China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo to be held in Hunan on Thursday

China

China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo to be held in Hunan on Thursday

2025-06-11 21:28 Last Updated At：22:27

The fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo will be held in Changsha City of central China's Hunan Province from Thursday to Sunday, attracting over 30,000 Chinese and African participants.

Themed "China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization," the biennial event gathers exhibitors and guests from 53 African countries, 11 international organizations, and 4,700-plus companies from the two sides, commerce chambers, and financial institutions.

The main exhibition area of the expo is located at the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center, featuring China's iconic projects in African countries on infrastructure, railway systems, and satellites, as well as African specialties from over 40 countries and regions.

The expo is also a major platform for bilateral trade and cooperation, with 279 cooperation projects already submitted, marking a 43.8 percent increase compared with the previous edition.

After review, 175 of them are set to be signed during the event, involving a total worth of 11.39 billion U.S. dollars.

"Adhering to the principles of professionalism, market orientation, and internationalization in organizing the expo, we have emphasized innovation and tangible outcomes. The current batch of agreements covers sectors including engineering and construction, smart manufacturing, power and energy, transportation, information services, as well as culture and healthcare," said Huang Xinjian, head of the Exposition Division of Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce.

Turkish parliament passes landmark legal framework for PKK disarmament

Türkiye's parliament on Monday approved a legal framework for the disarmament and reintegration of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a key step toward ending a decades-long conflict.

Of 562 lawmakers present, 468 voted in favor and 88 against, with six abstentions after nearly 10 hours of debate, highlighting the political sensitivity of the initiative.

The draft legislation, submitted earlier this month, was endorsed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling alliance and also received backing from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party and other opposition groups.

The government has said the legislation is designed to facilitate the disarmament process than grant a general amnesty.

It allows lower-ranking PKK members not involved in killings or other serious crimes to return to Türkiye from northern Iraq under specified legal conditions, while excluding jailed PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan, senior PKK leaders and those serving aggravated life sentences.

The conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state, which began in 1984, has claimed more than 40,000 lives, according to widely cited estimates.

In May 2025, the PKK announced its decision to disarm and disband, following Ocalan's call to end the armed struggle.