On January 8, 2026 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the launching ceremony of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges in Addis Ababa. In his keynote speech, Wang Yi spoke highly of the achievements of China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Wang Yi said that China-Africa relations boast a long history, and that the China-Africa traditional friendship has grown stronger over time. In recent years, under the joint guidance of leaders on both sides, China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchanges have flourished and delivered fruitful results, brimming with vitality. Some achievements are made with the focus on youth exchanges. Efforts ranging from the creation of platforms such as the China-Africa Future Leaders' Dialogue and the Young Leaders Forum, to hosting events like the Youth Festival and the "Tiangong Dialogue" have established bridges of communication for exchanges between Chinese and African youth. Other achievements are made with the emphasis on talent enhancement and empowerment. The initiatives including the active promotion of the China-Africa Vocational Education Cooperation Plan and the establishment of 17 Luban Workshops in 15 African countries have trained over ten thousand professionals and provided solid intellectual support to boost Africa's development. Additional achievements are made in sharing everyday life. Efforts have been made to bring a large number of Chinese films and television works such as Minning Town and Welcome to Milele into millions of households, which have been widely discussed and welcomed by African audiences. Furthermore, China has signed bilateral tourism cooperation agreements with more than 30 African countries, and the number of African countries and regions designated as outbound group tourism destinations for Chinese citizens has risen to 34. "Travel to Africa" is becoming increasingly popular in China.

Wang Yi said that it is gratifying to see that the people of China and Africa are growing ever closer, China-Africa cooperation is expanding in scope, and the friendship between China and Africa is deepening. Facts have shown that people-to-people exchanges form the most solid foundation of China-Africa friendship, while mutual learning among civilizations serves as the strongest driving force for China-Africa cooperation.