On November 22, 2018, Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong traveled to Zhengzhou, Henan Province for major activities of the study group of diplomatic envoys of African countries to China in Henan Province including the meeting between Secretary of Henan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Wang Guosheng and the study group. He also exchanged views with diplomatic envoys.

The African diplomatic envoys to China congratulated Henan Province on its important development achievements made in the 40 years of China's reform and opening up, and believed that they learnt about the profound historical and cultural heritage of China through this visit and further deepened their understanding of the process of China's reform and opening up as well as the CPC's governance philosophy. They expressed the willingness to work together with the Chinese side to well implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), jointly promote the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and share the opportunities brought by China's new round of opening up.

The group visit of the African diplomatic envoys to China to Henan Province is organized by the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the FOCAC and attended by 33 ambassadors of African countries to China or chargé d'affaires ad interim and representatives of the African Union in China.