The Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo opened on Thursday in Changsha City, central China’s Hunan Province, marking a significant step in strengthening economic ties between China and Africa. The four-day event, themed “China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization,” brings together nearly 4,700 Chinese and African companies and over 30,000 participants.
With cooperation projects preliminarily agreed upon exceeding $11 billion, the expo highlights the commitment of both sides to collaborate on economic development and modernization efforts. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the opening ceremony, expressing optimism about the future of China-Africa cooperation.
“No matter how the international landscape may change, China will always stand firmly with Africa, offering strong support for the continent’s modernization,” said Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. He emphasized that achieving modernization is a shared aspiration of the more than 2.8 billion people in China and Africa.
Key African leaders, including Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Liberian Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, and Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, also attended the ceremony.
Wang Yi pledged China’s efforts to further open up to Africa by signing more economic partnership agreements and encouraging the import of more African goods. “China will continue to exchange governance experience with African countries and strengthen the synergy of development strategies to accelerate modernization,” he said.
The expo serves as a platform to deepen practical cooperation, facilitating Africa’s industrialization and digital transformation. Both China and Africa are looking forward to building a community with a shared future, working together towards economic growth and development.
