SHANGHAI, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai headquarters of China Economic Information Service (CEIS), a subsidiary for the economic information services of Xinhua News Agency, has recently unveiled a landmark report on China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, offering a valuable practical model for deepening South-South cooperation.
The report, titled "Charting a New Vision for Modernization: Hunan's Initiatives and Explorations in China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation", was officially released at the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum China-Africa Partnership Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa on Nov. 14.
The conference, co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the African Union (AU) and South Africa's Independent Media, among other partners, gathered more than 200 representatives from over 160 media outlets, think tanks, government organizations and other institutions from China and 41 African countries, as well as the AU.
The report reviews the achievements of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation in recent years, particularly highlighting the progress in establishing a national pilot zone for in-depth China-Africa economic and trade cooperation in Central China's Hunan Province.
In coordination with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and other departments, Hunan has established a consultation mechanism and released an implementation plan for the pilot zone.
The report shows that the pilot zone, launched in 2024, has made positive progress in pilot exploration, brand empowerment, industrial synergy, talent cultivation, platform development and cooperation model breakthroughs. Boosted by the pilot zone, Hunan has played a crucial role in elevating China-Africa economic and trade cooperation to new levels of efficiency and integration.
In terms of the first-of-its-kind initiative in China, Hunan took the lead in launching the "Pre-assessment System for African Food Products Entering China," which had been filed with the General Administration of Customs. Based on the initiative, specialized plans were formulated to facilitate the "green channel" for African agricultural and food products, such as Kenyan aquatic products and Rwandan dried chili peppers, to enter the Chinese market.
Regarding "pilot" programs, Hunan initiated a pilot run for a new type of barter trade with Africa and introduced specialized insurance products. By the end of October, the cumulative value of this new barter trade with Africa in the province had reached 204 million yuan, ranking first in the country. Additionally, an innovative model combining "overseas warehouses + FTN accounts + local currency settlement" was adopted, completing trade settlements with Nigeria worth 35 million U.S. dollars.
In the area of "debut" exhibitions, the brand-building initiative of high-quality African products has achieved remarkable results, helping African products expand into the Chinese market. During the Quality African Products Online Shopping Season held in Changsha, capital city of Hunan, in April this year, more than 200 African products, including food, daily necessities, and trendy cultural goods, were showcased.
Meanwhile, a Hunan-based company specializing in trade with Africa has cultivated the imported brand IP of "Chief Dock" and opened its first African-themed offline experience hall in Changsha, bringing high-quality African products into the daily lives of Chinese consumers.
As a key hub for implementing these pioneering initiatives, Hunan has shown remarkable growth in its economic and trade cooperation with Africa. In the first three quarters of 2025, Hunan's total trade value with Africa reached 44.52 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 19.4 percent. Exports to Africa amounted to 21.21 billion yuan, up 8.3 percent, while imports from Africa totaled 23.31 billion yuan, surging 31.7 percent, according to local customs statistics.
The report notes that China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with continuous growth in investment and engineering contracts, making significant contributions to Africa's development. China's total trade value with Africa increased from less than 100 billion yuan in 2000 to 2.1 trillion yuan in 2024, registering an average annual growth rate of 14.2 percent.
Strengthening China-Africa economic and trade cooperation is of great importance for promoting common development and advancing South-South cooperation, the report said.
The report suggests that both sides improve long-term cooperation mechanisms, deepen industrial capacity collaboration, innovate financial services, and enhance digital and intelligent empowerment. By fully leveraging the policy innovations of the pilot zone and other initiatives, the breadth and depth of China-Africa cooperation can be further enhanced.
(Contributed by Gao Pan)
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