Wu Jupei, secretary of the Chenzhou Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech, and Kan Baoyong, Deputy Secretary and Mayor of Chenzhou, presided over the meeting. Chipoka Mulenga, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry of Zambia, Gertrude Mlumani Imenda, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Party for National Development in Zambia, and Nokuzola Gladys Torache, Deputy Minister of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities of the South African Presidency, attended the event.

 

 

“It’s great to greet friends coming from afar.” On behalf of the Chenzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government, Wu warmly welcomed the delegations from Zambia and South Africa to Chenzhou for investigation and exchange.

 

Wu stated that this is a deep friendship across mountains and oceans. The friendship between China and Africa has a long history, and so does the cooperation between Hunan Province and Africa. The exchanges between Chenzhou and Africa are even more energetic after a long time of cooperation. From January to May this year, Chenzhou’s imports and exports to Africa reached 2.05 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 151.4%. Chenzhou is moving faster to build a new highland for cooperation with Africa.

 

Chenzhou is a favorable land for development that cannot be missed. It enjoys advantageous geographical location, rich resources, beautiful landscapes, a sound open platform, and a promising development momentum. It is striving toward the goal of a world tourist destination, a national innovation demonstration zone, a pioneer in open development, and an important growth pole in Hunan.

 

This is a bridge for mutual benefits and win-win cooperation. We hope that Chenzhou, Zambia, South Africa, and other African countries will make efforts to expand economic and trade exchanges, create a leading zone for in-depth China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, and promote unimpeded trade, financial integration, and factor circulation. We should strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, expand industrial cooperation in areas such as non-ferrous metals, mining, agricultural machinery and tobacco, so as to advance economic and trade cooperation in an all-round way.

 

Wu sincerely invited friends from Zambia, South Africa, and other African countries to participate in the 2nd Hunan Tourism Development Conference, which is to be held this September in Chenzhou, in a bid to expand cooperation in various areas, carry out higher-level cooperation and broaden its achievements.

 

Kan Baoyong pointed out, “Even mountains and seas cannot distance people with common aspirations.” It is hoped that Chenzhou, Zambia, South Africa, and other African countries will deepen traditional friendship and cooperation, improve communication and cooperation mechanisms, closely facilitate exchanges and trade between governments, enterprises, institutions, and personnel of both sides, and make due contributions to building a community with a shared future for China and Africa in the new era.