Seminar on Chinese-style modernisation and African development: Xi'an, for a new China-Africa People's Alliance
Héribert-Label Elisée ADJOVI / Special correspondent in Xi'an
Implementation of the six modernisation objectives and ten strategic partnership actions between China and Africa, as announced at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit, FOCAC 2024. This was the objective for which fifty (50) African experts were in Shaanxi. Mission accomplished on the evening of Wednesday 23 July 2025.
Fifty African countries were represented, with one representative per country, at the seminar on ‘Chinese-style modernisation and the development of Africa’. Organised by the Secretariat of the Chinese Commission for the Follow-up of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Yangling Demonstration Zone International Exchange Centre, this seminar was held from 17 to 24 July 2025 in Shaanxi Province, in north-central China, specifically in the cities of Yangling and Xi'an, the provincial capital and former imperial capital of China. University professors, research institute directors and think tank presidents attended a series of lectures and visited sites where China's new era of modernisation is being realised.
An opening ceremony that sets the scene
The delegation of 50 experts from as many African countries in Yangling received a prestigious and warm welcome. A welcome befitting their status and in the pure tradition of Chinese hospitality, on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July 2025. The following morning, Friday 18 July, the official opening ceremony of the seminar took place in the Jiao Jia Hall on the ground floor of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Modern Agriculture Exchange Centre. Four speeches marked the event. In his opening address, Mr Xue Bing, Special Envoy of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Horn of Africa, praised the Ministry's Department of African Affairs, sponsor of the event, as well as the Shaanxi Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and the Yangling High-Tech Demonstration Zone Management Committee, executive organisers, for holding the seminar. "Twenty-five years after its creation, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has become a model of solidarity and cooperation in the Global South. In his speech at the 9th FOCAC in September 2024 in Beijing, President Xi Jinping announced the six major objectives and ten strategic partnership actions that constitute a clear commitment by China and Africa to build a community with a shared future together." In 2025, Xue Bing continues, "trade between China and Africa reached a new record high, exceeding $300 billion. In addition, China has invested more than 13.3 billion yuan—approximately $1.9 billion—and provided more than 150 billion yuan—approximately $21.5 billion—in financial support to Africa in various forms. " The importance of China-Africa relations was highlighted at the FOCAC ministerial meeting held in China's Hunan province on 11 June 2025, which was endorsed by the Changsha China-Africa Declaration on Preserving Global South Solidarity and Cooperation. This seminar, said Xue Bing, ‘is an opportunity to deepen China-Africa cooperation with you, the fifty experts from fifty African countries, in Shaanxi, the starting point of the Silk Road and whose capital, Xi'an, is the cradle of Chinese civilisation. Following him, He Ling, Permanent Member of the Yangling Demonstration Zone Management Committee, and Gao Jinxiao, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government, celebrated Sino-African cooperation, particularly in the development of modern agriculture, which is experiencing a golden age in the Yangling pilot region. Yangling and its agricultural demonstration centre, which has already offered more than 160 training courses on 20 subjects to 2,000 students. Yangling also hosts an agricultural fair, which for the past 30 years has showcased the latest technologies in the sector and attracted more than 3,000 exhibitors from some 40 countries and regions around the world. This has earned it the coveted name of ‘Olympics of Agriculture’. This has enhanced the prestigious image of Shaanxi, the home province of President Xi Jinping. On behalf of the seminar participants, Mustapha Saheed, Senior Lecturer at the University of Abuja in Nigeria, thanked the Chinese side for the invitation to this seminar and expressed the hope that, at the end of the Shaanxi meeting, ‘the 50 experts will become ambassadors and bridges for Sino-African cooperation.’
Field visits to see Chinese-style modernisation in action In addition to the opening address and panel discussions, the 50 African experts attending the seminar on ‘Chinese-style modernisation and African development’ visited sites in Shaanxi Province that are examples of Chinese-style modernisation.
In Yangling, we visited the Exhibition Hall of the Yangling Demonstration Zone. It plays a central role in promoting modern agriculture and international cooperation. We also visited the Yangling Smart Agriculture Demonstration Park, which consists of the Smart Control Centre and the Plant Factory. It is a futuristic showcase for high-tech agriculture. It embodies the fusion of agricultural tradition and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, big data and 5G. The visit to the Seed Industry Innovation Centre in the Yangling Demonstration Zone gave seminar participants a close-up view of this strategic pillar of modern agricultural development in China. The centre plays a key role in the research, selection, production and distribution of high-quality seeds, which are essential for food security and agricultural productivity. The Yangling International Kiwi Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park, meanwhile, embodies the desire to make kiwis a flagship product of modern Chinese agriculture, while promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and international cooperation.
In Xi'an, the provincial capital, we visited the Xi'an Light Industry Market, which is part of a national drive to revive and modernise the sector in China. Although Xi'an is not the main centre of light industry like some coastal cities, it plays a strategic role in the integration of production, consumption and export of consumer goods. Xi'an is known as the ‘city that never sleeps’ of the Tang Dynasty. It is a must-see destination, much appreciated by luxury visitors such as ourselves. Particularly lively at night, with light shows, artistic performances and cultural activities, hence its name, the ‘City of the Great Tang that never sleeps’ had to endure, during the visit of African experts, African music and dance, much appreciated by the Chinese witnesses on site. The African experts also visited the ‘Terracotta Warriors of the Mausoleum of Qin Shinhuang’, one of the most impressive archaeological treasures in China and the world. Discovered in 1974 near Xi'an, these life-size statues—more than 8,000 soldiers, 180 chariots, and 670 horses—were created to accompany China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, into the afterlife.The visit to the community on Hongzhuan South Street exposed the seminarians to the Chinese approach to modernising the management of retirement homes for the elderly in China. We were able to play sports, dance and create art with these men and women who have given everything to China and to whom the nation and the Chinese Communist Party are providing a dignified retirement. At China Railway 20th Bureau Group Corporation, a subsidiary of the giant China Railway Construction Limited, which builds large-scale infrastructure and is ranked among the world's 500 largest companies, the seminarians enjoyed a Chinese success story.At Shaanxi Heavy Duty Truck Co., Ltd, we were able to see the exceptional chassis manufacturing process, which involves smart manufacturing and industrial modernisation. Finally, we visited Longi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd, one of the world leaders in solar energy. Founded in 2000, the company specialises in monocrystalline silicon-based photovoltaic products, with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability.
A seminar that ended on a high note Everything that has a beginning has an end. After watching the retrospective video of the seminar, it was time for the closing speeches of the Xi'an seminar on ‘Chinese-style modernisation and the development of Africa’. On behalf of the experts, Mr Steven Moussala Banzouzi, Advisor to the Congolese Prime Minister (for French speakers) and Mr Joseph Simbakalia, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tanzanian Energy Engineering and Manufacturing Organisation (for English speakers) first thanked the seminar's organising team for welcoming the participants and for the logistics put in place to make our stay in Shaanxi Province enjoyable. They then congratulated the professors who took the time to give us lectures over the course of a week, as well as the managers of the various facilities we visited for allowing us to experience Chinese-style modernisation in the historic province of Shaanxi. The richness and depth of these teachings were appreciated by all. The content and details provided during these lectures were commensurate with the calibre of the seminar participants and a credit to the distinguished Chinese professors. As seminar participants, we leave Xi'an better equipped to play our role as ambassadors of the China-Africa strategic partnership. Steven Moussala Banzouzi, Advisor to the Congolese Prime Minister, and Joseph Simbakalia, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tanzanian Energy Engineering and Manufacturing Organisation, were keen to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which has already become a model of cooperation for the Global South and a benchmark for building a community with a shared future for humanity. In light of the discussions throughout our stay, they strongly recommended to the Chinese side that the momentum of China-Africa People's Cooperation be strengthened and that Chinese initiatives aimed at industrialisation, agricultural mechanisation, green energy and digital energy in Africa be accelerated.With this in mind, we want to play our part, says Steven Moussala Banzouzi, Advisor to the Congolese Prime Minister: "Africa is ready. It is not turning in on itself. It wants to contribute fully to a more humane, fairer and more balanced world. It is up to us to turn the promises made at this seminar into concrete action. It is up to us to build, together, the cooperation that our peoples expect." In response, Ma Jin, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Yangling Demonstration Zone and Deputy Executive Director of the Agricultural Base Office of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, thanked the seminar participants for the week spent in Shaanxi Province. "The high-level exchanges during the conferences and your pertinent questions during the visits to the cities of Yangling and Xi'an are matched only by your level of commitment to the development of your respective countries. You prove to us, if proof were still needed, that Africa has men and women who are aware of the challenges of its development and equipped to build a better future for posterity. Following the representatives of the experts, she expressed her hope that the flame lit in Shaanxi would not be extinguished and that a framework for following up on this seminar would be put in place. The family photo and the final banquet brought the Xi'an seminar to a close.
Xue Bing gives the opening address on China's Africa policy
Héribert-Label Elisée ADJOVI / Special correspondent in Xi'an
The 50 African experts participating in the seminar on ‘Chinese-style modernisation and African development’ attended an inaugural address by Mr Xue Bing on the fundamentals of China's foreign policy in general and China's African policy in particular. This was followed by a series of lectures given by distinguished Chinese professors. The watchword for the implementation of Chinese foreign policy has always been ‘pacifism’. This vision of foreign policy has its roots in China's millennia-old civilisation and is guided by the thinking of President Xi Jinping. It is a path of peaceful development that brings man and nature into harmony. In this regard, Chinese diplomacy understands that no civilisation is superior to others and that, while sharing the earth, it is normal for actors in the international community to have points of divergence. This is why, even when it was one of the world's powerful nations in the past, China never had any colonies. Guided at all times by a spirit of peace and respect for the independence and sovereignty of states, it continues to work towards a multipolar world where all countries enrich each other with their experiences, in order to build a community with a shared future for humanity. This is in line with President Xi Jinping's vision for a new world order characterised by global development, global security and global civilisation. However, it is not possible to establish an international society of peace and security without taking into account the legitimate aspiration of developing countries to choose their own path of development. It is in this spirit that China has always stood alongside the countries of the Global South in general, and African countries in particular.
China-Africa: several stages, same ambition Several stages have marked China-Africa relations since the founding of the People's Republic of China, proclaimed by President Mao Zedong on 1 October 1949. Between 1949 and 1978, China and Africa strengthened their traditional friendship and fought together against colonialism and for the liberation of African nations, with the Bandung Conference – held from 18 to 24 April 1955 in Bandung, Indonesia, bringing together representatives from 29 African and Asian countries for the first time – as a cornerstone. This paved the way for both the ‘Sun of Independence’ in Africa in the early 1960s and the restoration of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of China to the UN, following the adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 on 25 October 1971, with 76 votes in favour, 35 against and 17 abstentions – as the sole legitimate representative of China to the UN. Twenty-six African states were among the group of UN member countries that supported China's reinstatement, which consequently regained its seat as a permanent member of the UN Security Council with veto power. On this subject, Chairman Mao Zedong said, ‘It was our African brothers who brought us to the United Nations.’ Since then, China has regarded this solidarity as a founding act of Sino-African friendship. This period was also marked, in 1962, by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai's 52-day tour of ten African countries. At the same time, despite going through a disastrous decade of cultural revolution (1966-1976), China reached out to African countries. One of the largest international aid projects ever undertaken by China in Africa in the 1970s was the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), a 1,860-kilometre line linking Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. After the restoration of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the People's Republic of Benin on 29 December 1972, Benin received a Chinese donation of one billion CFA francs for the construction of the Stade de l'Amitié, which was completed in November 1982. The period from 1978 to 2000 marked a strategic transition in relations between China and Africa, shifting from a primarily ideological engagement to a more economic and pragmatic approach. Starting in 1978, with the reform policy promoted by President Deng Xiaoping, China adopted an open-door policy focused on economic development. The period from 2001 to 2012 was a phase of strategic expansion, marked by the institutionalisation of the partnership through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) – created in October 2000, with the first summit of the Forum held in 2006 – and an intensification of economic, diplomatic and technological exchanges. All of this was based on the principles of equality, mutually beneficial results, friendship and good faith, and the development of a Chinese foreign policy document on Africa.
The advent of President Xi Jinping and China-Africa relations in the new era 2013 was a special year, marked by the arrival of President Xi Jinping, who made Africa the destination of his first overseas visit. On this occasion, he laid the foundations for a new era in Sino-African relations, placing them under the fourfold banner of ‘sincerity, pragmatism, friendship and openness’. In September 2018, at the FOCAC in Beijing, the summit was co-chaired by Xi Jinping, who had been re-elected Chinese President in March 2018, and Cyril Ramaphosa, the newly elected South African President. Their collaboration symbolised a strengthening of the Sino-African partnership, with a shared desire to build a more solid China-Africa community of destiny. In November 2021, despite the Covid crisis, the eighth China-Africa Ministerial Meeting was held, with President Xi Jinping participating via video conference, and was marked by a desire to revive relations in a post-crisis world. With China's support, the 15th BRICS Summit, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 22 to 24 August 2023, provided an opportunity to discuss the BRICS-Africa partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism. This summit saw Egypt and Ethiopia join the BRICS. On the sidelines of the summit, President Xi Jinping announced three new measures to promote industrialisation, agricultural mechanisation and vocational training in Africa. These measures were reiterated and adopted at the end of the ninth FOCAC Summit, which took place from 4 to 6 September 2024 in Beijing. This summit marked the consolidation of Sino-African friendship, which has evolved from a cooperative relationship to a strategic partnership. In June 2025, the ministerial meeting to implement FOCAC follow-up actions was held in Changsha in China's Hunan province. At the same time, the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo celebrated the excellence of the Sino-African business climate, against the backdrop of a tariff war unilaterally imposed by Washington.
China-Africa: Figures that speak louder than words To illustrate his presentation, Mr Xue Bing, Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Horn of Africa, listed achievements that have elevated Sino-African cooperation to the status of a model in the Global South and a benchmark for the revision of Western powers' African policy. In the field of trade, in 2025, trade between China and Africa reached a new record of $300 billion, confirming sustained growth. China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. Following the Changsha meeting in June 2025, China decided to grant 100% customs exemptions on agricultural products from the 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations. This has increased African agricultural exports to China by an average of 600%. At the same time, Chinese direct investment in Africa exceeded $45 billion, with a strong presence in the energy, transport and telecommunications sectors. By 2025, China had financed more than 1,400 infrastructure projects, including roads, railways, ports, airports and solar power plants. In the areas of educational and technological cooperation, more than 50,000 scholarships were awarded to African students to study in China. Sino-African research centres have been set up in several countries to promote local innovation. China has also launched training programmes in artificial intelligence and cybercrime for young Africans. In the areas of agriculture and sustainable development, China supports more than 200 agricultural projects in Africa, focusing on food security and climate resilience. Agricultural cooperation zones have been established in 15 African countries, promoting technology transfer and sustainable practices. In diplomacy and solidarity, 2025 saw more than 30 high-level diplomatic visits between Chinese and African leaders. China has strengthened its support for African countries in international forums, particularly on issues such as climate change, global financial system reform and public health. ‘These figures reflect the ever-deepening cooperation between China and Africa. Relations based on mutual respect, shared development and a common vision of a multipolar future,’ concludes Mr Xue.
Panel Discussions Live Up to Experts' Expectations
Héribert-Label Elisée ADJOVI / Special Envoy to Xi'an
Following the lecture by Mr Xue Bing, Special Envoy of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Horn of Africa, on the fundamentals of China's foreign policy in general and China's African policy in particular, four conferences – two in Yangling and two in Xi'an – complemented Mr Xue Bing's preliminary presentation. Moderated by Professor Wang Hongmei of Northwest A&F University, the first conference-debate focused on ‘The achievements of modern agricultural development in China’. ‘China has made remarkable progress in the development of its modern agriculture, combining technological innovation, structural reform and government support... Agriculture is the direct provider of food security, constituting its first line of defence.’
Agriculture is an important component of the Chinese economy and a stabiliser of economic growth, Professor Wang emphasises. In 2024, the sector's added value reached 94.139 billion yuan, representing 6.5% of the country's gross domestic product. Also last year, in terms of food security and strengthening production capacity, and for the first time in its history, the country surpassed the symbolic milestone of 700 million tonnes of food production (worth approximately 1.4 trillion yuan). In 2025, China reached a new milestone in the modernisation of its agriculture, focusing on technological innovation, food security and rural revitalisation. In terms of food security and grain production, the target of 700 million tonnes of grain per year set in the Ten-Year Master Plan (2024-2035) was achieved, along with the strengthening of food self-sufficiency. This was thanks to improved yields of rice, wheat and soybeans. In terms of smart agricultural technologies, there is the integration of 5G, AI, big data and the Internet of Things into agricultural management. There is also the use of drones for sowing, crop monitoring and pest control, reducing costs and environmental impact. Finally, there is the deployment of BeiDou navigation systems on seeders and ploughs for precision farming. China's agricultural modernisation also includes progress made in genetic innovation and seeds, the modernization of agricultural equipment, sustainable and green agriculture, livestock farming and agri-food processing, as well as training and rural revitalisation. China's Plan for Accelerating the Construction of an Agricultural Powerhouse (2024-2035) includes enhanced technological support, greater industrial integration, more pronounced green development, and more effective rural governance. These advances show that China is not content with simply increasing its production. It is transforming its agricultural model to make it smarter, more sustainable, and more competitive. China's experience in agricultural modernisation can be useful to Africa. However, African countries still need to achieve harmonious integration between cities and rural areas, green development of agriculture, optimisation of industrial structure, and development of cities and rural areas. In short, it is necessary to focus on scientific technology and optimise agricultural structures by multiplying existing models. In conclusion, Professor Wang Hongmei advises: "China has modernised its agriculture by combining local adaptation with integrated reforms - policies, technologies and markets. For Africa, the challenge is to combine these lessons with its own assets - land, labour, biodiversity - while preserving its strategic autonomy to build inclusive and sustainable agriculture. "
"Modern Agricultural Scientific and Technological Innovation and Food Security" Professor Yongzhong Feng of Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
The second speaker at this seminar for the 50 African experts present in Yangling, Professor Yongzhong Feng argued that the goal of agricultural scientific and technological innovation is to ensure food security for China's 1.4 billion people, while addressing the challenges of climate change, population growth, and arable land scarcity. This constitutes a real security issue. The main agricultural innovations in China concern smart agriculture, biotechnology and genetic selection, advanced mechanization, hydroponics and urban agriculture, digital platforms, and agricultural e-commerce. The strategic objective of agricultural scientific and technological innovation in terms of food self-sufficiency is to reduce dependence on imports through increased yields and crop diversification. The strategic objective of agricultural scientific and technological innovation in terms of climate resilience is to develop crops adapted to extreme conditions and water-saving irrigation systems. The strategic objective of agricultural scientific and technological innovation in terms of loss reduction is to improve logistical preservation and traceability of agricultural products. The strategic objective of agricultural scientific and technological innovation in terms of rural inclusion concerns training farmers and supporting cooperatives to modernize practices. Regarding government support, China provides subsidies to farmers for the purchase of agricultural machinery and supports universities and research institutes to advance technological innovation. It implements rural reforms through rural revitalization through innovation, mechanization, and smart agriculture. It provides training and outreach through the creation of demonstration areas and training centers for farmers.
"The Implementation of Modernization with Chinese Characteristics in Shaanxi," Professor Li Lu, Director of the Research Center for the Theory of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics at the Shaanxi Institute of Administration
At the outset, the speaker of the third presentation, Professor Li Lu, Director of the Research Center for the Theory of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics at the Shaanxi Institute of Administration, defined modernization as "a dynamic, multifaceted, and comprehensive process of progress and transformation from a traditional society to a modern society." In a narrower sense, it refers to industrialization. The threshold of industrialization would then be a defining feature of modernization. In a broader sense, it refers to a historical process of transformation from a traditional agrarian society to a modern industrial society, with industrialization as the fundamental driving force, leading to major reforms in all areas of societal management. Li Lu points out that around 70% of the Western population belongs to the middle class, while only 400 million out of 1.4 billion Chinese have achieved this standard of living. This is why China still considers itself the largest developing country. Promoting Chinese-style modernisation is the most important task assigned to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). At the 20th Party Congress in October 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that ‘from now on, the central task of the CCP is to unite and lead all ethnic groups in the country’ in the vision of Chinese-style modernisation. Chinese-style modernisation has features common to all other forms of modernisation, as well as features specific to China. It is a large-scale demographic modernisation. It is a modernisation of shared prosperity for all peoples. It is a modernisation in which material civilisation and spiritual civilisation are in harmony (tradition and modernity). It is modernisation based on the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. It is modernisation on the path of peaceful development. It is the path of Chinese-style socialism, which draws on cultural wealth and a culture of peace. This contrasts with Western countries, where modernisation is synonymous with declaring war and confiscating the wealth of other peoples. "In his speech at the ninth FOCAC Summit in September 2024 in Beijing, President Xi Jinping said that Sino-African relations have already entered a strategic level. China and Africa must pursue the dream of modernisation together and serve as a model for the path to modernisation for the Global South and humanity... Modernisation without China and Africa – with a combined population of 2.8 billion – is not modernisation. With the six modernisation goals and ten strategic partnership actions, China intends to build a community with a shared future with its African partners. In this process, Xi'an (western peace) – formerly known as Chang'an (eternal peace) and the capital of China during several Chinese dynasties since ancient times, notably the Qin Dynasty, the Han dynasty and the Tang dynasty - is both the first city in the world where the population exceeded one million, the first Chinese city to open up to the world, the starting point of the ‘Silk Road’ and the birthplace of President Xi Jinping. After the glorious imperial period in Xi'an, Chinese civilisation became less important with the aggression of Western invaders. This situation lasted until the 1930s, when the country was in danger of disappearing. Founded in 1921, the Chinese Communist Party, after 28 years of anti-colonial struggle, won victory and founded the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949. At that time, Shaanxi, the cradle of Chinese civilisation, was at zero level of development. Chairman Mao Zedong had to implement a policy of external aid. In 1950, China and the USSR established a pact of friendship and mutual assistance, which enabled the development, with the latter's help, of China's first five-year plan. Russian experts proposed 156 major projects and 600 specific projects. At the time, East Germany and a few Eastern European countries also supported China. The first five-year plan provided Shaanxi Province with an industrial base. Several five-year plans followed. Meanwhile, in 1979, China had to end its pact with the Soviet Union and paid a heavy price for this break, despite its precarious economic situation at the time. Seventy-six years after its founding under the banner of the Chinese Communist Party, the People's Republic of China has become the world's second largest economy, with the stated ambition of becoming the largest by 2049, its centenary. Today, Shaanxi Province has become the cradle of Chinese science, culture and civilisation. It plays a strategic role in the implementation of Chinese-style modernisation, in accordance with the directives of President Xi Jinping. During his first official visit in 2012, he called on the region to write a new chapter in this national transformation, through five solid requirements. In terms of technological innovation, President Xi emphasised strengthening scientific research, creating innovation centres in Xi'an and industrialising discoveries. In the field of modern industry, Shaanxi must modernise its traditional sectors while developing strategic industries such as the digital economy and smart services. In terms of balanced urbanisation, the province is encouraged to reduce the gap between urban and rural areas by improving infrastructure and public services in the districts. With regard to ecological protection, the preservation of the Yellow River and the Qinling Mountains is at the heart of environmental efforts, with a transition to a green, low-carbon economy. In terms of international openness, President Xi Jinping has called for Shaanxi to become more integrated into the Belt and Road Initiative by strengthening its logistics and trade capabilities. Since then, he has returned to his native region eight times. Today, Shaanxi is the most innovative province in all of China. It is also a province that is strong in terms of cultural wealth, education, security and law enforcement. The protection and restoration of important ecosystems, such as the Qinling Mountains and the Yellow River, have achieved satisfactory results. On 12 January 2019, the Xi'an National Science Centre and the Technology Innovation Centre were recognised for their contribution to China's scientific and technological advancement and were commended for their efforts. For example, the central sections of the fuselage, wing boxes, ailerons, flaps and control surfaces of the Chinese C919 are manufactured in Shaanxi. On the diplomatic front, the Secretariat of the China-Central Asia Mechanism will be based in Xi'an. This decision was taken at the conclusion of the China-Central Asia Summit held in Xi'an in May 2023. As the starting point of the Silk Road, Xi'an reached the milestone of 3,000 Sino-European train departures in 2024. According to Professor Li Lu, ‘Shaanxi, with Xi'an as its driving force, is set to become a model of regional transformation in western China.
’‘Facilitating cross-border trade and deepening Sino-African economic and trade cooperation,’ Professor Feng Zongxian of Xi'an Jiaotong University
The 50 African experts who came to Xi'an attended a final, fourth conference on facilitating cross-border trade and deepening Sino-African economic and trade cooperation. During his speech, Professor Feng Zongxian said that in November 2014, the General Council of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) adopted the Protocol of Amendment to the Agreement establishing this UN organisation. China is the sixteenth country to accept the Protocol. On 22 February 2017, 112 WTO member countries accepted the Agreement, exceeding the two-thirds majority required under the provisions of the text submitted for consideration by member countries. He reviewed the fundamental content of the Agreement, the actions and results, emphasising that trade protectionism must be combated through trade facilitation. Reference was made, in particular, to American protectionism, as demonstrated recently by the unilateral increase in customs duties on products exported to the United States of America. China, for its part, has taken sixteen measures to improve the commercial environment of ports and facilitate customs formalities. This has been achieved through the construction of smart ports, the simplification of procedures and the establishment of a single window for international trade, involving eighteen Chinese ministries. For example, in Shanghai, China's largest port, 95% of formalities are handled through the single window. This includes model innovation, institutional innovation, technological innovation and service innovation. Professeur Feng Zongxian from Xi'an Jiaotong University, pointed out that China's leading trading partner. With a trade volume exceeding 2,000 billon dollars since the lauch of the 'Belt and Road* Initiative. Africa is the second largest market for Chinese public works contracts, with more than 700 billon dollars, ten major cooperation plans, five major actions and nine projects in various sectors. Professor Feng Zongxian concluded: 'The Sino-African economic and trade partnership is based on the Principles of mutual benefit, shared development and respect for national sovereignty'.
Monitoring the implementation of FOCAC 2024: Héribert-Label Élisée ADJOVI, Chairman of the Xi'an Reflection Group
Héribert-Label Elisée ADJOVI / Special Envoy to Xi’an
In view of the outcomes of the Xi’an summit—held in the historic capital and legendary cradle of Chinese culture and civilization—and considering the appeals made by both Chinese and African parties to ensure the flame ignited throughout the seminar week on “Chinese-style modernization and Africa’s development” continues to burn, fifty (50) African experts—University Professors, Research Institute Directors, and Think Tank Presidents, with one representative per country—have, with the support of the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-Up Committee of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the International Exchange Center of the Yangling Demonstration Zone (organizers of the seminar), decided to create the Xi’an Think Tank for China-Africa Cooperation and Development.
To this end, the seminar participants unanimously appointed Héribert-Label Elisée Adjovi, expert on international and Sino-African affairs, writer, President of the Journalists’ Caucus for the Global South Community of Destiny, President of the Pan-African Journalists’ Caucus, and Ambassador of the African Diaspora State, as President of the Think Tank. He is responsible for conducting consultations to establish the organization’s Executive Bureau—made up of the President, Secretaries General (Francophone and Anglophone), five Coordinators by continental geographic zone, a Treasurer and a General Organizer—as well as drafting the governing statutes. This Think Tank will work closely with public authorities in China and the 53 African member countries of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to build a People-centered China-Africa Community.