Chinese premier arrives in Angola for visit

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) and his wife Cheng Hong arrive in Luanda, Angola, May 8, 2014. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Luanda on Thursday for a visit aimed at further enhancing the strategic partnership between China and Angola. [Special coverage]

Li is scheduled to meet with Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and hold a seminar with Chinese companies and overseas Chinese during his stay, according to the Foreign Ministry of China.

A number of agreements are expected to be signed between the two countries, their enterprises and financial institutions during Li's visit, Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said.

"The signing of those agreements will be the biggest highlight of the visit," he said.

Gao did not disclose the financial details of the agreements, but said the documents will cover areas of medical science, hydro-power, agriculture and people's livelihoods.

"Angola is the third stop of Premier Li's Africa tour. The visit is of great significance in comprehensively improving China-Africa strategic partnership and consolidating the solidarity and cooperation among developing countries," he said.

Internal conflict and political instability had ravaged the country for years. Since the end of a civil war in 2002, Angola's economy has been growing rapidly thanks to the resumption of oil exploitation and massive reconstruction programs.

China has participated actively in Angola's post-war reconstruction, playing a major role in building and repairing the country's poor infrastructure, including highways, railways, power plants and harbors.

In 2013, trade between the two countries reached 36 billion U.S. dollars. By the end of 2013, China's accumulative investment in Angola had exceeded eight billion dollars. Angola has become China's second largest trade partner in Africa.