The Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) received an invitation from the China Center for Contemporary World Studies and Secretary General of the Silk Road Think Tank Association (SRTA) Secretariat to form part of a high-level delegation of Think-Tank Scholars from the African continent, to visit China. The visit commenced on 23 July 2024 and ended on 1 August 2024.
The purpose of the African Think-Tank Scholars’ visit was not purely for the delegates to enjoy China’s magnificent landscape and experience its friendly culture and mouth-watering cuisine. The visit’s main objective was to further cement the China-Africa friendship, and to deepen and facilitate the China-Africa and People-to-People bond by contributing to building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, through dialogue.
On 24 July 2024, the delegation attended the 7th Africa-China People’s Forum in Changsha, Hunan Province (in central China). The event was attended by over 200 guests from over 50 African countries.
Ms Nondumiso Sithole, advisory council member at the ISI, represented the Institute and attended as a delegate. Ms Sithole formed part of a panel that led discussions on theme 2, “High-end Think Tanks Boost High-Quality Development of China-Africa Cooperation”. She further submitted contributions at a media briefing session held at the 7th Africa-China Peoples Forum and Young Leaders Forum on Sino-African cooperation.
The delegation also attended various field visits to Hunan Province in several locations and different cities, namely Chenzhou, Luoyang and Beijing (in North China), where the China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS) is based. A high-level thematic seminar was held with CCCWS researchers, Dr Wang Liyong as well as Honourable Lu Kang and Honourable Hong Dayong. The focus of this intensive session was Sino-African cooperation, Belt and Road development in Africa, and the field visits between the African Think-Tank Scholars as well as the researchers from CCCWS.
It is worth mentioning that most of the input from the African Think-Tank Scholars had a common thread: that the relationship between China and Africa had evolved into one in which there is respect, and common objectives in terms of empowering the African continent by transforming its economies through various methods. It was also noted that there is a negative global narrative when it comes to Africa-China relations, wherein Chinese policies in Africa are viewed by some as “debt traps”. But that it was up to the African continent as well as the People's Republic of China to not let this detract from their positive, long-standing relationship, as there is a consensus as well as evidence that the relations built thus far have been mutually beneficial and that both parties will continue to work together on the challenges raised.
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