Series of pacts with Angola signed

China signed a series of cooperation agreements with Angola yesterday, outlining its collaboration with the west African country and one of its largest sources of crude oil.

President Hu Jintao and his Angolan counterpart Jose Eduardo dos Santos, officiated at the signing ceremony after a one-hour meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Aside from a framework agreement on bilateral cooperation, the two countries' ministers also signed pacts on trade, technology, culture and aviation.

Angola emerged from years of civil war in 2002. And in six years, it has become one of the world's fastest growing economies.

China has helped Angola's ambitious reconstruction plan with funds and manpower, and has become its top trading partner. There are many Chinese workers in Angola building bridges, highways and other facilities. About 40,000 Angolan visas were issued to Chinese nationals last year alone.

"China's assistance to Angola dates back to the days of our national liberation and (has) continued in our resistance against foreign invasion and recent national reconstruction," Dos Santos told Hu. "We deeply appreciate China's help."

Angola wants to expand cooperation with China in fields such as energy, trade and infrastructure, he said during his fourth visit to China since taking office in September 1979. His earlier visits were in 1988 and 1998, and August this year to attend the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.