The Chinese Council Meeting of the China Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry was held in Jinhua

In order to better promote exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese and African business communities, the 2023 annual meeting of the Chinese Council of the China Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry was recently held in Jinhua. At the meeting, it was announced that the new Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Chinese Council of the China Africa United Chamber of Commerce and Industry will review and summarize the work of the Chinese Council of the China Africa United Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the previous year, and plan and design the next steps in economic and trade work with Africa. Liu Zhenhua, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of the China International Chamber of Commerce, Ruan Ganghui, Vice Mayor of Jinhua City, Lin Wei, Vice President of the Zhejiang Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and Lou Wenjian, Vice President of the China-Africa Development Fund attended the meeting and delivered speeches.
Liu Zhenhua said that under the promotion of the the Belt and Road Initiative, China Africa economic and trade cooperation has become increasingly close, and China has maintained its position as Africa's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. At present, both China and Africa have entered a new stage of development. China has promoted the construction of a new development pattern with domestic systemic circulation as the main body and domestic and international double cycles promoting each other, which will bring more Chinese opportunities for Africa's development. Since the official implementation of the Free Trade Area Agreement on the African continent, the integration of African economies and regional economies has accelerated, bringing greater space for expansion of China Africa cooperation. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China International Chamber of Commerce, as national trade and investment promotion organizations and comprehensive foreign-related chambers of commerce, will further play the role of multiple bilateral and multilateral business cooperation mechanisms established with counterpart cooperation institutions such as foreign business associations and trade and investment promotion institutions. Among them, the Chinese Council of the China Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the most important institution to carry out work in Africa. It aims to implement the results of the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, guide the business community to actively participate in the implementation of the "nine projects" of China Africa cooperation, and promote exchanges between China and Africa's business communities in the post epidemic era.
Nguyen Ganghui stated that Jinhua City will take this event as an opportunity to continuously deepen cooperation and exchanges with Africa. In terms of jointly building new trade advantages, we will take the construction of free trade zones as the lead, promote the improvement of quality and efficiency of the "three major channels" of Yixin Europe, Yiyong Boat, and cross-border e-commerce, innovate trade and financial cooperation with Africa, and broaden the path of economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa; In the field of deepening investment and production capacity cooperation with Africa, we will adhere to "mutual respect and win-win cooperation", accelerate the pace of "going global" and "bringing in", support the establishment of economic and trade cooperation zones and industrial cooperation parks targeting African countries and regions, encourage enterprises to "group together and go overseas", set up overseas markets in African regions, and strengthen cooperation with African engineering fields, actively participate in the construction of infrastructure connectivity in Africa; In terms of jointly expanding new space for cooperation with Africa, we will focus on areas such as economic and trade cooperation, cultural exchange, healthcare, infrastructure, etc., carry out comprehensive cooperation, form more distinctive achievements, and promote cooperation and exchange with Africa to move towards higher levels and wider areas.
Lin Wei said that under the guidance of China's "the Belt and Road" initiative, Zhejiang has actively implemented the "ten major cooperation plans", "eight major actions" and "nine projects" between China and Africa. CCPIT Zhejiang Council has organized enterprises in the province to carry out economic and trade negotiations and field visits to African countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, etc. At the same time, African international institutions and consulate officials were invited to visit Zhejiang to carry out the "International Economic and Trade Delegation to Zhejiang" activity, promote Zhejiang to African international friends, and tell the "Zhejiang Story" well. The 2023 annual meeting of the Chinese Council of the China Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry will fully leverage the unique advantages of Zhejiang Province in commodity markets, private enterprises, university think tanks, digital economy, etc., accurately connect with the needs of the African market, strengthen bilateral industrial chain supply chain cooperation, form a community of interests in international economic and trade exchanges, and create a new situation of complementary advantages and win-win cooperation.
As a product of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation and China's first equity fund focusing on investment in Africa, since its establishment in 2007, the China-Africa Development Fund has invested nearly 6.6 billion dollars in 39 African countries, leveraging Chinese enterprises to invest and finance 31 billion dollars in Africa. The investment projects involve agricultural livelihood, production capacity cooperation, infrastructure, energy and minerals and other fields. At the meeting, Lou Wenjian said that the China-Africa Development Fund will work closely with Jinhua to help Jinhua achieve high-quality development in the national development pattern towards Africa. The China-Africa Development Fund will explore investment opportunities in emerging areas such as health care, digital economy, education and people's livelihood, and green development. Simultaneously utilizing various investment tools such as equity and bonds, as well as consulting services, to assist in the implementation of investments. One is to align with the demands of enterprises, make good use of equity and debt investment tools, carry out consulting services, provide various ways of investment and financing support for enterprises, and promote the "deepening and solidity" of China Africa economic and trade cooperation services; The second is to focus on African concerns, explore innovative cooperation models, increase project development in areas such as China Africa's livelihood and health, digital economy, and production capacity cooperation, and better promote domestic and international dual circulation; The third is to carry out practical and efficient cooperation to promote the sustainable development of China Africa economic and trade cooperation in the new era. Next, the China-Africa Development Fund will also rely on the industrial advantages of Jinhua City to recommend high-quality investment enterprises and major projects in Africa, guide and cultivate investment opportunities in new fields, and build a model of China Africa economic and trade investment platform.
Zhejiang is a highland for China Africa cooperation, and Jinhua is a hot spot for Zhejiang Africa cooperation. At present, Jinhua has established trade relations with all countries and regions in Africa, with exports to Africa accounting for nearly 10% of the country. About 30000 Jinhua businessmen have been doing business in Africa for a long time, and over 5000 African merchants are stationed in Jinhua to engage in Sino African trade. We have created iconic achievements such as the African Research Institute of Zhejiang Normal University, the China Africa Think Tank Forum, and the entry of students from renowned overseas schools into ancient villages.
The China Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry was jointly established by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the African Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. It is an important organization under the framework of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation and one of the follow-up mechanisms for promoting economic and trade exchanges between China and Africa. During this annual meeting, representatives of enterprises involved in Africa also exchanged and shared their current business situation in Africa and suggestions for China Africa economic and trade cooperation.