JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Overview: China-Africa modernization cooperation has taken solid steps forward.
2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa. At this important historical juncture, the Chinese Foreign Minister will make his first state visit to Africa at the beginning of the year for the 36th consecutive year, and will attend the opening ceremony of the "China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges" at the African Union headquarters, sending a clear signal: China always places Africa in a priority and important position in its overall diplomatic strategy, and remains the most reliable partner for African countries in their pursuit of development and revitalization.
For a long time, China has always adhered to the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the correct approach to justice and interests in carrying out its cooperation with Africa, promoting China-Africa cooperation towards high quality and sustainability, and working together to realize the dream of modernization.
Over the years, China and Africa have closely aligned China's development experience with Africa's development needs through pragmatic cooperation, achieving common prosperity through mutual benefit and win-win results. This includes actively implementing a 100% zero-tariff policy on products from African countries with which China has diplomatic relations, and helping Africa build and upgrade nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, over 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges, and nearly 100 ports. These pragmatic measures have made significant contributions to accelerating the modernization process of African countries and promoting coordinated economic development.
At the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China proposed that China and Africa work together to advance the "Six Modernizations" and implement the "Ten Partnership Actions." The "List of Outcomes of the Beijing Summit of FOCAC," released in June 2025, shows that since the summit, China has actively promoted approximately 600 "small but beautiful" projects, covering areas such as connectivity, poverty reduction and agricultural development, healthcare, green development, the digital economy, and people-to-people exchanges, essentially achieving full coverage of African countries.
In November 2025, during the first G20 Leaders' Summit held on the African continent, China and the host country South Africa jointly launched the "Cooperation Initiative to Support African Modernization," supporting African countries in independently exploring modernization paths suited to their national conditions and achieving sustainable development.
Promoting people-to-people exchanges is not only a continuation of the traditional friendship between China and Africa in this new era, but also provides a deeper and more lasting spiritual nourishment for China-Africa cooperation, helping various China-Africa cooperation projects to take root, blossom, and bear fruit, benefiting the people of both sides.
Over the years, relying on multi-level and multi-channel talent training and exchange mechanisms, China has trained more than 10,000 professionals in various fields for African countries. Projects such as the "Luban Workshop," the "Future Africa - China-Africa Vocational Education Cooperation Program," and the "China-Africa 100 Universities Cooperation Program" have been continuously implemented, building a China-Africa education cooperation network covering skills training, talent exchange, and technological innovation. Cultural activities such as the China-Africa Future Leaders Dialogue, the China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, and the China-Africa Youth Gala have continuously brought the people of both sides, especially the youth, closer together and enhanced their sense of identity and affinity.
At the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, it was announced that China and Africa would designate 2026 as the "China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges." Both sides will hold a series of people-to-people exchange activities under the theme of "Consolidating All-Weather Friendship and Pursuing the Dream of Modernization," promoting exchanges and mutual learning between the two great civilizations of China and Africa, fostering mutual understanding, shared sentiments, and concerted efforts among the Chinese and African people, and strengthening the public opinion foundation for China-Africa friendship. Taking people-to-people exchanges as an opportunity, both sides will practice the principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith in their policy towards Africa, explore the potential for pragmatic cooperation in various fields, inject vitality into China-Africa cooperation in advancing modernization, and contribute to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era and pursuing the dream of modernization together.
China and Africa together account for one-third of the world's population. Without the modernization of China and Africa, there can be no modernization of the world. Looking to the future, China and Africa will continue to support each other and move forward hand in hand on the path of modernization, using the "golden key" of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation to open the "door to the future" of common development, and contributing China-Africa strength to achieving a united and self-reliant Global South and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Jin Bowen
