Changsha, July 28 (Xinhua) — The 7th China Africa Forum of Non Governmental Organizations and the 7th China Africa Youth Leaders Forum, jointly hosted by the Foreign Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, were held in Changsha from July 24 to 26. More than 200 officials, former officials, political parties, youth leaders, representatives of non-governmental organizations and think tanks from over 50 African countries attended the meeting.
On July 25th, the opening ceremony of the 7th China Africa Forum and the 7th China Africa Youth Leaders Forum was held in Changsha. The picture shows the attending guests at the opening ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Zhenhai
Civilian forces have always been important participants and contributors to China Africa cooperation. In recent years, guided by the concept of a China Africa community with a shared future and a genuine, friendly and sincere policy towards Africa, Chinese enterprises, medical institutions, public welfare organizations and other private forces have made outstanding contributions in helping to enhance the industrialization and agricultural modernization development level of African countries, boost economic activity, accelerate green transformation, improve medical and health management, and enhance people’s livelihood and well-being. At the same time, as China’s doors open wider and wider, many African private enterprises have also come to China to share the dividends of China’s development.
Abdullah Elfrid, Vice President of the Africa China Cooperation and Development Investment Association from Libya, is one of them. He will soon depart for Changsha and plans to register a company at the China Africa Economic and Trade Headquarters Building located in the Changsha Economic Development Zone, while also discussing matters related to the association’s settlement.
The Africa China Cooperation and Development Investment Association was co founded by African entrepreneurs in China in 2018, with the aim of connecting and promoting more business exchanges between Chinese and African enterprises.
Abdullah said that after multiple rounds of investigation, it was found that the China Africa Economic and Trade Headquarters Building gathers better policies and services, and Hunan is also a well-known highland of China Africa trade, so it came here because of its reputation. It is expected that after the enterprise settles in, it will enjoy a 3-year rent free period, as well as government support policies such as platform incentives, export credit insurance, and export loans.
In the view of Xu Xiangping, President of the Hunan China Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Research Association, China Africa cooperation has brought a broad stage for mutual benefit and cooperation among private enterprises in China and Africa.
With the active participation of private enterprises, China Africa economic and trade cooperation has expanded from traditional industries such as construction, mining, manufacturing, and agriculture to diversified new formats such as logistics, digital economy, clean energy, health and hygiene, green development, and finance. Enterprises have brought knowledge and technology, especially in renewable energy, agriculture, and digitalization, to Africa, effectively supporting its modernization development, “said Xu Xiangping.
On July 25th, attendees visited the China Africa Cultural Exchange Exhibition Area. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Zhenhai
To further unleash the potential for private enterprises to cooperate with Africa, China has also built a new platform for China Africa trade for private enterprises, and the China Africa Economic and Trade Headquarters Building project is one of them. The project was officially launched on June 13th, integrating functions such as office, exhibition, and communication, with a total area of over 100000 square meters. It is expected to achieve a trade volume with Africa of no less than 30 billion yuan in the next three years.
As of now, the building has attracted the attention of more than 60 non economic and trade cooperation enterprises and business association organizations, and more than 30 private enterprises have settled in, covering multiple fields such as communication and multimedia, technology research and development, engineering construction, international exchange, and trade incubation.
Changsha Xingcheng Foreign Comprehensive Service Enterprise Service Co., Ltd., responsible for liaising with Abdullah Investment Promotion, is one of the first companies to settle in the building. Currently, it has attracted six companies to settle in the building, and two foreign-funded enterprises are in talks.
In the view of General Manager Luo Qin, Hunan has already established its overseas reputation in China Africa trade. In addition, there are many relevant support policies from local governments, which give enterprises a sense of gain. In the future, we will focus on non related enterprises and plan to attract more large and foreign enterprises
Not only in the field of commerce, but also in the cultural field, more and more non-governmental forces from China and Africa are actively playing a role. On the 25th, as one of the participating enterprises in the cultural industry of China and Africa, Liu Jianhong, Chairman of Hunan Shanmao Jimi Media Co., Ltd., was invited to participate in the parallel forums of the 7th China Africa Forum and the 7th China Africa Youth Leaders Forum.
In February of this year, the “China Africa Cultural and Creative Exchange Club” hosted by Yamato Jimi and the Kenya National Federation of Industry and Commerce was established in Tianxin District, Changsha City, aiming to use the common love of young people as a carrier for cultural integration between China and Africa. At present, the club has implemented many cooperative projects in Africa. Shanmao Jimi is building a two-way tourism route between China and Africa, allowing more Chinese and African teenagers to experience the customs and traditions of Africa and appreciate the unique charm of Hunan. (Reporters Ruan Zhou, Zhang Yujie, Xi Min, Lin Jianjie, Ju Yinhe)