File photo taken on Dec. 9, 2018 shows the first phase of Kribi deep sea port project, constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company, in Cameroon. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)
BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The inauguration ceremony of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Research Institute was held Saturday in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, reported China News Service.
The Institute, initiated by the Standing Committee of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, is aimed at providing intellectual support for long-term and effective China-Africa economic and trade cooperation and exchanges, and promoting the building of an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future.
It will focus on studying major theoretical and practical issues of fundamental, overall and long-term significance in the development of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, cultivating interdisciplinary talents for sustainable China-Africa economic and trade development, and providing consulting services for the actual needs of enterprises of the two sides in economic and trade cooperation.
Boasting two state-level platforms for economic and trade cooperation with Africa, namely the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the China-Africa in-depth economic and trade cooperation pilot zone, Hunan has unique advantages in conducting research on Africa, said He Song, deputy head of the Department of West Asian and African Affairs, Ministry of Commerce.
The establishment of the Institute is of positive significance to making good use of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the China-Africa in-depth economic and trade cooperation pilot zone and exploring new paths for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, He added.
According to Li Xinqiu, deputy head of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, the Institute has a secretariat, an expert committee and four research bases.
Since establishment, the Institute, by bringing together the strengths of enterprises, universities, governments and research institutions, has held multiple academic activities, initially completed the construction of basic databases, case databases and African legal databases in the field of China-Africa trade and economic cooperation, established cooperation and exchange mechanisms with African universities and think tanks, and conducted sound cooperation and exchanges with well-known domestic think tanks and associations for Africa.
(Edited by Gu Shanshan with Xinhua Silk Road, gushanshan.1987@163.com)
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