On June 11, 2025, the Reception for the 25th Anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo was held in Changsha. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Jean-Claude Gakosso of the Republic of the Congo, the African Co-chair of FOCAC attended and addressed the event. Also present were Vice President of Liberia Jeremiah Kpan Koung, foreign ministers of African countries, the African delegation of FOCAC and responsible officials of departments from the Chinese FOCAC Follow-up Committee.

Wang Yi said that Hunan has become a pioneer and a new frontier in advancing China's relations with Africa. The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo has taken root here, and the construction of the pilot zone for the in-depth China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has been fully launched. From Hunan to the African continent, golden bridges have been built for China-Africa cooperation.

Wang Yi stated that the FOCAC emerged at the dawn of this century. Over the past 25 years, it has grown rapidly into a "golden brand" of solidarity and self-reliance among the Global South and international cooperation with Africa. Under the guidance of the FOCAC, China-Africa relations have achieved leapfrog development. China has established strategic partnerships with all 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China. Bilateral trade has increased nearly thirtyfold, and China's investment in Africa has grown nearly hundredfold, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both China and Africa.

Wang Yi said that this morning, the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the FOCAC was successfully held. The two sides reviewed the outcomes achieved since the Beijing Summit, reached a series of new consensuses on the next stage of China-Africa cooperation, and jointly issued the China-Africa Changsha Declaration on Upholding Solidarity and Cooperation of the Global South. This will inject fresh momentum into deepening political mutual trust between China and Africa and accelerating the implementation of the ten partnership actions. In the face of profound changes unseen in a century, the Global South represented by China and Africa is experiencing vigorous development that will profoundly impact the development process of the world. Wang Yi called for even closer solidarity between China and Africa to jointly pursue the bright future of modernization and write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Jean-Claude Gakosso said that since its establishment 25 years ago, the FOCAC has delivered tangible and significant outcomes, built bridges for exchanges between China and Africa, and contributed to Africa's significant development. The major initiatives put forth by President Xi Jinping, such as the ten partnership actions, vividly demonstrate FOCAC's determination to keep pace with the times, promote innovative development models for the Global South and jointly advance toward modernization. The African side fully supports and is willing to work with the Chinese side to ensure the success of future FOCAC events. Africa fully endorses the important global visions advocated by President Xi Jinping, and looks forward to jointly upholding multilateralism based on peace, freedom, solidarity, and mutual respect, as well as building a global civilization of shared prosperity.