The 4th Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation was held in hybrid format on Nov 16, bringing together over 300 participants, including political leaders from African countries and responsible officials of local governments and relevant institutions in China and Africa.

Premier Li Keqiang attended the forum via video link and delivered a speech. Noting that the friendship between China and Africa is unbreakable, the Premier said China and Africa should expand their pragmatic cooperation to create a better future for the 2.7 billion Chinese and African people. He pointed out that China is ready to increase the aid of vaccines and anti-pandemic materials to Africa within its capacity in light of Africa’s needs, so as to build a solid defense line for people’s health.

He said, China is willing to further align each other’s development strategies, strengthen the exchange of experiences in urban governance, poverty eradication, social construction and agricultural modernization, and promote cooperation between friendship cities. He added that China will work with Africa to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, maintain the friendly tradition of mutual respect, equality, unity and cooperation, adhere to multilateralism, and support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns.

Stressing the significance of exchanges and friendship between Chinese and African people, Premier Li said with joint efforts of both sides, there is much to be achieved through cooperation between local governments of China and Africa.

Under the theme of the forum, “Building a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future - Local Governments of China and Africa Work Together for Common Development”, participants also shared their views and experience on friendship city partnership, poverty reduction and development, public health, innovation-driven development, and urban governance.

In her remarks, Guo Ningning, Vice Governor of Fujian Province, noted that Fujian is fast-forwarding an innovative province initiative and advancing innovation-driven digital economy. Digital champions from Fujian, such as NetDragon, have found their feet in Africa, working with Egyptian Ministry of Education to deliver $7 billion worth of digital education projects in the country. She said, under the high quality BRI cooperation and FOCAC frameworks, Fujian is ready to:

·    stay in closer touch with line departments and friendship cities in African countries, establish a regular communication and coordination mechanism among friendship cities, and create a sound  environment for business investment and innovation cooperation;

·    encourage Fujian enterprises to increase two-way investment and trade in African digital economy, in a bid to take bilateral win-win cooperation to a new high and generate more dividends of innovation-driven development to local communities;

·    assist African countries in training more professionals for innovation-driven development of digital economy, cross-border e-commerce, internet and IT, and digital infrastructure, and jointly enable new business models, new platforms, and new economy to thrive in African countries.

The forum was jointly organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the Chinese-African People's Friendship Association (CAPFA) as a warm-up for the Eighth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC in Senegal.