Aligned with the theme of the 2024 FOCAC summit, which takes place from Sept. 4 to 6, the Eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs (hereinafter referred to as "the conference") was held on Sept. 6 in Beijing.
The occasion highlights two topics: the promotion of the integration of industrial and supply chains and the promotion of the development of emerging industries. As it attracts nearly 1,000 participants from the African continent, the conference plays a significant role in elevating trade relations between China and Africa to a new level.
"We have a strong connection with Chinese nationals, connecting them through China and Africa, and to the rest of the world for the past 51 years," Aman Wole Gurmu, Country Director China, Ethiopian Airlines, shared with GDToday the exciting success story of Ethiopian Airlines in China.
"In Guangzhou, we have been operating for the past 26 years now. We have ten scheduled passenger flights every week," Aman spoke of the strategic partnership the company built with South China's Guangzhou. "And we also have additional cargo flights that we apply cargo to Africa and Europe on a daily basis."
As data shows, in 2023, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport was the world's twelfth-busiest airport by passenger traffic, handling 63.1 million passengers, and the busiest in China. As for cargo traffic, the airport registered as China's second-busiest and the world's eleventh-busiest.
According to the 2024 FOCAC summit agenda so far, he noted, China seeks to provide significant support for logistics industries in African nations.
"So, we expect huge cooperation and significant growth in our traffic and cargo uplifts out of Guangzhou, connecting and helping traders of the Chinese." Aman stated that the flights they operate from Guangzhou, China's major gateway to the world, would enable more local goods from China to access the rest of the world, specifically Africa and South America.
Reporter | Jersey, Lydia, Wu Binbin (Nanfang Daily)
Editor | Steven, Monica, James
Video | Ou Nanying
