Angolan President Returned Home From China With Diplomatic Upgrade, Oil Deals, and Debt Relief Promises

Chinese President Xi Jinping and João Lourenço during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 15, 2024. Image via Xinhua.

Unlike several African presidents who’ve recently visited China and left largely empty-handed, Angola’s João Lourenço wrapped up a three-day visit with several important tangibles that highlight the southwestern African country’s growing importance as a frontline state in the Great Power rivalry between the U.S. and China.

Lourenço split his time in China between political talks in Beijing with Chinese leaders, including President XI Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang, among others, and a hunt for new investment from companies based in the northeast industrial province of Shandong.

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