Trade exchanges between Angola and China reached US$37.5 billion in 2012, said China’s ambassador in Angola Gao Kexiang after the opening of the Chinese pavilion at this year’s Luanda International Fair.

Gao explained that bilateral trade is currently a thousand times higher than it was 30 years ago, adding that bilateral cooperation supported national reconstruction in Angola and also played a positive role in the socio-economic growth of China.

Over the past 30 years Sino-Angolan ties have developed substantially by means of mutual efforts, the ambassador said in his speech.

“High-level visits and meetings between the two countries are more and more frequent and there is increasing bilateral cooperation in areas involving the economy, trade, finance, construction, agriculture, justice and personnel training,” he stressed, cited by Angolan news agency Angop.

Gao Kexiang also recalled that Sino-Angolan relations were officially determined to be strategic in 2010.

The first day of the 30th Luanda International Fair (Filda) was devoted to China, which is participating with nearly a hundred companies.

Angola’s most important multi-sector fair is open until Sunday and counts the participation of more than a thousand companies from Angola and 35 other countries. (macauhub)