The 2026 Forum on China-Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation is held on Nov 7 in Yiwu. [Photo/Tide News]

The 2026 Forum on China-Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation was held on Nov 7 in Yiwu, a county-level city in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, with more than 400 guests from 39 countries and regions gathering to discuss the high-quality development of China-Africa cooperation.

This year's forum focused on trade and, for the first time, held its main venue in Yiwu, showcasing the Yiwu International Trade Market, Global Digital Trade Center, and Chinagoods platform.

The forum saw the signing of 49 China-Africa cooperation projects worth 40.96 billion yuan ($6.14 billion), covering trade, overseas investment, engineering contracting, and foreign cooperation, including a Yiwu Market branch in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a Botswana photovoltaic project, and a China-Africa cross-border logistics supply chain project.

The forum released several outcomes, including a China-Africa trade digital mutual trust verification platform, the 2026 Report on Social Responsibility of Chinese Enterprises in Africa, and a compliance guide for China's zero-tariff policy for Africa.

The 15th China-Africa Think Tanks Forum was also held, releasing the Action Declaration on China-Africa Joint Practice of Global South Modern Think Tanks and the China-Africa Consensus on Mutual Learning between Civilizations.

Cultural activities included film exchanges, woodcarving cooperation, and an intangible cultural heritage market.

Jinhua has deepened cooperation with Africa, with 2,675 African-invested enterprises (the most in Zhejiang province) and trade growing 35.3 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of this year.