Economic and trade cooperation has reached a new level, heads of state diplomacy | China and Africa again "Hunan" see China | Africa | diplomacy

Kenyan roses, Ugandan coffee, South African wine, and a variety of African products are being introduced and returned; China's new energy vehicles, mechanical equipment, and popular clothing are all showcasing the same platform, hoping to attract more buyers. The third China Africa Economic and Trade Expo with the theme of "seeking common development and sharing the future" opened in Changsha, Hunan on the 29th.

The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo was announced by President Xi Jinping at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to build a platform for deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. Under the care and promotion of President Xi Jinping, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo has continued to rise in popularity and its results have continued to expand.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of President Xi Jinping's proposal of a true and sincere policy towards Africa and a correct concept of justice and interests, and China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has achieved high-quality development, injecting strong impetus into the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

At the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center, guests passed in front of the exhibition hall of the high-quality "the Belt and Road" achievements jointly built by China and Africa.

Economic and trade ties are becoming increasingly close

At the exhibition booth of this year's China Africa Economic and Trade Expo, bags of dried anchovy are processed from raw materials transported from Kenya to Changsha three days ago, full of spicy and delicious Hunan flavor, attracting many people to stop and taste.

The small dried anchovy is the fruit of China Africa cooperation. In the town of Shimoni in the eastern coastal region of Kuale County, Kenya, buckets of frozen anchovy are washed, sorted, cooked, sun dried, and sent to cold storage for preservation. After preliminary processing, they are then sent to China for further processing. The cooperation with Chinese enterprises brings stable income to local fishermen. Abdi Bakari Dula, who has been a fisherman for three generations, told reporters, "We no longer have to worry about the fish not being sold.".

At the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center, exhibitors introduce their products to visitors.

"Every time we participate in the China Africa Economic and Trade Expo, we can discover new business opportunities. The Chinese market is a place of opportunity, and we are willing to bring more high-quality African products," said Lace Njapau, the head of Zambia's Kakanga Food Supply Co., Ltd.

N'Japau participated in the China Africa Economic and Trade Expo for the second time this year, bringing organic honey and Moringa seeds from Zambia. This African partner who has been involved in trade with China for over 20 years has witnessed firsthand the new scene of increasingly prosperous economic and trade cooperation between Africa and China.

At present, China has become the second largest destination country for African agricultural exports. Both China and Africa have steadily promoted the implementation of measures such as the "green channel" for African agricultural products to be exported to China, and have achieved fruitful results. During this year's China Africa Economic and Trade Expo, the two sides will also hold a forum on health and plant health cooperation between China and African countries, to further exchange experiences and needs of African agricultural products exported to China, and to enrich the dining tables of the Chinese people with more African agricultural products.

At the Sangrup factory located in Limuru town, Kenya, employees pack avocados into boxes.

Since 2019, the China Africa Economic and Trade Expo has been held every two years and is the largest economic and trade cooperation platform under the framework of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation. This year's China Africa Economic and Trade Expo has shown a strong "magnetic attraction effect": 1500 exhibitors, an increase of 70% from the previous edition, and 1590 exhibits from 29 countries have signed up for exhibition, an increase of 165.9% from the previous edition. Luis Kupenala, President of the Angolan Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said that the China Africa Economic and Trade Expo has become an important showcase for Africa to the world.

The scope of cooperation is expanding and expanding

In the Chinese exhibition area of the Expo, there are many Chinese enterprises engaged in new energy business in Africa. Hunan Hollis New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. has reached cooperation intentions with multiple African clients. The new energy industry in Africa is developing rapidly, with businesses from the African region accounting for nearly half of the company's business volume.

Siras Musiyoka, an African man, has been working for five years on the China Africa cross-border e-commerce platform Kilimall. This e-commerce platform covers three major fields: electronic transactions, mobile payments, and cross-border logistics, serving nearly ten million African users and deeply trusted and loved by local consumers. Musiyoka said that cooperation between Africa and China in the business sector helps Kenya fill the gaps in the supply chain and technology sectors.

The e-commerce platform Kilimall is located in a warehouse in the southern suburbs of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

In 2019, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, hoping that the two sides will actively explore new paths for cooperation, open up growth points for cooperation, and promote China-Africa economic and trade cooperation to a new level.

While the scale of trade in traditional areas between China and Africa continues to expand, economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa is also constantly extending to emerging fields such as digital and green technologies.

Currently, the Expo has become a "booster" for deepening economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa. The first two expos have signed a total of 216 cooperation projects or agreements, with a total amount of 43.02 billion US dollars. From building a demonstration park for promoting innovation through China Africa economic and trade cooperation to building an African non resource product distribution and processing center, from building a China Africa cross-border RMB service center to exploring barter trade with Africa, China Africa economic and trade cooperation continues to expand new paths and fields.

Building high-speed mobile broadband networks, fiber optic and other digital infrastructure, hosting e-commerce live streaming Africa Good Things Online Shopping Festival, carrying out clean energy cooperation to build low-carbon demonstration zones, hosting the China Africa Beidou Cooperation Forum and the China Africa Innovation Cooperation Conference... The path of China Africa economic and trade cooperation is expanding, focusing on future industries, and playing an important role in promoting economic and social development and improving people's livelihoods in Africa.

As former Vice Chairman of the African Union Commission, Erastas Mwencha, said, China has promoted connectivity through digital infrastructure construction, changed the face of Africa, and also improved the lives of ordinary people in Africa.

Fate and Jointly Moving Forward

The prosperity of the China Africa Economic and Trade Expo reflects the strong momentum of China Africa economic and trade cooperation. According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China has maintained its position as Africa's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years. In 2022, the trade volume between China and Africa reached 282 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 11.1%.

The popularity of the China Africa Economic and Trade Expo is also a vivid footnote to the deep-rooted friendship between China and Africa. Joyce, the head of a Zambian enterprise attending the meeting, said that China's economic and trade cooperation with Africa does not presuppose political prerequisites and has brought tangible benefits to the African people. These are the key reasons why African enterprises are willing to continue deepening cooperation with China. Luis Kupenala said that Africa China cooperation effectively promotes the circulation of people, goods, technology, and capital on the African continent, and brings closer relations between African countries. The continuous deepening of trust and friendship between Africa and China will create more development opportunities for both sides.

In the past ten years, under the guidance and promotion of the head of state diplomacy, the development of China-Africa relations has pressed the "acceleration button", entered the "fast lane", and entered a new era of building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

In Mombasa, Kenya, local people are singing and dancing next to the first batch of diesel locomotives produced by China on the Mombasa Nairobi Railway.

In February this year, when the 36th summit of the African Union was held, President Xi Jinping called the summit to extend warm congratulations to African countries and people. President Xi Jinping said in his congratulatory message that China-Africa cooperation continues to develop in an all-round, multi-level, and high-quality manner, and is at the forefront of international cooperation with Africa. I am willing to work with African leaders to further strengthen China-Africa friendly cooperation, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and promote the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

Kenyan international expert Kavins Adhill stated that China and Africa together account for about one-third of the world's total population. Close cooperation between Africa and China to build a high-level community with a shared future is crucial for promoting the well-being of all humanity.

China is the largest developing country in the world, and Africa is the continent with the most concentrated developing countries. China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future. Under the joint leadership of Chinese and African leaders, the construction of a community with a shared future between China and Africa in the new era will continue to deepen and solidify, benefiting the people of both sides and making new contributions to promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Photography: Chen Yehua, Chen Sihan, Dong Jianghui, Yang Zhen, Sun Ruibo

Jointly produced by Xinhua News Agency International Department Hunan Branch