The Permanent Exhibition Hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is located in the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, Promotion, and Innovation Demonstration Park in the Yuhua Block, Changsha Area, China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone.
It is a public service platform for the exhibition and sales of African products and trade with Africa. As a major project of Hunan Province, it aims to create a perpetual China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo.
Completed and put into operation in September 2021 during the second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, the Permanent Exhibition Hall spans as total area of 10,000 square meters. It includes the pilot zone for in-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, the Global Trade Dual Circulation Exhibition Hall, as well as 34 independent pavilions and three comprehensive pavilions, covering the promotion and display for 53 African countries.
The exhibition hall adopts a market-oriented operation model of “1 + 6 +N”, which includes one overall operator, six sub-operation centers, and N “curators” for various countries’ pavilions. It undertakes strategic missions such as resource integration, product exhibition and sales, economic and trade matchmaking and cultural exchanges between China and Africa.
The first session of China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) took place in Changsha, Hunan, in June 2019. With the theme of “Win-Win Cooperation for closer China-Africa Economic and Trade Partnership”, guided by the “Eight Major Initiatives”, it focused on key areas such as trade, agriculture, investment, financing, cooperation parks and infrastructure. Over 30 activities have been conducted, including thematic seminars, professional forums, trade talks, exhibitions, and field visits, according to a source.
President Xi Jinping sent congratulatory letter, and Vice Premier Hu Chunhua attended the conference, reading Xi’s letter and delivering a keynote speech. President of Uganda, Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia and Deputy Prime Minister of Cape Verde delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Gao Yunlong, vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee and chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce participated in the thematic activities.
Representatives from 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, 28 ministries/commissions under the central government, 10 plus international organizations, 31 domestic provinces/municipalities/ autonomous regions and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, along with more than 1,500 Chinese and African enterprises participated in the expo and exhibition, the same source revealed.
China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation: Case Studies and Plans was released for the first time. Furthermore, the direct flight between Nairobi and Changsha was launched and the virtue expo was online.
On 27 June 2019, the first CAETE kicked off in Changsha, Hunan. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the expo and pointed out that China and Africa are good friends, good partners and good brothers with a shared future and vision. Over the years, in line with the tide of history and the development needs of each side, China and Africa have carried out pragmatic cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, bringing remarkable results that have benefited the people of both sides.
The source added that the expo announced at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on the China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) by President Xi in September 2018 was established to provide a platform for deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. The First Expo brings together governments, local authorities, think tanks, enterprises, and financial institutions from both China and Africa and other parties to deliberate cooperation endeavors. It is hoped that the two sides will strengthen coordination to better implement the Eight Major Initiatives put forward at the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC, actively explore new paths for cooperation, open up new areas of growth for collaboration, and promote China-Africa economic and trade cooperation to a new level.
The second session of CAETE held in Changsha, Hunan, in September 2021 successfully navigated the challenges posed by the pandemic by adopting a hybrid approach. With the theme of “New Start, New Opportunities, New Accomplishments”, the session organized more than 20 activities in key areas such as agrifood products, medicine and health, infrastructure, industrial chain cooperation, financial cooperation and trade. The main exhibition venue covered an area of more than 60,000 m2.
Mr. Yang Jiechi, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee delivered a speech at the opening ceremony and the Presidents of Rwanda, Senegal and Algeria delivered video messages; about 30 ministerial-level dignitaries from more than 20 African countries and international organizations delivered video speeches online.
The second EXPO was participated by 47 African countries, 29 ministries and commissions, 26 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions as well as nearly 1200 Chinese and African enterprises. The session has witnessed the signing of 135 projects with a total investment of USD 22.9 billion China-Africa Economic and Trade Relationship Annual Report 2021 and the Cloud Expo were launched for the first time.
The third session of CAETE, on the theme of “Common Development for a shared Future” kicked off in Changsha, Hunan, in 2023. The event featured more than 40 activities and one exhibition in areas such as green infrastructure, customs inspection and quarantine, healthcare, rules and regulations, light industry and textiles, women and youth and vocational education. A total of 120 projects were signed, amounting to USD 10.3 billion, The China-Africa Trade Index was released for the first time. The third session is held as a distinctive, productive and high-standard event that makes a difference. This Hunan-based platform has provided a broad stage for the whole nation and created benefits shared by China and Africa.
Mr. Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi and Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar addressed the opening ceremony. Ms. Peng Liyuan, the First Lady of China and UNECO Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girls’ and Women’s Education, delivered a video speech at the China-Africa Women’s Forum. Ms. Shen Yueyue, vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and president of the All-China Women’s Federation, attended the China-Africa Women’s Federation.
Representatives from 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, 30 ministries/commissions under the central government, 12-plus international organizations including the African Union, and 30 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions in China participated in the expo and exhibition. More than 12,000 people attended the event, including nearly 160 guests at the ministerial level and above and over 80 heads of financial institutions and central SOEs. During the Expo, over 500 bilateral meetings and talks were held.
Four major events, including the opening ceremony and China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum and 40 thematic events, including high-end events, business matchmaking, thematic seminars and project promotion, nine ministries, and commissions have hosted high-level forums or seminars, 10 state-level business associations organized exchanges and cooperation activities and 19 African countries held promotion conference.
As the first follow-up action of the “Eight Major Initiatives” announced by China’s President Xi Jinping at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), CAETE is committed to building a new mechanism for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, a new platform for the implementation of economic and trade initiatives under FOCAC, and a new window for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation at the sub-national level.
Upon the approval of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the biennial Hunan-based Expo is jointly sponsored by the people’s Government of Hunan Province and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM). The first three sessions were held in June 2019, September 2021, and June 2023, yielding fruitful results including the signing of 336 projects with a total investment of USD 53.32 billion. This Hunan-based platform has provided a broad stage for the whole nation and created benefits shared by China and Africa.
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 17 JUNE 2025
