China–Africa human rights cooperation marks a major milestone

A symposium on China–Africa human rights cooperation, alongside the launch of a new think tank network, was held in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday.

The event, themed "Implementing the Four Global Initiatives and Deepening China-Africa Human Rights Cooperation", marked the inauguration of both the China-Africa Human Rights Studies Think Tank Cooperation Network and the China-Africa Human Rights Studies Center at Zhejiang Normal University's Institute of African Studies.

Shen Yongxiang, vice-president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said the new network would play an important role in advancing research on emerging human rights issues within the broader context of global development and security. He said he hoped the platform would deliver forward-looking, practical, and constructive findings, while amplifying the voices of China and African countries in global human rights discussions.

Founded in 2007 as China's first university-based institute dedicated to African studies, the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University has forged partnerships with more than 100 higher education institutions in over 30 African countries. Over the past 18 years, it has focused on modern African development and China–Africa relations, guided by the goal of "serving national needs and achieving world-class standards".

Liu Hongwu, the institute's director, said China–Africa cooperation on human rights seeks to shape concepts that reflect the realities and priorities of the Global South. High-quality collaboration, he added, could support modernization efforts on both sides and offer practical insights for global human rights governance.