By Zhao Kaiming, Hunan Academy of Governance

The Hunan-Africa tie is a heart-to-heart connection and a reflection of common dreams. The encounter, though with a distance of thousands of miles, is mixed with accumulated historical and cultural heritage and promoted by people-to-people exchanges in modern times. The practical cases, from the joy of harvest of hybrid rice developed by Yuan Longping’s team to the cultural heritage of the Confucius Institute and the prosperous China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, manifest the two-way efforts and harmony of Hunan and Africa.

Seeking common ground: Deepening the China-Africa ties

After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, veteran revolutionaries including Mao Zedong, with their extraordinary strategic mind and vision, established mutual-support relationships with the African people based on sincere cooperation on the road of development and revitalization.

The Tanzania-Zambia railway (TAZARA) marks one of the biggest projects China has ever undertaken in overseas aid items in Africa, a symbol of the deep China-Africa solidarity, and also known as “the Freedom Railway”, the “Friendship Railway” and “the Railway of South-South Cooperation”. The extraordinary vision and selfless dedication of the Chinese government and Chairman Mao Zedong in the construction of the TAZARA have won the profound respect of the peoples of Africa.

Many African people have great affection for Mao’s hometown, Hunan. According to incomplete statistics, over 68 batches of African politicians have visited Shaoshan, including more than 10 at the level of head of state. The shared spirit and emotion have laid a solid foundation for the long-lasting China-Africa relationship, making it a vivid practice of multicultural exchange in the world.

Sowing dreams: Cultivating the vast land of Africa together

Food scarcity has been a continuing difficulty on the African continent. Yuan Longping, the “father of hybrid rice”, not only revolutionized China’s food production but also offered a beacon of hope to distant Africa to alleviate hunger.

The hybrid rice expert team led by Yuan Longping set foot on Madagascar in 2006. After more than 10 years of effort, they finally cultivated outstanding hybrid rice varieties that are well-suited to the region’s challenging climate, featuring high yield, drought resistance and superior quality. Nowadays, Madagascar has a planting area of hybrid rice reaching 75,000 hectares, with an average yield of around 7.5 tons per hectare, significantly alleviating local food shortages. To celebrate the achievement, the pattern of hybrid rice has been printed on the local banknote with the highest denomination.

In Burkina Faso, after introducing Chinese hybrid rice, yields have risen from 5 tons per hectare to over 10 tons. For many African countries, growing hybrid rice means that the dream of having a surplus at the end of year is no longer out of reach.

Over the past decade, Longping High-tech has trained more than 14,000 agricultural technicians for nearly 100 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with the majority coming from Africa.

As Madagascar’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Harifidy Janset Ramilison put it: “Chinese experts are the ones helping us achieve our dream of food security. They not only provide us with high-quality seeds but also teach us advanced planting techniques and management practices. They are our good friends and our great teachers.”

Hand-in-hand connection: Shining the light of Hunan-Africa exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations

Friendship, which derives from close contact between the peoples, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. Since 2008, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Xiangtan University, Hunan City University, and Central South University have respectively established Confucius Institutes with the University of Liberia, Makerere University, University of Cape Coast, and Congo (Kinshasa) Foreign Affairs University. This has enabled the ancient Chinese characters to mingle with the rhythms of African drums, and enabled the Chinese rhythms to harmonize with African songs and dances.

The Chinese culture is taking root, germinating, blooming, and flourishing on African soil. The Confucius Institutes have become hubs for language learning and cultural exchange, and also significant arenas for Hunan and Africa to “cultivate friendships through literature and promote virtue through friendship”, bridging the gap between the peoples. Despite the vast ocean separating Hunan and Africa, these connections are bringing them ever closer.

Working together: Promoting steady and long-term cooperation between Hunan and Africa

Hunan has actively responded to the Belt and Road Initiative and extended the hand of friendship to African countries thousands of miles away. Since 1982 when Hunan first established ties with Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, the province has been fostering friendly exchanges with African cities. As of now, there are 8 pairs of sister cities between Hunan and Africa. These interactions have grown from acquaintance to mutual understanding and support, helping nurture the friendship between Hunan and Africa. Both sides have been committed to a relationship that benefits all parties involved, and this collaboration continues to improve over time.

Hunan-Africa cooperation is developing in an all-round way. The scope of cooperation is expanding rapidly from traditional sectors like trade and engineering construction to emerging sectors such as digital economy, green development, and finance; The scale of cooperation continues to grow, with Hunan serving as a forefront player in subnational-level economic and trade cooperation with Africa. In 2023, Hunan’s trade with Africa reached RMB 55.67 billion (Equivalent to 139 billion South African Rand), ranking eighth nationally and first in the central and western regions in China. This trade volume marks an average annual growth rate of 23.1% over the past three years, bringing China-Africa cooperation to unprecedented levels.

The 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation heralded new opportunities for building the China-Africa community with a shared future. On the broad stage of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, Hunan is more than just a witness but an active participant and promoter. As the largest economic and trade cooperation platform under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo has found its home in Hunan and has been held three times so far.

Hunan will base itself on the two platforms, i.e., the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and China-Africa Economic and Trade In-depth Cooperation Pilot Zone, to deepen “the Africa-China Dar es Salaam Consensus”. Hunan will always work together with Africa to advance the endeavors of win-win cooperation, harmonious coexistence, and shared prosperity of civilizations and to write a new chapter in building the Hunan-Africa community with a shared future.

* The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.