The 20^th Africa Lecture was held by China-Africa Institute (CAI) on May 19, 2026, featuring a keynote speech by Professor Alpha Mohamed Jalloh, Director of the China-Africa Institute at the University of Makeni, Sierra Leone. The lecture was presided over by Dr. Wu Chuanhua, Director of the Editorial Office of the Journal of China-Africa Studies, CAI.

Professor Alpha Mohamed Jalloh is delivering speech 

This year marks the 70^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Africa. In his speech, titled “China-Africa Relations at 70: A Partnership Entering a New Era of Shared Development”, Prof. Jalloh examined the evolution of China-Africa relations in the past 70 years. He said, the relations have evolved from political solidarity into a broad strategic partnership, highlighting cooperation in trade, infrastructure, education, culture and other areas. He emphasized that the relations, rooted in the principle of mutual trust, respect, and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, has stood the test of time and global shifts, becoming a model for South-South cooperation.

In terms of economic cooperation, Prof. Jalloh underlined China’s role as one of Africa’s largest trading partners, with robust growth over two decades. Chinese investments in infrastructure, agriculture, technology, health and education have helped to boost Africa’s development, create jobs, and facilitate technology transfer. China's landmark policy—100% zerotariff access to imports from 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic ties—will further unlock trade potential, especially for agricultural and manufactured goods.

A scene of the 20^th Africa Lecture

He noted that as the world shifts toward multipolarity, China-Africa cooperation have consistently adhered to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation while opposing hegemonism, offering a blueprint for more equitable, inclusive global governance. Guided by shared development goals, the partnership is poised to enter a new era to deliver tangible progress for both peoples. The two sides will continue to advance the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future, so as to inject new impetus into world peace and development. Looking ahead, Prof. Jalloh called for China-Africa sustainable cooperation in green energy, digital innovation, and climate action. Addressing global debates on debt sustainability, he urged transparency and local governance to foster sustainable cooperation.

During the Question and Answer session, CAI scholars engaged with Prof. Jalloh on a range of topics, including Chinese investment in Africa, Africa’s growing voice on global stage, China-Africa security cooperation and China's zero-tariff policy for Africa. Following the discussion, Dr. Wu Chuanhua presented Prof. Jalloh with a certificate of appreciation for his lecture.

Dr. Wu Chuanhua is presenting Prof. Jalloh with a certificate of appreciation