China Africa Talk

The Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has concluded in Beijing, adopting a decision on advancing full and rigorous Party self-governance, with a focus on Party building, discipline and the fight against corruption. So, what does China’s experience in governance and development look like through an African lens?

In this episode, we speak with Tanzanian writer and journalist Erard Mporoto, who has read more than 70 books about China and written about the Chinese Dream. Recorded ahead of the Plenary Session, our conversation explores what African countries can learn from China’s development experience, why it is important to build knowledge rooted in local history and culture, and how China-Africa cooperation can create new opportunities for both sides.

Africa is the "now frontier," says Botswanan President Duma Boko, and businesses can "do well while doing good." Speaking at an investment and trade forum during his state visit to China, Boko explores opportunities to deepen cooperation in trade, technology and industrial development. In this episode, he shares his vision for a partnership that supports Botswana's economic diversification and connects Chinese businesses with opportunities across Africa.

As President Duma Boko makes his first state visit to China, Botswana is seeking closer partnerships in trade, industrial development and technology. In this episode, investment official Dipopego Tsheko and AI entrepreneur Kago Rendoh discuss opportunities in manufacturing, renewable energy, and the digital economy, and how cooperation with China can support Botswana's economic diversification and serve the wider southern African market.

Together Forward returns for its second season, marking 70 years of China-Africa diplomatic relations and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. We bring you highlights from an in-person event where audiences from China and Africa came together to hear the stories behind the series and discuss the connections shaping our shared future.

Africa is accelerating its drive for industrialization. China, with its manufacturing expertise, technology, and investment is playing an increasingly important role in that process. Cooperation is expanding across renewable energy, local manufacturing, and industrial value chains. We visit a production site and speak with the people working to strengthen industrial value chains in Africa through local sourcing, skills development, and job creation.

Fifty years after Guangxi sent its first medical team to Niger, Chinese doctors continue to work alongside African colleagues. More health workers are also coming to China for specialist training. Through their experiences in Niger, the Comoros, and Guangxi, we look at how that exchange is helping strengthen local medical care.

Named after Lu Ban, an ancient Chinese craftsman and inventor, Luban Workshops offer hands-on training to young people in Africa. In Ethiopia, students learn to program industrial robots and prepare for work in automation. In Mali, trainees explore traditional Chinese medicine and its connections with African healing practices. We meet the students and teachers putting new skills to work and explore how that training could support local development.

European clubs spent heavily in the summer transfer window, with African players featuring in some of its most closely watched moves. We discuss which signings could make an impact, how price tags shape expectations, and why direct transfers from African clubs to Europe remain important for the continent's football.

Nairobi is set to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, the event's first edition in Africa. We discuss the excitement among athletes, the preparations ahead, the potential benefits for local businesses, and how organizers can make the championships accessible to local fans.

Africa is home to an extraordinary range of cultures and traditions, but how much do we really know about them beyond familiar stereotypes? In this episode, voices from Kenya, South Africa, the Central African Republic and China come together for a lively conversation about culture and everyday life. They share personal stories, challenge assumptions, and discover some unexpected similarities along the way.