Spring sowing hope, promoting better China Congo relations for the benefit of the two peoples (Ambassador's essay)

As the Chinese people celebrate the Spring Festival, the African country of Congo (Kinshasa) thousands of miles away is also filled with a strong festive atmosphere. In the capital city of Kinshasa, the Chinese Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo held activities such as the New Year Open Day and the Chinese Traditional Cuisine Festival, gathering with friendly people from all walks of life in the country and overseas Chinese to celebrate the Chinese New Year. In the Katanga region where Chinese overseas Chinese are concentrated, employees of Chinese funded enterprises stationed on the front line, together with local colleagues, stick Spring Festival couplets, make dumplings, tug of war, and celebrate the Chinese New Year in a festive and enthusiastic atmosphere.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is located in the tropical region of the southern hemisphere. The Spring Festival here does not have a sharp chill, but is filled with bright sunshine, abundant rainfall, and lush greenery, just like the vigorous development of China Congo relations. In the 54 years since the normalization of China Congo relations, both sides have jointly written a good story of mutual assistance and win-win cooperation. In recent years, under the joint leadership of the two heads of state, China Congo relations have been elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with pragmatic cooperation in various fields advancing rapidly and benefiting both sides. This has written a successful story of developing countries working together to promote modernization, and continues to empower the construction of an all-weather community with a shared future for China and Africa in the new era.

China Congo economic and trade cooperation has achieved innovative results. By 2025, the trade volume between China and Congo will reach 27.57 billion US dollars, an increase of 3% year-on-year. China's construction has reached a new speed. The Kolwezi Vocational and Technical Training Center, which was built with Chinese assistance, is about to be unveiled this year. The rapid progress of the Kinshasa Capital Ring Road project under the framework of the "package" cooperation between China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo is eagerly awaited by the local people. China's aid has made new contributions. Hebei Province has dispatched a total of 23 batches of medical teams to assist the Democratic Republic of Congo, and their heroic acts of saving lives and helping the wounded have been widely spread. The agricultural expert group assisting the Democratic Republic of Congo is exploring "mining area agriculture" and actively assisting in the development of local agriculture. Writing a new chapter in cultural exchange. In 2025, the Chinese Wu Opera Troupe made its debut in the Democratic Republic of Congo and won a lot of applause. The Chinese Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo has held the "China Film Week" for three consecutive years, showcasing the vivid and diverse charm of China to the local people. The China Central African Countries Think Tank Seminar, China Congo Vocational and Technical Education and Training Conference, and other activities jointly organized by the two countries focus on the "intelligence" of Africa and strengthen the "strength" of common development. More and more young people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are learning Chinese at Confucius Institutes and warmly greeting each other in Chinese.


Spring is the season of hope. In the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, many local people are still suffering from the ravages of war. China has been providing support to the Democratic Republic of Congo within its capabilities. As soon as I took office in 2023, I named myself "Bouvardu Moko" in the local Lingala language (meaning "same ship"), symbolizing our willingness to work together with the Congolese side to tackle challenges. Recently, China has not only supported the adoption of relevant resolutions in the United Nations Security Council to speak out for the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also provided tangible humanitarian assistance such as rice and medical supplies to the country. The people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, like the Chinese people, are naturally optimistic, hardworking, and generally look forward to working hard for a better future with the help of China. As the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo to China, Barumuene, said, the country needs to "look east and learn from the east", learn from China's insistence on formulating and implementing medium - and long-term plans, find a path that suits its own national conditions, and achieve national peace and development as soon as possible.

The beginning of a new era, everything is updated. This year is the "China Africa Cultural Exchange Year", and we believe that China and Congo can take this opportunity to work together to promote friendly cooperation, cultural exchange, and better benefit the people of both countries through China Congo relations.

(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo)

People's Daily (February 23, 2026, Issue 03)