Kenyan and local artists perform at the Rhythm of Jinhua: A China-Africa Night of Performing Art Exchange event. [Photo/jinhua.com.cn]

The 2025 Forum on China-Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation has begun in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on Nov 7. It will feature 14 key events since this month — a main forum, nine parallel meetings, and four supporting activities. 

The forum's opening was preceded by the Rhythm of Jinhua: A China-Africa Night of Performing Art Exchange event, held on Nov 6 at the China Wu Opera Grand Theater, which featured performances by Kenyan and local artists.

Over 30 African dignitaries alongside ambassadors from 20 African countries will attend the forum, visiting landmarks such as the Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center and the China-Africa (Jinhua) Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Park.

As a key hub for China-Africa cooperation, Jinhua has established robust ties with African nations across trade, culture, and education.

From January to September, Jinhua's exports to Africa reached 111.49 billion yuan ($15.65 billion), a 27.5 percent year-on-year increase, accounting for 9.5 percent of China's total. African products such as coffee, peanuts, honey, and avocados are also gaining popularity in Jinhua.

The Zhejiang Wuju Opera Troupe has performed 48 shows in 14 African countries, receiving warm welcomes from African friends, and universities such as Zhejiang Normal University have cultivated over 15,000 students from more than 50 countries and regions across Africa.

Residents and visitors taste African food at the Africa Cultural and Tourism Fair. [Photo/jinhua.com.cn]

The 2025 China-Africa Cultural Silk Road Exchange Month, an important part of the forum, has also begun on Nov 7. Among its activities, the first-ever Africa Cultural and Tourism Fair is underway, showcasing African traditional dances, wood carvings, and delicacies like South African wine and Ethiopian coffee, offering a unique cultural experience for residents and visitors.