At the invitation of the Center for Strategic Studies and Analysis, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Madagascar, a delegation of China-Africa Institute (CAI), led by CAI Vice President Zhou Yunfan, visited Madagascar from October 23 to 26, 2024 for academic exchanges. Members of the delegation included Zhang Xiaojing, Director of the Institute of Finance & Banking, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS); Zhu Weidong, Director of the Center for Studies on African Law of the CAI; and Dr. Meng Jin, Associate Research Fellow of the Division of Political Studiesof the CAI.
On October 24, the CAI delegation hosted the 21st China Lecture under the theme "Chinese Modernization and High-quality Development of the Belt and Road Cooperation between China and Africa" in the capital city Antananarivo. Stéphanie Delmotte, Minister of Digital Development, Posts and Telecommunications of the Republic of Madagascar, and other government officials attended the lecture. The lecture drew more than 80 experts and scholars from think tanks and universities of China and Madagascar. Zhang Xiaojing delivered a keynote speech titled "Chinese Modernization and its Implications for Developing Countries", and Zhu Weidong delivered a speech titled "The Legal Guarantee of High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation between China and Africa".
Zhang Xiaojing is delivering a speech
Zhu Weidong is delivering a speech
In his speech, Zhang Xiaojing outlined the development path of Chinese modernization, with focus on the achievements of Chinese modernization and the spirit of the 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Zhu Weidong introduced the current situation of legal guarantee for China-Africa cooperation, and highlighted the challenges in boosting China-Africa and China-Madagascar legal cooperation under the BRI. He addressed the need for strengthening legal guarantee for China-Africa collaboration. The speakers also had a communication with African scholars on topics such as China's development experience and China-Madagascar cooperation.
Participants at the 21st China Lecture
On October 25, the delegation held a round-table discussion with over 20 experts and scholars from universities and think tanks, including the President of the University of Antananarivo and the Director of the Confucius Institute at Toamasina University. The experts engaged in in-depth discussions on Chinese investment in Madagascar, the pathways to China-Madagascar high-quality cooperation under the BRI, and academic exchange and cooperation between China and Madagascar.
Minister Rafaravavitafika Rasata and Zhou Yunfan are having a meeting
Prior to the round-table discussion, Malagasy Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafaravavitafika Rasata, met with the CAI delegation members. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on academic exchange and cooperation was signed between the CAI and the Center for Strategic Studies and Analysis, in the witness of Minister Rafaravavitafika Rasata and China's Ambassador to Madagascar Ji Ping. Minister Rafaravavitafika Rasata pointed out that think tank cooperation between China and Madagascar is a crucial means of promoting governance exchanges and Belt and Road cooperation. She expressed the hope to deepen people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen friendship between the two peoples through academic cooperation. Zhou Yunfan, Vice President of the CAI said that think tanks are important platforms for advancing mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations, and the CAI is ready to work with the Center for Strategic Studies and Analysis to deepen academic exchange and cooperation, so as to contribute to China-Africa friendly cooperation.
MoU signing ceremony (From left to right: Ambassador Ji Ping, Zhou Yunfan, Coordinator of the Center for Strategic Studies and Analysis Andria Razakandrema, and Minister Rafaravavitafika Rasata).
The CAI delegation also visited the Chinese Embassy in Madagascar and conducted a field research on Chinese enterprises in Madagascar. Xinhua News Agency and Malagasy mainstream news outlets covered the story.