The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Africa and has also been designated as the Year of China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges. The event “2026 China-Africa Joint Performance Along the Cultural Silk Road: Symphony of Chinese and African Civilizations” officially kicked off in Jinzhou on June 17. The event was held both online and offline, with its main venue at Bohai University. Real-time live broadcasts were delivered to seven sub-venues in Burundi, the Central African Republic, Tunisia, Seychelles, Comoros, South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire. The event brought together diplomatic envoys from six African countries — Seychelles, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso — to Jinzhou, where they jointly witnessed this dialogue of civilizations across mountains and seas.

On the evening of June 17, the themed gala evening “Symphony of Chinese and African Civilizations” was staged at the Concert Hall of Bohai University. At the event, classic Chinese drum dance and Peking opera were brilliantly juxtaposed with Burundian royal drumming and African gumboot dance, presenting a spectacular performance that earned enthusiastic applause from both Chinese and international guests. Stanley Banda, minister counsellor at the Embassy of Zimbabwe in China, remarked, “This cultural extravaganza has vividly showcased the captivating charm of China-Africa cultural integration, and borne witness to the profound friendship and mutual affinity between the Chinese and African peoples.”

During their stay in Liaoning, the delegation also toured the History Museum of Bohai University and gained detailed insights into the achievements of Liaoning’s universities in research commercialization and international education. At Jinzhou East Lake Park, the envoys experienced firsthand the “Jinzhou Answer” to ecological civilization development and urban governance. At Jinzhou Port, in-depth discussions were held on how to leverage Liaoning’s coastal port advantages to open new maritime trade routes between China and Africa. Several African envoys expressed their intention to organize their national chambers of commerce and business associations to establish direct procurement and cooperation mechanisms with Jinzhou Port. Allan Joseph Chintedza, ambassador of Malawi to China, noted that Malawi and Liaoning enjoy broad prospects for cooperation in areas such as modern agriculture and vocational education.