China's inclusive initiatives bear fruits in Africa, Ethiopian scholars say

ADDIS ABABA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China's commitment to promoting its inclusive initiatives and cultural diplomacy across Africa is bearing fruits, Ethiopian scholars have said.

On Tuesday, a seminar named "China in Springtime: Sharing Opportunities with the World Global Dialogue" was launched in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Scholars exchanged ideas on China's promotion of inclusivity and cultural diplomacy, with a particular focus on investments in education and human resource development across the African continent.

"China's growing cooperation with African countries through promoting soft power initiatives including cultural exchanges is gaining momentum with the people of Africa, not by force but by attraction," said Balew Demissie, a researcher at the Ethiopian Policy Studies Institute and an associate professor with the Addis Ababa University.

The researcher said that China's strategic partnership with Africa is gaining impetus, bringing prosperity to both sides, creating a fairer world and shaping the global governance system.

Noting that China offers education, language and culture-related training as well as long-term scholarships for people in many African countries, Demissie said China's soft power policy is winning increasing recognition in Africa, making it a key player in promoting common humanity and shared future.

China's cultural diplomacy via its Confucius Institutes and Luban Workshops, which are established in partnerships with higher learning institutions in different countries, is building the capacity of African youth through vocational and other forms of training programs, according to Demissie.

China employs more cultural diplomacy to deepen its strategic economic, political and diplomatic relations with Africa, and these initiatives have won the acceptance of many African countries, said Melaku Mulualem, a senior international relations and diplomacy researcher at Ethiopia's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

"China is deepening its multilateral, bilateral and regional economic cooperation with Africa based on a win-win approach," said Mulualem, noting that its economic growth has helped many African countries register better economic and social development.

Noting that China's path of modernization is a viable alternative for Africa's development, Mulualem said China's commitment to boosting economic and diplomatic relations with Africa through developing infrastructure and promoting cultural diplomacy is "praiseworthy."

Fekadu Tsega, director general of the Ethiopian Policy Studies Institute, said that China-Africa cooperation in technical and vocational education can equip Africa's youth with skills for modern industries, while academic exchanges and scholarships promote cross-cultural learning.

"Strengthening China-Africa cooperation through multilateralism is essential for a fairer world order," Tsega said, adding that digital economy and technology cooperation between the two sides can accelerate Africa's transformation through China's expertise in 5G, e-commerce, financial technology, AI and automation.