China and Africa will hold nearly 600 people-to-people exchange activities in 2026 to deepen mutual learning between the two civilizations, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
ID: 8460908 Her announcement came after the official launch of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on Thursday.
"The 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges is a major initiative agreed between President Xi Jinping and African leaders during the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the opening ceremony, expressing hope that both sides will take the people-to-people exchange year as an opportunity to carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen mutual learning between civilizations, enhance exchanges, especially among youth, deepen sharing of governance experience, and work hand in hand to advance modernization. Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the opening ceremony, where he spoke highly of the achievements of China-Africa cultural exchanges and joined African guests in unveiling the logo for the Year of People-to-People Exchanges," said Mao.
"Throughout this year, the two sides will stage nearly 600 exchange activities under the theme of 'consolidating all-weather friendship, jointly pursuing modernization dreams' to enhance mutual learning between the two civilizations and promote people-to-people connectivity," she said.
China, Africa to stage 600 cultural exchange events in 2026
Local residents spontaneously helped each other to overcome the difficulties after powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela.
A pair of powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 920 people and trapping many under the rubble. The quakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, hit central Venezuela less than a minute apart, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
International aids are pouring in for the disaster-hit South American country while rescuers have been searching through collapsed buildings to find survivors.
On Friday evening local time, large number of vehicles carrying rescue personnel and relief materials caused traffic congestions on roads as they flooded into the state of La Guaira state, the hardest-hit state of the country.
Many of the vehicles were loaded with relief supplies such as drinking water and food, while others were filled with daily necessities such as mattresses and furniture.
The town of Katia Lamar, one of the worst-hit areas in the state, remains out of power, with a pungent odor lingering in the air. Some local residents have spontaneously participated in disaster relief efforts.
"We are currently doing community service, helping those who need it most. We are all doing this voluntarily, and everything we do comes from our hearts. Many people need us right now, and Venezuela needs greater unity," said Hector, a resident who volunteered for disaster relief.
"People brought a lot of help, including food, diapers, medicine, drinking water, juice, drinks, as well as candy and baby food for the children," said an affected resident.
As the earthquakes destroyed residential buildings, many residents had no choice but to rest and spend the night in nearby open spaces.
"We'll rest here tonight and keep an eye on our belongings. These are things we managed to salvage from the apartment, some in relatively good condition," said a resident.
Venezuelans volunteer to help fellow residents after deadly earthquakes
