Hey there! 🚀 On Thursday in Addis Ababa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf met for the ninth China-AU Strategic Dialogue at the AU headquarters. They also kicked off the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, aiming to bring our communities even closer. 🌍✨
Here are the key takeaways:
- Modernization & Development: Both sides want to supercharge growth by aligning China's 15th Five-Year Plan with the AU's Agenda 2063—a 50-year vision for Africa's future, including projects like "Silencing the Guns" to end conflicts by 2030 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for smoother intra-Africa trade.
- Global Governance & Peace: They discussed new ideas for the International Organization for Mediation—a platform to settle disputes peacefully—and flagged recent developments in Venezuela, emphasizing respect for sovereignty and the UN Charter.
- Zero-Tariff Treatment: Plans to cut import taxes on key goods, making tech, agri-products, and more affordable for businesses and consumers across both regions.
- One-China Principle: The AU side reaffirmed that there's only one China, with Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory, and recognized the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal representative of the whole of China.
So what's next? 🤔 Expect more cultural and youth exchanges—from student programs to tech hackathons—that'll connect Asia and Africa like never before. This dialogue is a big win for the Global South, sparking fresh opportunities in trade, tech, and peacebuilding.
Stay tuned for more updates—and feel free to share your thoughts below! 💬
Reference(s):
China, African Union hold strategic dialogue at AU headquarters
cgtn.com
