China and African countries are preparing to roll out close to 600 cultural and people-to-people exchange programmes in 2026, in a move aimed at strengthening mutual understanding and deepening ties between their societies.
The plan was announced by China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday, following the official launch of the 2026 China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa on Thursday.
Speaking at a regular media briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the year-long initiative was agreed by leaders from both sides during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit. She described the programme as a key platform for expanding dialogue between civilizations and reinforcing people-centered cooperation between China and Africa.
According to Mao, the exchanges will cover a wide range of areas, including culture, education, tourism, youth engagement and social development, offering new opportunities for interaction and cooperation between Chinese and African communities.
She noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping marked the opening ceremony with a congratulatory message, encouraging both sides to use the exchange year to build on long-standing friendship, expand people-to-people contacts, particularly among young people, enhance the sharing of governance experience, and jointly pursue modernization.
The spokesperson also confirmed that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the launch event in Addis Ababa, where he emphasized the progress achieved in recent years in China–Africa cultural and social exchanges. During the ceremony, Wang and African representatives jointly unveiled the official logo for the 2026 China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
Officials on both sides say the initiative is expected to reinforce public support for China–Africa relations and inject fresh momentum into bilateral cooperation beyond traditional political and economic engagement. The expanded exchanges are also seen as a step toward building a closer China–Africa community with a shared future, grounded in stronger connections between their peoples.
