Next-gen leaders foster China-Africa ties

For Odjo Rachald, a 26-year-old entrepreneur from Benin and a recent graduate in international economics and trade from Central South University in Changsha, the forum was about more than policies — it was about friendships built through trade and people-to-people exchanges.

At the event, Rachald finally met several business partners he had previously only worked with online, including a longtime Chinese collaborator from Zhuzhou, Hunan, who had spent nearly a decade working in Benin.

"Meeting someone you've worked with online for years in person was very meaningful," he said. "Some of my Chinese clients have even become close friends, inviting me to their homes and supporting me through difficult times."

Drawing on his cross-cultural experiences, Rachald emphasized the importance of cultural understanding in building successful partnerships.

"For example, an African worker might want to celebrate all evening after receiving payment, while in China, that same moment is seen as the start of the next task," he explained. "Neither is wrong — they just reflect different cultures."

"Understanding those small differences and showing empathy may seem minor in business, but it's exactly where cooperation begins," he added.