By Héribert-Label Élisée ADJOVI – Governor of the Pan-African Magazine "Le Label Diplomatique", Chairman of the Pan-African Journalists’ Caucus, Chairman of the African Journalists’ Caucus for the Global South Community Destiny, and Chairman of the Xi’an Think Tank for Sino-African Cooperation and Development.
Introduction Sino-African cooperation is often analyzed through its economic and infrastructural dimensions, marked by large-scale projects and massive financing. However, the Year of Sino-African Human and Cultural Exchanges (2026), decided at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC 2024), inaugurates a new stage. It places people at the heart of the partnership, affirming that friendship between societies constitutes the cornerstone of a lasting relationship. This article examines the importance of this initiative and its potential impact on the Sino-African strategic partnership. The central hypothesis is that human and cultural exchanges, by strengthening mutual understanding and civilizational solidarity, consolidate political, economic, and societal cooperation.
I. Foundations and Importance of Human and Cultural Exchanges
1. Institutional Origin The initiative was born from a shared political will: to embed Sino-African cooperation in a long-term framework based on mutual trust. FOCAC, as a multilateral platform, formalized this orientation.
2. Historical Heritage Sino-African relations are not new. They are rooted in ancient exchanges: maritime routes, Zheng He’s expeditions, trade in silk and ivory. More recently, solidarity in anti-colonial struggles and cooperation in medical and educational fields have reinforced this foundation.
3. Strategic Dimension Human and cultural exchanges complement economic projects. They make it possible to move beyond a utilitarian vision of cooperation to promote civilizational dialogue, where values and traditions become vectors of rapprochement.
4. Soft Power and Public Diplomacy Culture is an instrument of influence. For China, it strengthens its image as a global partner. For Africa, it highlights its diversity and its role in global governance. Together, these exchanges build a diplomacy of peoples.
II. Expected Impacts on the Sino-African Strategic Partnership
A. Political and Diplomatic Human exchanges foster strategic trust and reduce misunderstandings. They consolidate FOCAC’s role as a global dialogue platform and reinforce the legitimacy of the partnership.
B. Economic Cultural cooperation opens new sectors: creative industries, tourism, and the valorization of traditional knowledge. It diversifies exchanges and stimulates local economies, while creating innovative synergies.
C. Societal and Cultural Citizens become actors in the partnership. Scholarship programs, university exchanges, and artistic initiatives form a generation of cultural mediators. South-South solidarity is thereby strengthened, embedding cooperation in an inclusive framework.
III. Challenges - Perspectives - Institutionalizing cultural platforms: annual festivals, virtual museums, university networks.
- Embedding exchanges in a sustainable framework beyond 2026.
- Offering the world an alternative model of cultural cooperation, based on mutual respect and civilizational complementarity.
IV- What is to be said of the Sino-African model? From all the above, it can be stated without doubt that the valorization of China-Africa of the Peoples will have positive and tangible effects on the Sino-African strategic partnership, already a model of cooperation for the Global South and a benchmark for recalibrating the relations of Western partners with the African continent. In this regard, it is useful to recall some emblematic large-scale Sino-African projects: the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) linking Nairobi to Mombasa in Kenya, a true turning point for regional transport; Africa’s longest suspension bridge in Maputo (Mozambique), built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation; the Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway, connecting landlocked Ethiopia to the sea (USD 3.5 billion); the Lagos tramway in Nigeria and Ethiopia’s first six-lane highway; the Merowe Dam in Sudan, illustrating China’s predominance in African hydraulics; the development of Ethiopia’s national network; the construction of social housing in Angola; and the creation of “Safe City” projects in Djibouti and Guinea.
To this must be added all the projects developed by China in almost every sector of activity and across the 53 countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations. In Benin, for example, the first Chinese Cultural Center in Africa, the pilot agricultural center in Sèmè-Kpodji, the new building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Godomey interchange (the only one in the country to date), the Palais des Congrès, and the modernization of the Autonomous Port of Cotonou — to cite only these examples — bear the indelible mark of Chinese cooperation. These tangible achievements inscribe, in golden letters, the history of 70 years of Sino-African Cooperation.
Furthermore, Chinese financing in Africa experienced a rebound in 2025, reaching USD 39 billion, mainly through the “Belt and Road Initiative.” The strategy has evolved from massive sovereign loans to more targeted projects in infrastructure, energy, and industry. After a decline in 2024, commitments increased by 20% in 2025. They are concentrated in energy (47%), telecommunications (15%), and transport (12%), including dams, solar power plants, and road infrastructure.
Finally, China has maintained its position as Africa’s leading trading partner for the 16th consecutive year, with trade flows reaching approximately USD 348 billion in 2025. With the implementation of zero-tariff measures on African export products, Sino-African trade is set to strengthen further.
Conclusion The Year of Sino-African Human and Cultural Exchanges represents a diplomacy of peoples, complementary to state diplomacy. It can transform the Sino-African strategic partnership into a holistic relationship, rooted in societies and not only in elites. By valorizing heritage, strengthening trust, and diversifying sectors of cooperation, this initiative paves the way for more inclusive global governance. It illustrates that the strength of international relations lies not only in infrastructures or financial flows, but also in the capacity of peoples to dialogue, to share, and to build together a common future.