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Angolan minister calls for China's help

Angola's foreign minister said on April 20 that the nation needs more roads and airports, a task that China can help accomplish.

"China is participating in Angola's infrastructure construction but we still need many more roads and airports. I think this is one area that we can work on," Georges Chikoti told Xinhua News Agency on the sidelines of the Asian-African Ministerial Meeting, held ahead of the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference.

China and Angola can also cooperate further in the production of electrical facilities, agriculture and trade, Chikoti added. China is Angola's largest trading partner.

Right time for China's Silk Road initiatives

China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative "has come at the right time," Nigerian Foreign Minister Aminu Bashir Wali said on April 21.

"I think it is a benefit to the international community," Wali said on the sidelines of the Asian-African Business Summit in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

China has been "supporting, upgrading and uplifting the lives of our people through investment, training, capacity building and education," he said.

The initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road proposed by President Xi Jinping.

Wali said Nigeria has been negotiating with the Export-Import Bank of China and other commercial banks in China to develop Nigeria's infrastructure.

Zimbabwe president thanks China for support

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe thanked China and Russia on April 18 for their continued support of Zimbabwe over the past 35 years after it won political independence from Britain.

Mugabe echoed the gratitude at an event to mark the country's 35th anniversary of independence at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.

"I wish to thank all our all-weather friends China, Russia and several others who after supporting us in the liberation struggle have continued to do so throughout our 35 years of independence. I say to them 'Thank you, thank you most heartedly,'" Mugabe said.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/24/2015 page2)