Flags of Mozambique and China Photo: VCG

Beneath a soft Spring drizzle in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province, Mozambique's President Daniel Francisco Chapo and First Lady Gueta Chapo descended the red-carpeted aircraft stairs on Thursday, greeted by Chinese personnel with a floral reception. 

The week-long trip, from April 16 to 22, is the first state visit to China by a Mozambique's head of state in 10 years, and it is also President Chapo's first visit to China since taking office. Chapo's visit coincides with a flurry of recent visits to China by leaders from various countries including Spain, Vietnam and UAE.

During President Chapo's visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a welcome ceremony and a welcome banquet for him. The two presidents will have talks. He will also visit Hunan and Qinghai, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on Tuesday. 

Mozambique's President Daniel Francisco Chapo during a recent interview with the Xinhua News Agency Photo: Xinhua

According to an official release from the press office of the Presidency of the Republic of Mozambique, the visit by the Mozambican head of state takes place within the framework of deepening and upgrading the existing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Mozambique and China, reflecting the shared will to consolidate longstanding ties of friendship, solidarity, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Accompanied by members of the Assembly of the Republic, government officials, and other senior Mozambican state representatives, Chapo started his visit with the aim of strengthening political-diplomatic and economic cooperation with China, while also deepening coordination on issues of common interest on the international agenda, particularly those concerning the Global South, United Nations reform, and climate change, according to the release.

The visit by the Mozambican president showed a high level of exchanges between China and Mozambique, Liu Naiya, executive director of the South African Studies Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Liu said through high-level interactions, the two sides are expected to conduct in-depth discussions on cooperation priorities and specific areas, reflecting a pragmatic, results-oriented approach. The visit itinerary, which includes not only major cities but also provinces such as Hunan and Qinghai, also demonstrates clear practical considerations.

Changsha, Chapo's first stop, carries symbolic and practical significance. As the host city of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and home to the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone focused on Africa cooperation, the choice reflects Mozambique's strong interest in expanding economic ties with China, analysts said. It also highlights Hunan's growing role as a hub for China-Africa cooperation. 

According to the official website of the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the pilot zone aims to pioneer deeper China-Africa economic cooperation by building platforms for trade in non-resource products, enhancing financial services and exploring new mechanisms for local-level cooperation.

More specifically, Liu noted that Qinghai and Mozambique share certain similarities in resource endowments and development needs. For instance, there is potential for cooperation in areas such as mineral resource development and agricultural modernization. Arranging visits and exchanges in Qinghai could be understood as focusing on tangible areas of cooperation with real potential.

Mozambican media outlet Club of Mozambique described the visit as part of efforts to "deepen and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," echoing official statements from Maputo. On the economic front, Chapo is also expected to mobilize resources for major structural projects and support economic recovery in sectors including infrastructure, mining, energy and agriculture.

Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Mozambican president's visit carries broader significance. "Amid intensifying geopolitical competition and rising protectionism, China and Mozambique maintaining sincere cooperation and upgrading their partnership has demonstrative value not only for China-Africa ties but also for Global South cooperation," Song said.

Song noted that under the current global environment, Mozambique and other African countries need China's technology and investment to advance modernization and industrialization, while China in turn values the role of African nations in amplifying the voice of the Global South in global governance.

On the economic front, the head of state will mobilize resources to finance high-impact structural projects, as well as to boost the relaunch of the national economy, focusing on priority sectors such as infrastructure, mining, energy and agriculture, Club of Mozambique reported, citing the release from the Presidency. 

Broader China-Africa cooperation

2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Mozambique Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa.

China is an important trading partner, source of investment, and contractor for engineering projects for Mozambique. In 2025, bilateral trade reached $5.4 billion, up 3.6 percent year-on-year, Chinese Ambassador to Mozambique Zheng Xuan wrote on People's Daily. 

The trade structure has become more optimized. High-quality Chinese products such as electromechanical equipment, building materials, and general merchandise have supported Mozambique's economic and social development and improved people's livelihoods. Meanwhile, Mozambique's distinctive resources - including cashews, minerals, and timber - have seen steady export growth to China, offering Chinese consumers a more diverse range of choices.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the dispatch of Chinese medical teams to Mozambique. For decades, they have worked at the grassroots level, saving lives and healing the injured, using their compassion and medical expertise to safeguard the health of the Mozambican people, according to the ambassador. 

"China-Africa cooperation is a cornerstone of Global South collaboration, and the close interaction between China and Mozambique can serve as a strong example," Song said, viewing China-Mozambique cooperation as a microcosm of broader China-Africa engagement.

China announced in February that it will fully implement zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with diplomatic relations with China, starting from May 1, according to Xinhua News Agency

China's zero-tariff offer to 53 African countries, set to take effect on May 1, is a game-changer and an impetus to boost the development of strong agricultural, mining and industrial value chains, while also enhancing intra-continental trade, said Jonas Atingdui, a Ghanaian economic analyst, Xinhua reported.