Economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa has continued to reach new heights since the 2021 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), providing tangible benefits to the people of China and Africa, Assistant Commerce Minister Tang Wenhong said on Tuesday.

"In 2021, the Eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference was successfully held. At the opening ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China and Africa had jointly prepared the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035.

In 2023, China-Africa trade reached US$ 282.1 billion. China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years.

Several infrastructure and manufacturing projects have been implemented, including the deep-water port of Lekki in Nigeria, the airport expressway in Nairobi, solar power plants in South Africa and home appliance factories in Egypt.

"These projects have elevated China-Africa cooperation along industrial and supply chains. Egypt issued Africa's first panda bond. These efforts have enriched the financing channels for China-Africa trade and economic cooperation.

To support Africa's agricultural modernization, China has sent more than 500 agricultural experts to Africa and provided nearly 9,000 training opportunities for African agricultural professionals," said Tang.

The 2024 FOCAC Summit will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6, when China and Africa will renew their friendship and discuss ways to promote cooperation.

China said it will expand institutional opening towards Africa and deepen industrial and supply chain cooperation, with a view to promoting China-Africa economic integration, interconnected development and shared results, enhancing China-Africa strategic synergy and making a greater contribution to a stronger China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership and a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. (CGTN)