By Héribert-Label Élisée ADJOVI – Chairman of the Xi’an Think Tank for Sino-African Cooperation and Development
China is planning to open its very first museum entirely dedicated to African history and culture, which will serve as an educational platform and a space for cultural exchange.
Ye Hailin, President of the China-Africa Institute, presented this initiative as a strategic tool for mutual understanding and intercultural dialogue. The project aims to showcase African cultural heritage through historical artifacts and works of African art, contextualized narratives on traditions, craftsmanship, and Africa’s contributions to global history, as well as dedicated spaces for exchange between artists, researchers, and communities from both partners—China and Africa.
This initiative is part of a broader cultural and academic strategy to strengthen Sino-African ties, which also includes the creation of five China-Africa research centers. The goal is to move beyond purely economic considerations and anchor Sino-African relations within symbolic, cultural, and educational dimensions. This national museum could become a pivotal site of cultural diplomacy, enhancing the visibility of African identities in China while consolidating bilateral relations.
It is worth noting that this project builds upon a dynamic already initiated by China, notably through the establishment of the African Museum at Zhejiang Normal University, founded in 2010. Since its inception, this university museum has exhibited African cultural objects and organized awareness-raising activities for both Chinese and African students. It has served as a laboratory for cultural exchange, supported by donations from African embassies and transcontinental academic cooperation.
This confirms—if confirmation were still needed—that the strategic China-Africa partnership stands as a model of South-South cooperation and a mirror for recalibrating the engagement of Western with the African continent.