Closer relations key to prosperous future

China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo opens in Changsha

Themed "Common Development for a Shared Future", the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is being held until Sunday in Changsha, capital of Hunan province. It serves as a major platform for China and African countries to deepen economic and trade cooperation.

The event features more than 40 activities, covering green infrastructure; customs and quarantine; medicine and health; agricultural and food products; industrial parks; vocational education and other topics.

The guest countries of honor at the expo are Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria and Zambia.

A total of 20 achievements including the China-Africa Trade Index; the China-Africa Economic and Trade Relations Report; the report on the use of the renminbi in Africa and typical cases of Chinese companies fulfilling social responsibilities in Africa are to be released.

The expo, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Hunan provincial government, has played a positive role in promoting the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the high-quality development of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

The number of exhibitors at this year's expo reached 1,500, an increase of 70 percent compared to the previous session, with 1,590 exhibits from 29 countries.

There are approximately more than 8,000 purchasers and over 100,000 visitors in total. With quality exhibits and richer content, the expo has, for the first time, set up the B&R High-Quality Cooperation Achievements Exhibition and the China-Africa Women's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Achievements Exhibition.

In recent years, thanks to the CAETE, exchanges between Hunan and Africa have become close, making the province an important bridgehead for economic and trade cooperation with Africa.

Over the past decade, China and Africa have advanced a large number of key cooperation projects and boosted bilateral trade and investment.

Hunan is using the long-term advantages of hosting the CAETE to strengthen economic and trade cooperation and assist people-to-people exchanges with African countries.

Currently, Hunan has established trade relations with 58 African countries and regions.

From January to May, Hunan's trade with Africa reached 27.01 billion yuan ($3.72 billion), a year-on-year increase of 54.5 percent.

The CAETE has become an important window for promoting economic and trade cooperation with Africa and a driving force for building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

In Changsha, chili peppers from Rwanda are sold in major supermarkets.

As one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, Rwanda is ready to seize new opportunities brought by the BRI.

"China has become an important and reliable investment and trading partner for Rwanda. Chinese companies will continue to invest in Rwanda and Rwandan high-quality agricultural products such as chili peppers, tea and coffee are also seeking valuable market opportunities in China," said James Kimonyo, Rwanda's ambassador to China.

"With the momentum of the CAETE, the business volume in Africa has increased by about 50 percent annually," said Wu Weiheng, deputy general manager of the overseas branch of Zoomlion. The company is displaying an array of agricultural machinery, concrete machinery and other products at this year's expo.