A government-backed HK$100 billion ($12.8 billion) private equity fund was launched in Hong Kong  to support high-tech industries in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The new government of São Tomé and Príncipe faces the same challenge as all previous administrations in the country: diversifying the economy that has been overly dependent on coffee and cocoa exports, but hoping beyond hope that commercial oil and gas fields will eventually be discovered.

Even before Portugal decided to take part in China´s Belt and Road strategy, with the signing of a joint statement at the end of Chinese president Xi Jinping´s visit to Portugal last week, the Portuguese government was already in full steam promoting what should be the key Portuguese infrastructure for the strategy - Sines port, in the south of the country.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping lands in Lisbon for a two-day visit, Portuguese authorities will be extending the warmest of welcomes, even as the ever closer business ties between both countries begin to put a strain between Portugal and the European Union.

The South Atlantic Cable System (SACS) was completed in September, making it the first fibre submarine cable between Africa and the Americas. Running from Fortaleza in north-eastern Brazil to Sangano in Angola it should encourage the Angolan government to press ahead with the reform of its own telecoms sector, which remains underdeveloped in comparison with most other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Chinese company Sinopec could take a stake in Portuguese oil company Galp Energia and is one of two major international oil firms interested, according to the weekly Jornal Economico. Angolan oil company Sonangol is considering a sale of its stake in Galp Energia, and Sinopec is reported to be among the strongest suitors for the acquisition.

After years of delay and deliberation, Mozambique’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry finally looks set to take off. Consortia led by Anadarko and Eni are investing tens of billions of US dollars in liquefaction, while the involvement of China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation (CNODC) and China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) highlights the fact that China will be one of the main customers.

The MLSTP-PSD (Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe- Partido Social Democrata) , the independence party of São Tomé and Príncipe with close ties to the Communist Party of China, is set to form the country’s new government. That will bring an end to the four-year rule of Patrice Trovoada.

The year of 2019 will be critical for Angola, as it aims to recover from three years of economic decline, and for its new president Joao Lourenco. Many players, foreign and domestic, are impatient for improvement.

The government of Mozambique has approved additional investment of US$290 million in the port of Beira, to increase its cargo handling capacity.