Although Hunan and Africa are separated by vast distances, they share profound historical connections. As early as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), porcelain wares from the Changsha kiln were exported to Africa via the "Maritime Silk Road."

In the 1950s and 1960s, the founders of the People's Republic of China including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, together with veteran African leaders, ushered in a new era of China-Africa relations. The friendship between China and Africa has withstood trials and tribulations for over half a century, with both sides consistently standing firmly together at critical moments and on matters of principle concerning the future and destiny of each other. The historic handshake at the Asian-African Conference, also known as the Bandung Conference, in 1955; African brothers "carrying" China into the United Nations; the completion and opening of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway—a railway of friendship... these historic moments in the history of China-Africa exchanges remain engraved in the hearts of both Chinese and African peoples, further consolidating the foundation for China-Africa friendship.

Entering the new era, President Xi Jinping raised the principle of "zhen shi qin cheng" for China's Africa policy, which means sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and called for taking the right approach to friendship and interests, providing important guidance for the development of China-Africa friendship and cooperation in the new era. The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, a major initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), is the largest economic and trade cooperation platform under the FOCAC framework. Approved by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo has permanently based in Hunan, held biennially. This is Hunan's first international opening up platform at the national level, injecting strong momentum into Hunan's efforts to build itself into a pacesetter for reform and opening up of inland regions.

Since 2019, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo has been held four sessions, with a total of 512 projects signed and a total value of 64.71 billion USD. A pattern where "Hunan sets the stage, the whole country performs, and China and Africa share the benefits" has taken shape.

In recent years, Hunan has been fully leveraging the roles of the two national-level platforms—the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation—to continuously expand capacity, improve quality, and upgrade performance to build a national-level force for local economic and trade cooperation with Africa.

The Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, along with Hunan enterprises such as the Yuan Longping High-tech Agriculture Co., Ltd. and the Yuan's Seed Industry High-Tech Co., Ltd., sent batches of technicians to African countries like Madagascar, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Mali. They conducted trials, demonstrations, and localized production of hybrid rice there, offering a Chinese solution to the food shortage problem in developing countries.

Among these countries, Madagascar leads all African countries in terms of cultivation area and yield of hybrid rice. To commemorate the outstanding contributions of Chinese experts and hybrid rice, Madagascar featured an image of Chinese hybrid rice on its highest-denomination 20,000 ariary banknote. Hybrid rice has become a "national calling card" of China-Africa friendship.

Data shows that Hunan's imports and exports with African countries reached 58 billion CNY in 2025, hitting a record high. It has ranked first in central and western China for seven consecutive years and has stayed above 50 billion CNY for four consecutive years. Hunan's exports to Africa, including construction machinery, agricultural machinery, and new energy vehicles, have grown rapidly. Imports of African specialty products like dried chili peppers, nuts, coffee, and sesame have continued to expand. Hunan's innovative barter trade model has been promoted to 13 African countries.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn