Interview with Guo Ning, Deputy Director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce

On June 12, Changsha, Hunan Province hosted the successful 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), centered on the theme "China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization." This significant event coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and marks the start of implementing the outcomes from the landmark 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit.

Underpinned by FOCAC's framework, China-Africa trade has surged to unprecedented heights. China has cemented its position as Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade exceeding 2 trillion yuan (approximately $275 billion USD) in 2024 alone.

During the CAETE in Changsha, the official website of People's Daily Overseas Edition - Haiwainet interviewed Guo Ning, deputy director of Hunan's provincial department of commerce.

The discussion centered on Hunan's pivotal role as a hub for China-Africa trade and economic cooperation, exploring the province's innovative approaches and tangible results in driving mutual development.

Haiwainet: As CAETE cements its role as a signature China-Africa cooperation event, what were the most distinctive highlights or innovations of this year's edition?

Guo Ning:

This year's China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo achieved record-breaking scale, attracting over 30,000 participants—including more than 40 African foreign ministers and over 1,000 African entrepreneurs. Having spearheaded preparations since the inaugural event, I've witnessed CAETE's remarkable evolution into a globally influential brand.

The 4th Expo has delivered significant achievements. For example, the Export-Import Bank of China and the Bank of China jointly launched a financial service program to support Chinese enterprises' investment activities in Africa. This collaboration between two major national banks marks a significant innovation in financial institutions.

Moreover, several African financial institutions have proactively engaged with the event. For example, Morocco's Bank of Africa hopes to leverage the Expo platform to provide financial services that facilitate Chinese companies' entry into African markets. With institutions such as the Morocco's Bank of Africa and South Africa's Standard Bank joining the Expo, an increasing number of African financial entities are contributing to the continuous expansion and enhanced quality of economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa.

Haiwainet: Could you highlight some of Hunan's key results in advancing China-Africa economic and trade cooperation over the past few years?

Guo Ning:

Hunan's trade with Africa surged from 18.18 billion CNY (2018) to 55.73 billion CNY (2023) – a 206.5% increase.

Strategically leveraging two national platforms, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) and the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation, the province has established a comprehensive service ecosystem to deepen economic ties.

To tackle the persistent challenges, operational pain points, and systemic bottlenecks in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, Hunan conducted extensive research and introduced the "Seven-Pillar" service ecosystem:

Establishing an institutionalized mechanism: Hunan has established a province-ministry coordination mechanism with China's Ministry of Commerce, featuring regular consultations on China-Africa trade challenges and cross-ministerial coordination for policy support.

Building a strategic talent ecosystem: Multidisciplinary professionals from business, government, finance, and academia are fueling China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

Establishing a policy framework: Hunan was the first province in China to introduce policies supporting the high-quality development of the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation, and also established a dedicated service fund to support Chinese enterprises entering Africa through financing and industrial investments.

Pioneering innovative breakthroughs: Confronting Africa's exchange rate volatility and forex shortages, Hunan launched a groundbreaking countertrade platform with African nations in 2023. Since its April pilot, the platform has facilitated more than 100 countertrade transactions valued at over 100 million CNY (about $14M USD). Complementing this, Hunan introduced an offshore local currency settlement system, resolving payment hurdles for Chinese exporters to Africa.

Developing flagship projects: Chinese companies are increasingly adopting integrated models in Africa that combine investment, trade, and industrial production—moving beyond traditional trade and contracting. More than 40 companies from Hunan are engaged in such projects across Africa. For instance, a natural rubber processing plant in Côte d'Ivoire and a sunflower oil facility in Tanzania process raw materials locally before sending them to China for further refinement. These projects not only serve the Chinese market but also help African agricultural and non-resource products move up the value chain.

Building "Quality African Products": Many African agricultural and food products enter the Chinese market as raw materials, with little brand recognition or origin awareness among consumers. To change this, we partnered with several African countries to launch the "Quality African Products" label under the CAETE framework. Through public solicitation and strict selection, we work with trusted companies to source quality African goods and promote them in the Chinese market. In April, we launched the first Quality African Products Online Shopping Season at Changsha MixC Mall, attracting over 500,000 participants. Consumers had the chance to explore and purchase African products such as coffee beans, Kenyan roses and purple tea, Tanzanian ornamental fish, and handcrafted agate from Madagascar. During the 4th CAETE, a dedicated “Quality African Products” exhibition also was held to help more African products enter mainstream retail channels like 7-Eleven, making them more accessible to Chinese consumers.

Growing business network: Hunan has established a China-Africa trade service system to help companies access timely information, making it easier to enter African markets. These efforts have strengthened China-Africa trade relations, enabling both Chinese—especially Hunan-based—and African enterprises to achieve shared growth and mutual benefits.

Haiwainet: How will Hunan further deepen investment cooperation with Africa in the future?

Guo Ning:

Hunan is emerging as a vital platform for fostering China-Africa economic and trade partnership.

Next, we need to：

Enhance dialogue and coordination with our African partners, to ensure mutual understanding and jointly shape our cooperation approach;

Work together to identify and address, shared challenges within the China-Africa economic and trade landscape;

Collaborate to improve the business environment in Africa, benefiting all businesses operating there.

Second, we will collaborate with African partners to co-develop robust service systems, tackling challenges systematically to deliver tangible benefits for businesses on both sides.

Third, we must enhance talent development for China-Africa economic cooperation through jointly certified programs. Without sufficient professionals – especially from both Chinese and African sides – it will be challenging to strengthen and expand this partnership.

Fourth, model and mechanism innovation is crucial. Given rapid global trade shifts – particularly rising trade protectionism – traditional approaches face unprecedented challenges. Governments must therefore partner with businesses to pioneer new frameworks during this transition. Through this co-innovation process, public institutions should embrace policy flexibility to serve all market players effectively.