Mozambican President Daniel Chapo speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Maputo, Mozambique, April 7, 2026. (Photo by Mendes Mondlane/Xinhua)
by Xinhua writers Liu Jie, Leng Ruijie
MAPUTO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- "Mozambique and China share a brotherly friendship," and Mozambique is willing to further strengthen ties with China by promoting political, economic, social and cultural exchanges, said Mozambican President Daniel Chapo.
In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua ahead of his state visit to China from Thursday to next Wednesday, Chapo noted that last year marked the 50th anniversary of Mozambique's independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mozambique and China.
The two countries have a deep political and diplomatic relationship, with their traditional friendship dating back to the period when China supported Mozambique's struggle for national independence, he said.
On June 25, 1975, the day Mozambique declared independence, it established diplomatic relations with China. In recent years, bilateral political and diplomatic relations have become increasingly close and consolidated, he said.
Noting that this year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, Chapo said that the plan is important for Mozambique, as it aligns with Mozambique's five-year plans and long-term strategic plans.
Mozambique's economy is highly reliant on the extractive and natural gas industries, Chapo said, voicing hope to strengthen strategic cooperation with China in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, industrialization and digitalization within the framework of South-South cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative.
"I really like a Chinese proverb that emphasizes that building roads is the first step to prosperity," Chapo said, noting that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, a number of landmark infrastructure projects undertaken by China have been implemented in Mozambique.
The Maputo-Katembe Bridge, built by a Chinese company, is the longest suspension bridge in Africa. Before the bridge was built, it took at least four to five hours for vehicles to cross the sea by ferry; now, it only takes five to ten minutes to drive from Maputo to Katembe.
Infrastructure projects carried out in cooperation with China, such as the Maputo-Katembe Bridge, the Maputo Ring Road, Maputo International Airport and the jetty bridge on Inhaca Island, are yielding remarkable socio-economic development results, said the president.
Regarding agriculture, Chapo noted that Mozambique possesses vast land, offering immense potential for cooperation with China. Mozambique is willing to explore cooperation opportunities in various agricultural products, including rice, and to create more successful projects like the Wanbao rice farm, he said.
Mozambique will also take advantage of China's zero-tariff policy to boost exports of its goods and services, particularly agricultural products, to China, he said.
"China's vision for South-South cooperation emphasizes the need for countries to cooperate on the basis of equality and mutual assistance to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results," Chapo said, highlighting the strategic importance of South-South cooperation.
Cultural exchanges between Mozambique and China have a long history, reflecting the brotherly friendship between the two countries, he said, adding that the Mozambique-China Cultural Center, jointly built by the two sides, is not only the largest cultural center in Mozambique but also an important symbol of the bilateral cultural relationship.
This year marks the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Chapo said Mozambique will seize this opportunity to further strengthen cultural exchanges, deepen the friendship between the two peoples, and promote the steady development of bilateral relations. ■
