China and São Tomé and Príncipe signed a trade, economic and technical cooperation agreement during a visit by Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming to the archipelago, China’s ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe said on Monday.

Signed shortly after the first meeting of the Joint Commission between the two countries, the economic agreement covers “the areas of trade, investment and staff training,” said the ambassador, who noted the provision of “technical assistance in the fields of infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries, health and more.”

In addition to meetings with São Toméan public entities, the Chinese deputy minister visited the port and São Tomé international airport, which are priority areas within the framework of cooperation between the two countries with a view to investing in the sustainable development of the West African archipelago.

At the end of the visit, Afonso Varela, the São Tomé minister of the presidency, told the Chinese vice minister that “São Tomé and Príncipe urgently needs to extend and modernise its only international airport and build a deep-water port,” and then concluded “we are counting on the collaboration and cooperation of China in the implementation of these projects.” (macauhub)