Mozambique-China Joint Commission Meets

Mozambique-China Joint Commission Meets

Maputo — The Mozambique-China Joint Economic, Technical and Cooperation Commission met in Maputo on Friday to discuss how to exploit the comparative advantages possessed by each country in such areas as natural resources, labour, finance, technology, investment and industry.

The delegations were led by Mozambique's Deputy Foreign Minister, Nyeleti Mondlane, and the Chinese Deputy Minister of Trade, Gao Yan.

In her opening speech, Mondlane recognized the comparative advantages of Chinese financing, and hoped that Mozambique could continue to rely on the “valuable support” of China, through financing projects that have an impact on improving the living conditions of the Mozambican people.


“China is a special partner of Mozambique which has been providing multifaceted support to the country since the time of our struggle to win our self-determination”, she said. She hoped that continued Chinese aid “will ensure greater sustainability of joint cooperation programmes”.

Mondlane said she was pleased that the meeting of the Joint Commission coincides with celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mozambique and China.

“This is a historic moment of great symbolism for our two countries and peoples”, she said, “because we are celebrating the consistency of a relationship which has been bringing important results for the efforts of Mozambicans in the struggle to eradicate poverty and consolidate economic development and social progress”

Gao Yan said that the cooperation the two sides wish to strengthen fits in well with the efforts promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping to encourage international cooperation based on investment, infrastructures and mutual benefits.

Gao also hoped to foment cooperation in trade, industry, technical assistance and staff training for which she believed there was “an enormous potential”.

“Our technical groups will exchange impressions to deepen economic and commercial cooperation”, Gao added.

Gao was also received on Friday by Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario.

After the audience, Chinese ambassador Li Chunhua told reporters the Deputy Minister hoped that the annual trade between Mozambique and China will reach five million US dollars a year by 2018.

“The delegations discussed how to increase investment , and China is willing to strengthen increasingly its investments in industrialization”, said the ambassador

“China has the capacity to export more advanced technologies”, he added, “and Mozambique is registering very important economic growth which can accommodate large scale investments.

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