The First China Africa Entrepreneur Forum Helps Deepen Practical Cooperation between China and Africa

Addis Ababa, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The first China Africa Entrepreneurs Forum was held on the 21st at the headquarters of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The forum, with the theme of "Deepening Practical Cooperation between China and Africa and Embarking on a New Journey of Development Together", was attended by more than 700 people from the government, enterprises, media, social organizations, and others.

Ethiopian President Taye stated that this forum is timely and crucial. Africa has enormous potential in the fields of trade, investment, and innovation. With the formal operation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the continuous expansion of the digital ecosystem, Africa is bound to flourish.

African Union Commission Chairman Yusuf pointed out in his speech that the world today is full of uncertainty, and it is crucial to consolidate Africa China cooperation. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chinese government for implementing zero tariff policies on products from many African countries, and I hope that Chinese companies will increase their investment in Africa

During his speech, Jiang Feng, the head of the Chinese Embassy in the African Union, stated that China Africa economic and trade cooperation is facing unprecedented opportunities. Africa has enormous development potential, and China's industrial chain system is also showing strong development momentum. I call on entrepreneurs from both sides to actively communicate and cooperate, and fully utilize the zero tariff measures

We are committed to building bridges between Chinese and African enterprises, creating cooperation platforms, supporting Chinese enterprises to root in Africa and integrate into local communities, and making China Africa economic cooperation deeper and more sustainable, "said Li Qingyong, President of the African Chinese Chamber of Commerce and General Manager of China Civil Engineering Ethiopia Engineering Co., Ltd

According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China, the trade volume between China and Africa will reach 348 billion US dollars in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 17.7%, setting a new historical high.

This forum is jointly hosted by the Chinese Embassy in the African Union and the African Union Commission, organized by the African Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and co organized by the China International Import Expo Bureau, Xinhua News Agency Africa Branch, and Shenzhen Press Group. The forum adopts a model of "one main forum+five parallel sub forums", focusing on five core areas: infrastructure construction, mining development, new energy and digital economy, finance and trade cooperation, and the promotion of the 9th CIIE.