On December 5, 2020, the first China African Studies Annual Conference and the Fifth Ambassador Lecture of the CAI were held in Beijing. The conference was jointly organized by the China Asian-African Society, the CAI, and the African Studies Center of the China Foundation for International Studies. The conference was divided into three phases. The first phase was the opening ceremony of the first China-Africa Studies Annual Conference and the fifth ambassador Lecture , the second phase was the expert Lecture of the China African Studies Annual Conference, and the third phase was the summary and closing ceremony of the conference.

Wu Peng, Director-General of the Department of Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Secretary-General of the Follow-up Committee of the FOCAC, delivered a keynote speech on "African Situation and China-Africa Relations" at the Fifth Ambassador Lecture.

Li Xinfeng, Vice President of the Chinese Society of Asian-African Studies and Executive Vice President of the CAI, presided over the opening ceremony and the Ambassador Lecture.

Liu Guijin, former president of the Chinese Society of Asian-African Studies and the first special representative of the Chinese government for African affairs;Zhang Hongming, President of the Chinese Society of Asian-African Studies;Shu Zhan, Director of the African Studies Center of the China Foundation for International Studies and former Chinese Ambassador to Eritrea and Rwanda; Guo Hong and Wang Lincong,Vice President of the CAI and Some leaders of the the Chinese Society of Asian-African Studies and nearly 300 experts and scholars from relevant universities and institutions attended the conference.

Wu Peng gave a keynote speech

In his keynote speech, Wu Peng conducted a comprehensive and systematic analysis and outlook on the situation in Africa and China-Africa relations. He pointed out that despite the major impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent, especially the negative economic growth in Africa for the first time in 25 years, the political and security situation in Africa is generally stable. At the same time, African Continental Free Trade Area（ACFTA) will be officially launched in January 2021. Africa's united self-strength has risen against the trend, and the game of foreign powers in Africa has not decayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wu Peng said that China-Africa friendly cooperation will continue to push forward in 2020, and China-Africa unity has achieved significant results in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic including holding the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 pandemic; Dispatching medical teams to 15 African countries to provide full coverage of medical supplies and aiding in the construction of African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2021, China and African countries will host the 8th China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Senegal. It is believed that China-Africa relations will reach a new level.

Professor Li Xinfeng presided over the opening ceremony and the ambassador Lecture

the venue of the first China-Africa Studies Annual Conference and the 5th Ambassador Lecture

The lecture focus on "Africa Situation and Trends under the COVID-19 pandemic" and was divided into six sub-lectures, including two African research youth lectures. Discussion topics include: changes and new characteristics of African international relations, China-Africa joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and poverty alleviation cooperation, and China-Africa studies in the new era.

The summary and closing ceremony of the conference was presided over by Wang Lincong, vice president of the CAI. Zhang Hongming, president of the Chinese Society for Asian and African Studies, Shu Zhan, director of the African Studies Center of the China Foundation for International Studies, former Chinese ambassador to Eritrea and Rwanda, and Li Xinfeng, executive vice president of the CAI, made concluding remarks at the closing ceremony.

Zhang Hongming made a concluding speech

Zhang Hongming expressed his gratitude to the experts and scholars who participated in the conference on behalf of the organizer in his concluding speech. He said that the participating experts and scholars carefully discussed the situation in Africa and China-Africa relations, and put forward constructive opinions on many related issues which is the biggest achievement of the conference. The large number of participants in the conference shows that China's African research team is growing, especially some young talents have become a vital force in China's African research, which is conducive to the sustainable development of China's African research.

Shu Zhan made a concluding speech

In his concluding remarks, Shu Zhan said that seeing so many people studying African issues, especially the rapid development of African studies in the past 20 years, young people went to Africa to learn more about the reality of Africa, and China's future research in Africa can be expected. He also pointed out that China's African studies should pay more attention to the problems of Africa itself, otherwise it is easy to cause the study of China-Africa relations to be untargeted. To achieve empathy, learn to understand and respect Africa, neither "self-centeredness" nor "preconceptions" will work.

Li Xinfeng expressed his gratitude to the participating experts and scholars in his concluding speech. He introduced the work done by the CAI since its establishment, especially the "three major lectures" such as the Ambassador Lecture, the China Lecture and the Africa Lecture;“three major exchange mechanisms”such as the China-Africa governance exchange mechanism, and the China-Africa joint construction of the "Belt and Road" exchange mechanism; the China-Africa sustainable development exchange mechanism , as well as "three major conferences" such as the China-Africa Studies Annual Conference, the Great Maritime Era and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Cross-Strait Academic Conference and the China-Africa Civilization Dialogue Conference and other aspects of the work situation, and He expressed his gratitude to the domestic African academia for their support. He also pointed out that China's African studies belong to relevant experts and scholars from all over China and require joint efforts from the domestic academia. The CAI will give full play to the role of exchange platform, talent highland and communication window, and work with everyone to promote the development of China's African research.

Wang Lincong presided over the closing ceremony

At the closing ceremony, Zhan Shiming, secretary-general of the Chinese Society of Asian and African Studies and director of the editorial department of "West Asia and Africa", explained the relevant work of the Chinese Society of Asian and African Studies. Zhang Kai, deputy director of the editorial department of "Contemporary World", Zhang Yuyou, postdoctoral of the Middle East Institute of Northwestern University, Zhu Ming, director of Regional Cooperation Office, Shanghai Institute of International Studies, and Li Xuedong, deputy director of the East Africa Research Center of the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, Wang Ting，director of the Department of African Regional Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and Dr. Tian Muye from the CAI, reported on the discussions in the six sub-lectures.

Zhan Shiming explained the related work of the China Asian-African Society

Zhang Kai，reporter of the first sub-lecture 

Zhang Yuyou ,reporter of the second sub-lecture 

ZhuMing ,reporter of the third sub-lecture 

LiXuedong ,reporter of the forth sub-lecture 

WangTing ,reporter of the fifth sub-lecture

TianMuye ,reporter of the sixth sub-lecture

Main venue of the conference