The 5th China-Africa Future Leaders’ Sharing Session and China-Africa Youth Dialogue on Green Development were held in Beijing Library on July 28. The event was hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and co-organized by the BPAFFC, the Beijing Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Center (BEEC), and the Tongzhou District People’s Government of Beijing Municipality. Youth representatives from 12 African countries engaged in a dialogue on green development with teacher and student representatives from Tsinghua University and environmental protection experts. They exchanged views on sustainable development, shared what they had learned during the event, and discussed future cooperation.
Huang Xiaowei, Deputy Director of the Department of Asian and African Affairs of the CPAFFC, said in her speech that the hope for China-Africa friendship lies with the youth, who play a key role in deepening China-Africa cooperation. She hoped that young people from China and Africa would maintain friendly and candid communication, keep a professional and innovative mindset, and contribute more to promoting China-Africa green development cooperation.
Wang Yu, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the BPAFFC, said that the hope and key to the dynamic China-Africa friendship hinge on the youth. He hoped that Chinese and African youths could shoulder the mission of the times, serve as advocates of mutual learning between the two civilizations, practitioners of green development, and promoters of practical cooperation, so as to sustain the tradition of China-Africa friendship and forge ahead on the shared path toward modernization.
Hou Zhenxing, Deputy District Mayor of Tongzhou District of Beijing Municipality, introduced the fruitful results in the development of the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMC) and the building of a national demonstration zone for green development. He illustrated how the BMC, guided by the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, has promoted the economical and intensive use and recycling of resources and pursued green, high-quality development that prioritizes eco-environmental conservation.
Xia Xuejie, member of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the BEEC, delivered a keynote speech titled Governance Practice and Policy Innovation of Green Beijing. His speech demonstrated Beijing’s natural endowments and profound historical and cultural heritage, and comprehensively presented the policy innovation and tangible outcomes of the “Green Beijing” endeavor.
Young participants from China and Africa formed seven mixed groups across geographical boundaries to discuss key issues related to green development. They also shared “small yet smart” public welfare projects on green development, which were devised by themselves. In doing so, they transform from participants in green development into advocates and practitioners, enabling the seeds of China-Africa green development cooperation to take deep root and grow. The host will follow through on selected projects to further apply the outcomes of the dialogue, as a way of implementing the China-Africa Partnership Action for Green Development and promoting the well-being of Chinese and African peoples.
Young African participants remarked that Beijing’s green development practice sets a fine example and provides valuable inspiration for Africa. They looked forward to turning the public welfare projects into concrete actions to promote green development in China and Africa.
At the end of the event, Wang Yu, Huang Xiaowei, Xia Xuejie, and Hou Zhenxing presented commemorative certificates to Chinese and African youth representatives as a memento of the 5th China-Africa Future Leaders’ Dialogue - Exploring Green Beijing.
