By He Yin, People’s Daily
In Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a large building in the shape of an African drum is about to be completed.
This is the Central African Cultural and Arts Center, designed and constructed by Chinese architects. It incorporates cultural and artistic concepts from both China and Africa, symbolizing solidarity, harmony, and the friendly relations between China and Africa across generations.
As one of the key projects under the eight major initiatives proposed at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), this facility, once completed, will mark another splendid achievement of the cultural cooperation between China and Africa.
Both China and Africa are birthplaces of human civilization, renowned for their rich and diverse cultural heritage. They are proud of their splendid civilizations, and are both ready to make greater contributions to promoting cultural diversity in the world.
Traditional Chinese culture values “love the people and all beings and seek harmony among all nations,” and Ubuntu philosophy in Southern Africa advocates compassion and sharing. Both the Chinese and African civilizations believe that all people share a same future and man and nature should live in harmony.
The collaboration between China and Africa in promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning contributes to the preservation of global cultural diversity and offers wisdom in addressing challenges faced by the world today. Together, the two sides will advance human progress.
By enhancing exchanges, mutual learning and harmonious co-existence of Chinese and African civilizations, the two sides will inject lasting impetus into invigorating their civilizations and cultures, enriching their artistic creations, and provide rich cultural nourishment for China-Africa cooperation.
From the ten cooperation plans to the eight major initiatives, and to the nine programs, cultural exchanges are always an important part of China-Africa cooperation in the new era.
Under the framework of the FOCAC, a wide array of cultural exchange activities have flourished.
Events such as the Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations, the Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation & China-Africa Think Tank High-Level Dialogue, and the China-Africa People’s Forum have been held, contributing wisdom to the development of China-Africa relations.
Progress in visa facilitation and the increase in direct flight routes have promoted tourism cooperation between and strengthened people-to-people bond between the two sides.
Chinese universities have set up African languages majors such as Zulu, Amharic, and Malagasy. Meanwhile, African countries are actively promoting Chinese language education. This has led to continuous deepening of language and cultural exchanges between China and Africa.
Chinese TV dramas, including “Welcome to Milele,” one that tells the stories of a Chinese medical team to Africa, have become popular in Africa. African countries including Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria have hosted Chinese film festivals, continuously expanding China-Africa film and television cooperation.
The blossoming cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa are laying a solid foundation of public support for jointly building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.
By enhancing exchanges, mutual learning and harmonious co-existence of Chinese and African civilizations, the two sides will better promote sustainable development.
Their emphasis on harmonious coexistence between man and nature is now transforming into a driving force for sustainable development cooperation between the two sides.
The Sino-African Joint Research Center, located at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya, has achieved a series of significant research results in the fields of biodiversity and ecological environment protection.
Over the past four years, the China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Center has carried out effective cooperation projects such as the China-Africa Green Envoys Program and China-Africa Green Innovation Project. It has cultivated a large number of African professionals in environmental management, pollution prevention and control, and green economy.
Both China and Africa are actively promoting the exchange and training of scientific and technological talents, technology transfer and innovation, and strengthening cooperation in areas such as climate change response, clean energy application, desertification and soil erosion control, and wildlife protection. They are making positive contributions to the global ecological progress.
By enhancing exchanges, mutual learning and harmonious co-existence of Chinese and African civilizations, the two sides will better understand each other’s development path and create a sound environment for them to achieve their development visions.
Currently, China is promoting national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. Advancing modernization through integration is the independent choice made by African countries and people. Africa is moving at an accelerated speed toward the bright prospects envisioned in Agenda 2063, and making all-out efforts to build a new Africa that enjoys peace, unity, prosperity and strength.
African countries generally hope to draw lessons from China’s development experience and explore a modernization path that suits their own national conditions.
Through exchanges, China and Africa are gathering the essence of their brilliant cultures, and by learning from each other, they are sparking innovation in their excellent traditional cultures. This will pave the way for a brighter future as both sides walk hand in hand on the path to modernization.
The 2024 summit of the FOCAC is a grand event to strengthen the friendship and unity between China and Africa, as well as a significant opportunity to promote mutual learning and cultural exchange between the two civilizations.
China and Africa will strengthen mutual learning, advance the great endeavors of win-win cooperation, harmonious coexistence and shared prosperity of civilizations, and strive for sound and steady development in jointly building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.
