future, the newspaper noted. He additionally said the Chinese Government attached great importance to the development of Sino-Angolan ties.