FOCAC Summit: China Pledges Continued High-Level Cooperation With Africa

FOCAC Summit: China Pledges Continued High-Level Cooperation With Africa

The Chinese government has reiterated its commitment to maintaining high-level cooperation with Africa, aiming to strengthen their long-standing relationship.

This was announced during a press briefing at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which runs from Sept. 4 to Sept. 6 in Beijing.

Among the officials addressing the media were Mr. Weiping Deng, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Commerce in Hunan Province, and Mr. Dai Zhiguang, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Office of Hunan Province.

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They emphasized Hunan’s ongoing cooperation with African nations and outlined China’s strategic measures to boost bilateral ties.

“Since 2019, Hunan has engaged in high-level dialogues and trade forums with several African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe,” the officials stated.

They highlighted that these interactions have fostered stronger diplomatic, economic, and cultural exchanges, solidifying friendships and enhancing political and economic collaboration.

The officials also pointed out that Hunan had previously hosted eight African nations, such as Uganda, Malawi, Burundi, and Morocco, to strengthen partnerships.

Furthermore, the third China-Africa Economic Trade Expo, held from June 29 to July 2, 2023, in Changsha, contributed to Hunan’s deepening ties with the African continent.

In 2023, Hunan’s trade volume with Africa reached 55.67 billion Yuan (approximately 7.83 billion USD), a figure that both officials hope to see further expanded in the coming years.