Senior Chinese and African officials have called for stronger economic and trade cooperation, using flagship platforms such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum to deepen market access, accelerate industrialisation and expand South-South collaboration.
The appeal was made at a high-level promotion symposium held on Tuesday at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, which brought together more than 80 participants, including AU officials, diplomats, business leaders and representatives from China and across Africa.
The meeting focused on preparations for the ninth edition of the CIIE and the ninth Hongqiao Forum, both scheduled for November in Shanghai. Organisers said the platforms were increasingly important in linking African exporters with Chinese markets while supporting broader development and investment cooperation.
The symposium was jointly hosted by the CIIE Bureau, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum Secretariat, the Chinese Mission to the African Union, and the AU Commission.
Speaking at the event, AU Commission official Ron Osman Omar said China-Africa relations had reached an “unprecedented level of dynamism and strategic depth,” noting that economic cooperation was now central to the partnership.
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He said the relationship had evolved beyond political ties into practical development collaboration aligned with the African Union’s long-term development blueprint, known as Agenda 2063.
Omar highlighted the importance of tapping into platforms such as the CIIE, describing it as a “unique and powerful gateway” for African businesses seeking access to the Chinese market and global value chains.
“The CIIE contributes meaningfully to expanding trade, supporting enterprise development, and promoting value addition,” he said, adding that improved market access could help African economies move up the industrial ladder.
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The China International Import Expo, launched in 2018, is the world’s first national-level import-focused exposition and is positioned by Beijing as a symbol of its commitment to opening its domestic market to global partners.
Jiang Feng, head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union, said the expo reflects China’s broader strategy of high-level opening-up and economic globalisation. He said China had recently expanded zero-tariff treatment for a range of African exports, streamlined customs procedures and improved trade facilitation measures.
“These steps are designed to reduce barriers and broaden channels for African goods to enter the Chinese market,” he said.
Jiang added that cooperation through the CIIE went beyond trade in goods, extending to industrial collaboration, technology transfer and investment partnerships aimed at strengthening Africa’s productive capacity.
“While offering African products a valuable export route, the CIIE also brings in technologies, equipment, investment and management expertise, helping Africa turn its resource endowments into industrial strength,” he said.
African business representatives at the symposium echoed calls for deeper integration, with Amany Asfour, president of the Africa Business Council, urging greater investment in agribusiness, healthcare infrastructure and technology transfer.
She said Africa’s vast natural and human resources could only be fully leveraged through stronger partnerships that supported industrial transformation.
“The continent has the resources, but we need partnerships that help transform those resources into value-added industries,” she said.
Participants at the symposium said both the CIIE and Hongqiao Forum had become important instruments of multilateral cooperation, helping to bridge development gaps and promote what they described as a more balanced global economic order.
They also emphasised the role of such platforms in supporting multilateralism and strengthening South-South cooperation at a time of increasing global economic fragmentation.
The Hongqiao International Economic Forum, held alongside the CIIE, focuses on global development issues and provides a platform for policy dialogue among governments, international organisations and the private sector.
The ninth editions of both events are expected to continue efforts to expand international participation and strengthen economic links between China and developing economies, particularly in Africa, organisers said.
The symposium concluded with calls for concrete action to translate policy dialogue into trade facilitation, investment flows and industrial partnerships that support Africa’s long-term development ambitions.
