Maputo — The volume of bilateral trade between Mozambique and China reached 5.18 billion US dollars in 2024, influenced by projects carried out in engineering, agriculture, health and education.
The amount was revealed by the Chinese Ambassador to Mozambique, Zheng Xuan, in Maputo on Wednesday, at a seminar entitled "50 Years of Cooperation between Mozambique and China: Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives'.
"For half a century, Chinese investments have included projects in infrastructure, health, education, and agriculture, consolidating this Asian country's position as Mozambique's second-largest trading partner', he said.
Zheng explained that China applies zero tariffs to products manufactured in Mozambique and implements "protocols for pigeon peas, cashews, and macadamia nuts, and invests in strategic initiatives in energy and agriculture, including the country's largest rice plantation project, in the southern province of Gaza.'
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This partnership, he said, was formalized in 2016, focused on mutual benefits and sustainable development.
"In the field of infrastructure, dozens of emblematic projects were built with Chinese support. These projects transformed the Mozambican socioeconomic landscape. The Maputo-KaTembe Bridge, the Xai-Xai Airport, the Maputo Ring Road, and the National Surgical Center are examples of pragmatic cooperation', he claimed. (In reality, however, the Xai-Xai airport is a failure, with very few planes using it).
According to the diplomat, since 1976, 25 Chinese medical teams have worked in the country, while approximately 10,000 young Mozambicans have received Chinese language training and professional development through scholarships.
"The Mozambique-China Cultural Center, the largest built with Chinese assistance in Africa, has become a benchmark for cultural exchange, hosting about 100 activities in the last two years', Zheng said.
He claimed that China's policy toward Africa remains stable and long-term, "guided by the principles of sincerity, friendship, and mutual benefit.'
The diplomat added that, even in the face of changes in the international landscape, China will continue to prioritize cooperation with Africa, promoting the implementation of the 10 Partner Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) "and the building of a community with a shared future.'
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