A seminar themed “African French-speaking countries: development and cooperation” takes place at Yunnan University, on Aug 26. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

A seminar themed “African French-speaking countries: development and cooperation” took place at Yunnan University (YNU), on Aug 26, as the date for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation draws near. 

The seminar was hosted by the Asia Africa Society of China, the Institute of West Asia and Africa at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the Research Center on African Studies at YNU. 

Some 80 scholars and experts from various universities and institutes, including the Asia Africa Society of China, Institute of West Asia and Africa at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, YNU, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Language and Culture University, China Foreign Affairs University, University of International Relations, Xi’an International Studies University, Nanjing University and Wuhan University attended the seminar. 

At the seminar hosted by Wu Lei, dean of YNU’s Institute of International Relations, YNU Vice-President Yang Zeyu delivered a speech. Zhang Hongming, president of the Asia Africa Society of China; Shi Xiaoying, counselor at the Office of European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Liu Hongwu, dean of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, and Gan Xuechun, president of the Red River College, delivered keynote speeches. 

In their speeches, they outlined the evolution of France’s policies towards Africa, the features and trends of relations between France and Africa, and of relations between Africa and Europe. 

During the following seminar, attendees held discussions on topics covering relations between African French-speaking countries, relations between English-speaking areas and French-speaking areas in Africa, China’s cooperation with African French-speaking countries and the present status of China’s studies on African French-speaking countries. 

Currently, 21 countries in Africa use French as their official language, and five countries regard it as a common language. The total area of French-speaking countries in Africa occupies half of the entire continent of Africa, and the population of these countries is nearly 250 million, according to a survey conducted in 2010. 

Since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, both China and African countries have ushered in a new period of cooperation between the two sides. 

It is hoped that the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation that will take place on Sept 3 will better serve the win-win strategy between the two sides.