On the afternoon of November 8, the China-Africa Private Sector Cooperation Forum 2023, with the theme of “Further Deepen and Substantiate China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation: Focusing on the development of China-Africa supply chain and industrial chain”, was held in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, which was co-organized by All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) and the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province. The participants exchanged views on further deepening China-Africa economic and trade cooperation so as to seek common development. Qiu Xiaoping, vice chairman of ACFIC, Ye Zhengbo, vice chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Maoulana Charif, Ambassador of Union of Comoros to China, and Zhang Bin, deputy director-general of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended the forum and delivered speeches.

　　

Qiu Xiaoping said that in recent years, Chinese private enterprises have accelerated their pace of going global and have become a major force in China-Africa trade cooperation and a new force for China’s investment in Africa. At present, private enterprises account for more than 70% of the Chinese enterprises in Africa. Looking ahead, the status and role of Chinese private enterprises in China-Africa trade and investment cooperation will be more prominent, implement the nine programs of China-Africa cooperation and the three proposals to strengthen China-Africa cooperation, focus on the theme of deepening China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, seize opportunities and take the initiative to push China-Africa cooperation to a new level. It is hoped that we will complement each other’s strengths and expand new areas of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. We should enhance innovation-driven economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, adhere to green development and promote sustainable economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa. The ACFIC will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with African government agencies and chambers of commerce, promote the incremental improvement of Chinese private enterprises’ trade and investment cooperation with Africa, and make greater contributions to the building of a higher-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

Ye Zhengbo said that the exchanges and cooperation between Zhejiang and Africa have a long and enduring history. In the new era, Zhejiang has deeply implemented the Belt and Road Initiative and followed the guidance of the eight actions and the nine open and strong province, Zhejiang has adhered to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and vigorously promoted all-round exchanges and cooperation with African countries, with significant growth in trade, splendid cultural exchanges and increasingly close people-to-people exchanges. Zhejiang will thoroughly implement the International Cooperation, take this forum as a new starting point, adhere to practical cooperation, build a new platform for economic and trade cooperation, promote green development, cultivate new advantages of industrial cooperation, adhere to promoting factor guarantee, and be committed to creating a new environment for win-win cooperation. Zhejiang will adhere to the people-oriented approach, constantly open up new opportunities for exchanges between the new generation of entrepreneurs in Zhejiang and Africa, promote cooperation and exchanges with Africa to a higher level and wider areas, and build a model of China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Wu Yanming, president of China-Africa Business Council (CABC) and president of Wynca Group, Jacques Jean Luc Nyanga, Ambassador of the Republic of the Congo to China, Tong Qing, executive vice-president of China-Africa Industrial Capacity Cooperation Fund, Amine, general manager of Bank of Africa Shanghai Branch, and Zhang Qiaowen, deputy director of the Research Center for China-South Africa People-to-people Exchanges and associate professor of China-Africa International Business School of Zhejiang Normal University, delivered keynote speeches respectively.

In the dialogue session, Ao Yibin, president of Zhejiang Huali Overseas Industrial Development Co., Ltd., Mei Xiangrong, global partner and director of Yingke Law Firm, Li Aiping, general manager of Lanxi Wanxin Co., Ltd., Huang Zaisheng, chairman of Sino-Tan Industrial Park, Jenipha, president of Tanzania Rhino General Supply Company Limited, Btissam, chief representative of Morocco Attijariwafa Bank Beijing Representative Office, and Kay Gabriel, president of African Diaspora Business Council, exchanged views on speeding up China-Africa supply chain cooperation and helping Africa’s industrialization development.

A key topic of the China-Africa Private Investment Promotion Platform, “A Study on the Impact of the Current Situation of African Industrial Chain on Chinese Private Enterprises’ Investment in Africa”, was released at the forum.

Co-organized by Zhejiang Federation of Industry and Commerce, the People’s Government of Jinhua Municipal City and the CABC, the forum was conducted both online and offline. About 200 people attended the forum, including comrades of relevant departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, the ACFIC and the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, representatives of the Office of China-Africa Private Investment Promotion Platform, members of provincial and municipal federations of industry and commerce, representatives of chambers of commerce directly under the ACFIC, representatives of private enterprises investing in Africa, participants of China-Africa Economic and Trade Forum, heads of relevant international organizations, representatives of African embassies in China and representatives of African enterprises in Zhejiang.