Xiangtan University Makes a Strong Showing at the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo

Written byZhang Xiaohu, Kang Jieli, He Yijun, Zhang Shijia, Tao Yunhong, Zhong Yetian

Edited byLi Wenwen

Translated by Li Wenqiang, Huang Can

Source:Law School&News Center

From June 29 to July 2, the Third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo was held in Changsha, Hunan Province.Underthe theme of “Common Development for a Shared Future,” the event brought together more than 10,000 guests from 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, 12 international organizations including the African Union (AU), and 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalitiesacrossChina. The elements and participants of Xiangtan University attracted widespread attentionthroughoutthe expo.

At this year’s expo, members of Xiangtan University’s African law research team, African international students, and faculty and student volunteers were active in exhibition halls and event venues, contributing their expertise and energy to the high-quality development of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

African Law Research Contributes Intellectual Insights

During the expo, Liao Yong’an, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committeeof XiangtanUniversity and Vice Director of China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Research Institute, led faculty and students from the China-Africa Economic and Trade Law Research Institute to participate in multiple parallel forums, contributing Xiangtan University’s insights to China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

Promotion ofPractical African Commercial Law Course

On June 29, Professor Hong Yonghong, Associate Professor Zhang Xiaohu and other faculty members attended the High-end Seminar on In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation. At the seminar, Professor Hong Yonghong introducedAPractical African Commercial Law Course,a teaching resource compiled by the university’s African law research team for undergraduate and postgraduate students in relevant majors.

On June 30, Professor Hong Yonghong attended the Think Tanks forChina-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation and the Seminar on Regional and Country Studies of the East African Community (EAC). Dr. Guo Jiong participated in the Project Fair for the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation,whiledoctoral student Lin Tao attended the Symposium on the Development of China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation.

Release ofLegal Environment Report on African Guest Countries of Honor for the Third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo

On July 1, Professor Liao Yong’an, Professor Hong Yonghong, Associate Professor Zhang Xiaohu, Dr. Guo Jiong and other scholars were invited to attend the Think Tank Seminar on China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, where they held in-depth discussions on themes including High-Quality China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative amid profound global changes unseen in a century and the stable development of China-Africa industrial and supply chains for win-win cooperation. During the seminar, Professor Hong Yonghong also participated in the think tank dialogue on “Stable Development of China-Africa Industrial and Supply Chains and Win-Win Cooperation.” The conference also released the latest achievement compiled by our University’s African Law team for the forum,Legal Environment Report on African Guest Countries of Honor for the Third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. Published byXiangtanUniversity Press, the book focuses on the major branch laws of the six guest countries of honor and corresponding countermeasures for risk prevention, providing legal safeguards for economic and trade cooperation.

Professor Liao Yongan Presides over the Closing Ceremony of the Think Tank Seminar on China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation

“With the efficient implementation of the Nine Programs of China-Africa Cooperation, China and African countries are maintaining a strong momentumin pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and the prospects for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation are promising. Intellectual support will be an important cornerstone for the high-quality development of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation in the new era. To this end, we should continue to build think tank platforms characterized by coordinated efforts among government, industry, academia, research and application, so as to promote closer cooperation among think tanks on China-Africa economic and trade relations, realize differentiated development and complementary advantages, and form a cross-disciplinary, cross-talent and cross-regional community of wisdom for China-Africa cooperation.”Hisremarksonthe closing ceremony of the Think Tank Seminar on China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation were widely endorsed by the participants.

After the reform and opening up, Xiangtan University established the first academic institution for African studies in China. It pioneered and has continuously enrolled Juris Master (non-law) programs with a specialization in African Legal Affairs, leads the onlykeyproject of the National Social Science Fund of China in the field of African law – “Translation, Research and Database Construction of Legal Texts from African Countries and Regions”,and publishedIntroduction to African Law, the first monograph on African law in China. Theuniversity wasalsoselectedintothe 20+20 Cooperation Plan for Chinese and African Institutions of Higher Education, and designated by the China Law Society as the permanent host of the China-Africa Legal Training Base and the Forum of Deans of Law Schools of China and Africa. It has established aregularmechanism for cooperation with African universities in talent cultivation, research and academic exchange, and enjoys broad influence both at home and abroad.

African International Students Showcase Their Talent

With drums beating, hands clapping and dancers moving to lively rhythms, the strong African flavor of the performances quickly transported audiences into a world of passion, vitality and confidence. The festive atmosphere energized everyone on site.

The performers of the traditional African drum dance were international students from Xiangtan University’s International Exchange College. Invited by the Hunan Women’s Federation, African students of ouruniversity formed a dance troupe. After nearly a month of rehearsals, they presented passionate and vibrant cultural performances with distinctive African cultural characteristics, including a traditional African drum dance and the modern African danceThis is Africa,forChinese and African distinguished guests attending the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. Theexcellentdance performance was recorded and reported by CCTV News.

Xiangtan University has been enrolling international students since 1996. Closely aligned with the needs of national strategic development, it has cultivated a large number of high-caliber international talents with professional expertise, proficiency in the Chinese language, and a deep understanding of Chinese culture. In particular, in educating students from Africa, the university has achieved notable results by relying on platforms and programs such as the High-level Postgraduate Program of the China Scholarship Council (CSC), the 20+20 Cooperation Plan for Chinese and African Institutions of Higher Education, and the Confucius Institute in Uganda, while drawing on its strengths in African law studies.

At thisyear’sexpo, while African drums and dances brought the passion of Africa to the Star City (the nickname of Changsha), the university’s African international students also demonstrated China-Africa friendship through authentic, vivid and engaging storytelling.

At the China-Africa Women’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Achievement Exhibition, African international studentsfrom Xiangtan University served as volunteerguides atexhibitionbooths, providing explanations for visiting guests and audiences. Combined with on-site graphics, videos, physical exhibits and multimedia interactions, they presented the fruitful achievements of China-Africa women’s innovation and entrepreneurship in a comprehensive and multi-dimensional manner. Meanwhile, they shared vivid stories of China-Africa friendship, as well as the opportunities and challenges of China-Africa cooperation and development, drawing on their own study experiences in China. Among them, Lina, a student from Equatorial Guinea, received unanimous praise in interviews for her excellent Chinese language proficiency and in-depth thinking and insightsintoChina-Africa cooperative relations.

E. Woneka, Uganda’s Ambassador to China, Held a Cordial Conversation with African International Students ofXiangtanUniversity

On July 2, four Ugandan students from the universitywere invited to participate in China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchange activities at Hecun African Culture Parkin Hunan. During the event, they were received by Uganda’s Ambassador to China Mr. Woneka, and Mr. Francis, Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives of Uganda. They actively promoted China-Uganda friendship and were recognized and commended for their efforts.

Angeline Ndayishimiye, First Lady of Burundi, Took a Cordial Group Photo with International Students of Our University

African students from Xiangtan University also attracted attention and were interviewed by media outlets including China Media Group and Hunan Daily. Theywere warmly received by Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of the All-China Women’s Federation, Angeline Ndayishimiye, First Lady of Burundi, Monica Chakwera, First Lady of Malawi, Maria Mwinyi, First Lady of Zanzibar, Tanzania, as well as a number of government department officials, women’s organization leaders and Party and government officials from African countries.

Faculty and Student Volunteers Support theExpo

Venue preparation, foreign guest reception, event publicity, exhibition hall interpretation, business translation— Xiangtan University volunteers contributed across the board.

During the expo, more than 70 faculty members and students were selected byXiangtanUniversity’s China-Africa Legal and Humanities Exchange Base, LawSchool, and School of ForeignStudies for the event. Their work mainly included entrusted accompanying interpretation and volunteer services at both the main venue and branch venues of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, supporting the smoothrunning of this grand event.

Faculty and studentsfromXiangtan University could be seen throughout all exhibition halls, venues, reception hotels andhostenterprises. They gave full play to their professional strengths, assisted the Organizing Committee of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, as well as multiple government agencies, enterprises and public institutions in completing various tasks, and demonstrated solid professional literacy, a strong sense of collectivism and abundant work enthusiasm.

They put the spirit of Xiangtan University into practice through concrete actions, and were widely praised by the Organizing Committee of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and all participating guests.

XiangtanUniversityhasactively respondedto the national Belt and Road Initiative and Hunan’s strategyforHunan-Africa Cooperation, strivingto contribute its professional strengths to the development of the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone. The School of ForeignStudies,LawSchool, and China-Africa Economic and Trade Law Research Institute have long participated in the foreign aid training programs of institutions including the Training Center of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co., Ltd., Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Co., Ltd., PowerChina Zhongnan Engineering Corporation Limited, and Hunan Sports Industry Group Co., Ltd., providing translation services for trainees visiting China from countries including Cameroon, Liberia, Nigeria, Zambia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Madagascar. Many Xiangtan University students have also traveled to countries and regions including Uganda, Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria and Senegal for field visits, research, internships and work, contributing Xiangtan University’s strength to Hunan’sand China’s cooperation with Africa.