Symposium held in Kenya on fostering China-Africa cooperation to drive modernization

Participants attend the Hong Ting Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 31, 2024. The Hong Ting Forum, themed "China and Africa Join Hands Together to Modernization," was held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi Wednesday, drawing dozens of participants, including policymakers, diplomats, industry executives, media personnel and scholars. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

NAIROBI, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Ting Forum, themed "China and Africa Join Hands Together to Modernization," was held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi Wednesday, drawing dozens of participants, including policymakers, diplomats, industry executives, media personnel and scholars.

Convened by Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau, the half-day symposium discussed innovative ways to strengthen Sino-African cooperation across diverse sectors and achieve renewal.

There was a consensus among participants at the Hong Ting Forum that both Africa and China have a shared aspiration to prosper and modernize by leveraging partnerships and mutual learning.

Cavince Adhere, a Nairobi-based international relations scholar, observed that a fruitful Sino-African cooperation will form the foundation for fostering economic modernization, creating jobs and spreading prosperity evenly.

While acknowledging China's huge footprint in African economies, Adhere called for enhanced cooperation in digital inclusion, green transition, technology transfer, health, agriculture and security to achieve mutual benefits.

In Kenya, Adhere said China has been instrumental in the modernization of the country's infrastructure, boosting economic growth through enhanced movement of goods and services.

Steve Zhao, chief executive officer of MOJA Expressway Company Limited, a subsidiary of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), noted that by tapping into Chinese technology, capital and expertise, African countries will benefit from modernization powered by improved transport networks.

The 27.1-km Nairobi Expressway, built by CRBC through a public-private partnership and now operated by MOJA, has boosted Kenya's modernization through seamless mobility of manpower and cargo, Zhao said.

Julius Thairu, chief commercial and customer officer of Kenya Airways, the national carrier, said the dream of establishing a Sino-African air "Silk Road" is slowly being realized to promote connectivity, trade, tourism and cultural exchanges.

Thairu said strategic partnerships between African and Chinese airlines have been forged as part of the air "Silk Road" to strengthen commercial ties and people-to-people exchanges.

African countries have been inspired by China's rallying call for countries to pursue modernization that suits their local conditions and spread benefits equitably, said Samuel Maina, editor-in-chief of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, the state-funded broadcaster.

Maina underscored the urgency of powering Africa's modernization by leveraging partnerships with China in strategic areas like healthcare, education, agriculture, energy and infrastructure.

"Africa can draw valuable lessons from the Chinese modernization journey to inform its development strategies," Maina said, adding that partnerships in the areas of innovation, advanced manufacturing and e-commerce will hasten modernization.