The 2026 Forum on China-Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation Opens in Yiwu, Jinhua

Jinhua, China – November 9, 2026 – On November 7, the 2026 Forum on China-Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation was held in Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province. Hosted by the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, the forum brought together over 400 guests from 39 countries and regions to discuss new opportunities for high-quality China-Africa cooperation under the theme of “Economic and Trade Prosperity, Cultural Mutual Learning, Win-Win Partnerships, People-to-People Bonds.”

The forum this year focused on economic and trade cooperation, emphasizing the central role of markets and leveraging major platforms to deliver tangible results. For the first time, the main venue was set in Yiwu, showcasing open platforms such as the Yiwu International Trade Mart, the Global Digital Trade Center, and the Chinagoods digital platform, as well as institutional innovation in market procurement trade, cross-border e-commerce, and overseas warehouse development. Strengthening investment cooperation is a key pathway for China and Africa to deepen industrial and supply-chain integration, jointly address challenges, and achieve common development. During the forum, 49 China-Africa cooperation projects were signed, with a total value of RMB 40.96 billion, including the DRC Yiwu Market (Kinshasa) Project, the Tati Solar Project in Botswana, Jetsmart Transport Limited—Co-Creating a China-Africa Cross-Border Supply-chain Ecosystem, and the Project for Mineral Imports from Africa. The projects cover trade, overseas investment, engineering contracting, and international cooperation.

Rich concurrent economic and trade events were also held, including the African Overseas Chinese Associations & Leaders Event and ”Overseas Chinese + X” Industrial Cooperation & Development, the China-Africa Industrial Cooperation and Sustainable Development Exchange Conference, the China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Cooperation and Exchange Forum, the Forum on China-Africa Industrial Cooperation and Cross-Border E-Commerce Development & the Second National Seminar on the China-Africa Trade Index, the China-Africa Trade Commodity Exhibition, and the China (Zhejiang)–Africa New Energy Industry Cooperation Conference. These events further promote industrial and supply-chain coordination, support Africa’s green development, and help Zhejiang’s competitive industries expand globally, achieving mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Several outcomes were released at the forum. Two important ones are under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) framework: the China-Africa Trade Digitalization Trust Verification Platform released by GS1 China; and the 2026 Corporate Social Responsibility Report of Chinese Businesses in Africa released by the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters (CCCMC) and the Alliance of Chinese Businesses in Africa for Social Responsibilities. On the economic and trade front, the Yiwu Municipal People’s Government released World’s Yiwu: Bridging China and Africa Through Trade — A New China-Africa Trade & Economic Cooperation Model, showcasing new mechanisms and pathways for Yiwu’s trade cooperation with African markets. The Zhejiang Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Zhejiang) released the Zero-tariff Trade with Africa Compliance Guide to enhance the quality and efficiency of practical China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

The Fifteenth Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum was also convened. Launched in 2011 and later incorporated into the FOCAC framework, it has held 14 sessions in China and Africa, yielding a series of think-tank outputs with international influence. Among them, four outcomes, including the Africa-China Dar es Salaam Consensus, jointly released with scholars from over 50 African countries, have been incorporated into the Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) of FOCAC. This year’s meeting, themed “Openness, Cooperation, Mutual Learning, and Shared Development: China and Africa Joining Hands to Advance Modernization,” featured four sub-themes, including “Advancing Comprehensive Zero-tariff Arrangements and Building a New Pattern of China-Africa Industrial and Supply-chain Cooperation.” It released outcomes such as the Think Tank Action Declaration on Advancing Modernization in the Global South Through China-Africa Cooperation and the China-Africa Consensus on Mutual Learning Between Civilizations. African think tanks from South Africa, Gabon, and other countries signed cooperation agreements with the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University.

The forum also spotlighted people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China-Africa film and television exchange and cooperation was promoted, with African film and television practitioners invited to Hengdian, Zhejiang, for screenings of outstanding works, China-Africa film and television workshops, and a China-Africa film review competition. The Conference on China-Africa Cultural and Tourism Cooperation & Exchange innovatively adopted a “comprehensive agenda + parallel sessions” format, organizing face-to-face matchmaking between Chinese and African enterprises to translate cultural-tourism dialogue into concrete implementation. In addition, the “Qiaochuifang” Achievement Exhibition showcased master woodcarving works by Chinese and African artisans, youth creative works, and fusion achievements. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Market featured selected specialty items, creating an immersive experience for viewing, learning, and hands-on participation. This year’s China-Africa Cultural Silk Road Exchange Month featured a series of pragmatic, people-centered, and high-impact cultural exchange activities that foster face-to-face discussions, hand-in-hand creation, and heart-to-heart connections.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, as well as the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. On May 1, 2025, China implemented a zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China, unlocking major opportunities for upgrading and expanding two-way trade. In recent years, Jinhua has continuously deepened its exchanges and cooperation with Africa in economic, trade, cultural, and educational fields, forming a “Jinhua Model” of China-Africa cooperation. Official data shows that Jinhua has established trade links with every African country and region, with imports and exports up 35.3% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2026. Approximately 30,000 Jinhua merchants are active across the African continent, and 2,675 African-funded enterprises have settled in Jinhua, ranking first in Zhejiang Province.

As one of the key supporting activities under the FOCAC framework, the Forum on China-Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation has been steadily upgraded in scale and influence, becoming an important platform for Zhejiang to support China’s overall diplomacy and contribute to Global South modernization. Since 2024, the forum has facilitated the signing of more than 100 cooperation projects with Africa, totaling more than RMB 120 billion, injecting new impetus into China-Africa cooperation toward higher quality, at a deeper level, and across a broader scope.

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