The Second Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation (CALGC Forum), hosted by the CPAFFC and the Chinese-African People’s Friendship Association (CAPFA), was held in Beijing on November 10, 2015. Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

Yang said that local cooperation plays a crucial role in the development of relations between states. In recent years, exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa has been booming. In particular, a series of exchanges have been carried out since the First CALGC Forum, which promotes the pragmatic cooperation and economic exchanges between Chinese and African local governments, adds new connotations to China-Africa relations and plays an active role in the development of this relationship. China encourages the establishment of more friendship-city relationship with Africa, so as to share experiences of development, strengthen the cooperation in infrastructure, trade, investment, agriculture and people-to-people exchanges, and achieve inclusive development for Chinese and African localities.

Yang pointed out that during the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, China’s 13th Five-Year Plan with the development concept of “ innovation, coordination, green development, opening up and sharing” was made public. Africa is currently committed to implementing the first Ten Year Plan of the Agenda 2063 which prioritized industrialization and sustainable development, providing new opportunities for China-Africa cooperation. Given their respective strengths, China and Africa share mutual opportunities and need each other for cooperation and development.

CAPFA President Abdul’ahat Abdurixit, CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin and Saviour Kasukuwere, Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development of Zimbabwe, the current AU rotating presidency holder, attended the opening ceremony.

The CALGC Forum was initiated in August, 2012. Within the framework of the FOCAC and as its sub-forum in the aspect of local government, the Forum is aimed at promoting pragmatic cooperation between Chinese and African local governments. The theme of the second forum is “Enhancing Local Capacity Building, Promoting China-Africa Industrial Cooperation, and Achieving Inclusive Development for Provinces and Cities”. Local government officials, entrepreneurs and scholars from 26 African countries and 24 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities attended the Forum.