Boosting cooperation

She says the event can be inspiring. For example, in 2019, the youth festival took them to visit some enterprises, including a solar-system manufacturing company.

"That's what I thought we need to look into in South Africa as we face an energy crisis. We really need solar energy systems or alternatives to electricity," she says.

Losi runs her own business in designing water sanitation products, hoping to improve basic infrastructure in rural areas in her country.

"We visited a 'vitalized village' in Shandong where I saw infrastructure projects that have been done in rural areas in China," she says, adding that she will look to incorporate some ideas in villages in her country, as well as doing business with Chinese people.

Francis George Woodcock from the Seychelles, 27, is familiar with China, as he finished his undergraduate program from Dalian University of Technology in Liaoning province where he learned Chinese and economics.

Once a foreign student in China, he stresses the importance of international cultural exchanges.

"Before building a relationship with someone, it's important to understand their culture so that you can have a good start."

He says cultural activities at the youth festival should be held annually with different attendees each time, providing opportunities for a larger group of African people to come and get to know more about China.

Recalling his early days in China, he says he was quite shy and didn't know how to communicate with Chinese people.