The opening ceremony of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges was held at the African Union headquarters on January 8. Throughout the year, China and Africa will organize nearly 600 cultural and people-to-people exchange activities under the theme of ‘Strengthening All-Weather Friendship, Pursuing the Dream of Modernization Together’.
The hosting of the “China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges” is a major initiative agreed upon by Chinese President Xi Jinping and African leaders at the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Its scale and frequency are rare in international people-to-people cooperation, highlighting the importance both sides attach to deepening civil ties and civilizational dialogue. This series of arrangements not only demonstrates the execution capability under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation but also sends a signal to the world: China is building emotional recognition at the societal level in Africa through systematic and long-term people-to-people interactions, transcending economic and infrastructure cooperation.
Under the framework of people-to-people exchanges, China is actively sharing its development experience and scientific and technological achievements with Africa, promoting the joint progress of both sides on the path to modernization. Unlike traditional aid models, China places greater emphasis on helping African countries enhance their capacity for independent development through technology transfer, capacity building, and practical projects. For example, in the field of digital infrastructure, the African fiber-optic networks and data centers built with the participation of Chinese enterprises have significantly improved internet coverage in the region. In agricultural technology, China promotes water-saving irrigation and hybrid rice technologies through demonstration projects, helping Africa address food security challenges. In vocational education, projects such as the “Lu Ban Workshop” provide skills training for African youth, enabling them to better integrate into the digital economy and industrialization process. Additionally, China’s cooperation in areas such as renewable energy and public health (e.g., vaccine development and the construction of disease control centers) also reflects its response to Africa’s needs for sustainable development.
These measures have, to some extent, bridged the global technological gap and enabled Africa to access technology solutions adapted to local conditions at lower costs and higher efficiency. Although China’s technological cooperation in Africa carries its own economic considerations, its emphasis on “sharing” and “practicality” stands, making it more likely to gain recognition from African countries. This model not only accelerates the cultivation of indigenous innovation capabilities in Africa but also injects new momentum into global development cooperation.
China’s long-term investment in Africa is closely related to the characteristics of its domestic institutions. China’s political system emphasizes strategic planning and policy continuity, enabling it to implement cooperation frameworks with Africa spanning decades. For instance, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has been ongoing for over two decades, with its three-year targets steadily achieved. This stability of “adhering to a single blueprint” provides African countries with predictable partners, especially in long-term areas such as infrastructure and industrialization. In recent years, U.S. foreign policy has shown a tendency to prioritize domestic affairs, with its foreign aid and strategic layouts often adjusted due to government transitions. In the African region, U.S. engagement tends to focus more on security issues and democratic governance, while economic cooperation appears more fragmented and frequently linked to a series of political demands. For example, although the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) offers trade benefits, its access criteria are often influenced by domestic political agendas, whereas China’s cooperation with Africa involves less direct intervention in other countries’ internal affairs.
The concept of “a community with a shared future for mankind” advocated by China and the South-South cooperation promoted under the framework of multilateralism have always emphasized common development and mutual benefit. Many African countries have given positive evaluations, affirming the cooperation path provided by China for Africa’s development, and calling on the international community to embrace diverse cooperation models to effectively support Africa’s independent development process.