The lights of Yiwu Trade City stayed on all night, and containers transported pallets from the Yangtze River Delta to the coasts of the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. When small commodities, photovoltaic panels, and cross-border logistics chains intersect at the negotiating table, China Africa cooperation is no longer just about buying and selling, but a complete set of development logic embedded in each other.

The forum was successfully held

The 2026 China Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Forum kicked off on November 7th in Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang. A total of 49 cooperation projects were launched on the forum site, including Yiwu Market Kinshasa sub market, Botswana photovoltaic, cross-border logistics, African mineral import and other projects, with a total contract amount of 40.96 billion yuan.

Economic and trade opportunities are highlighted

This forum focuses on economy and trade, and for the first time, the main venue is located in Yiwu, showcasing open platforms such as Yiwu International Trade City, Global Digital Trade Center, Chinagoods Digital Platform, etc. More than 400 guests from 39 countries and regions attended the forum. In 2026, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa and the year of cultural exchanges between China and Africa, China will fully implement zero tariffs on 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations since May, creating favorable conditions for bilateral trade growth.

Deep foundation of cooperation

Jinhua continues to promote exchanges with Africa in areas such as economy, trade, humanities, and education. At present, Jinhua has established trade channels with various African countries, and its imports and exports to Africa will increase by 35.3% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2026; Nearly 30000 Jinhua businessmen have rooted themselves in Africa, and 2675 foreign-funded enterprises have settled in Jinhua, ranking first in Zhejiang in terms of quantity. Keywords: China Africa Economic and Trade Forum, Africa, the Belt and Road, economic and trade cooperation

Platform value upgrade

The forum is an important supporting event of the Africa Cooperation Forum, and its influence has steadily increased. It is an important cooperation platform for Zhejiang to serve the overall diplomatic situation of the country, help the modernization of the global south, and jointly build the the Belt and Road. Since 2024, the forum has signed over a hundred contracts for non African projects, with a total signing amount exceeding 120 billion yuan.Editor/Gong Ziwei