A Meeting of Minds

　　Representatives from renowned Chinese and African think tanks and research institutions, as well asgovernment officials, businesspeople and NGOs, gatheredin Beijing recently to present Sino-African researchachievements and launch the China-Africa Think Tanks10+10 Partnership Plan. Currently, this partnership plan hasselected eight institutions from both sides to participate.

　　When fully implemented the plan will include 10 Chinesethink tanks and 10 African think tanks for long-term pairedcooperation and exchanges.

　　The Third Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tank Forum(CATTF) and the Launching Ceremony of the Think Tanks10+10 Partnership Plan took place from October 21 to 22.

　　The event was co-hosted by Zhejiang Normal University(ZNU) and the Institute of West Asian and African Studies(IWAAS) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

　　China Development Bank supported the event, which wasthemed Upgrading Sino-African Relations and ConstructingChinese and African Soft Power.

　　“Neither China nor Africa can continue to grow withoutthe other,” said China State Councilor Yang Jiechi duringa speech at the forum. “Through this forum, we willstrengthen our partnership, and strengthen the bonds of ashared destiny. We will make the international order morebalanced and inclusive.”

　　This year’s forum followed gains made at the first meeting,held in 2011 in Zhejiang Province, and the second,held in 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

　　Chinese and African scholars shared their views with ChinAfrica on think tank exchanges and the futureprospects of China-Africa think-tank cooperation. Excerpts follow:

　　ChinAfrica: What role do you think this think tank forum and the partnership play inenhancing Sino-African relations?

　　Jo seph Onjala, Senior Research Fellow at theInstitute for Developmental Studies of theUniversity of Nairobi: The forum is especiallyimportant for developing key themes of researchdevelopment, and upgrading relations between Chinaand Africa. It’s an important platform for all involvedparties to get together and discuss the issues that weface together.

　　Fatima Harrak, President of the Council forthe Development of Social Science Researchin Africa: The forum provides a good opportunity forpeople to meet and see how we can work together.

　　That’s the best way of facing up to whatever stereotypesthat are coming up in the media. China shouldpay more attention to cultural relations with Africa, ascultural exchanges will build the basis of understanding.? Charles Onunaiju, Special correspondent &member of the editorial board of People’s Dailyin Nigeria: Think tanks are providing the intellectualframework to drive the policy of further cooperationbetween China and Africa. I think the forum is verytimely, as it’s going to add a lot of clarification on issuesconcerning our cooperation. Think tank exchanges notonly provide intellectual support, but they drive it.

　　Benard I. Odoh, Senior Lecturer of Geophysicsat Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Nigeria: I see thispartnership as much more - beyond academic research.If we want to have a more hospitable society, we need toencourage one another to have sustainable economicdevelopment, to make societies more stable. To do this, weneed to establish a bigger focus on infrastructure developmentof education in Africa.

　　Zhang Zhongxiang, Deputy Director of theCenter of African Studies at Shanghai NormalUniversity: The forum promotes Sino-African people-topeopleexchanges, which makes our cooperation in otherareas more sustainable. It also provides a good opportunityfor scholars to discuss problems in Sino-African cooperationand work together to find possible solutions. Africanscholars can also better understand China’s Africa policyduring the exchanges.

　　Sun Xiaomeng, Vice Dean of the School of Asianand African Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University:

　　Participants at this forum include scholars andresearchers from academic institutions, as well as Chinesegovernment officials. The forum works as an innovativemechanism to bring all parties in China related to Africanaffairs together to discuss [relevant issues].

　　What improvements need to be made to the think tank exchanges, so that it can betterplay its role?

　　Liu Hongwu, Director of ZNU’s Institute of AfricanStudies: Through the exchanges on governanceand development experiences, we can explore our own“Chinese way” and “African way” based on our independentdevelopment experiences and needs. We will discusshow we can innovate on our cooperative mechanisms topromote industrialization and increase employment opportunitiesand people’s income in Africa.

　　Wang Yizhou, Deputy Dean of Peking University’sSchool of International Studies: Comparedwith think tank dialogues between China and the UnitedStates, the European Union, Japan and Russia, China-Africathink tank exchanges are lagging behind the reality of theirbilateral ties. I hope the numbers of those [China-Africa]research institutions will increase and exchanges betweenthose think tanks will also increase and deepen in thefuture.

　　Zhang Zhongxiang: I hope the China-Africa ThinkTanks 10+10 Partnership Plan can complement and integratewith current joint research mechanisms. I also hopethe Partnership Plan can be expanded to include moreresearch institutes in the near future, as the saying goes,“when everybody adds fuel the flames rise high.”

　　Fatima Harrak: It will be very nice if the Chinese Governmentcan help us set up an institute of Chinese studies,which will help our students learn more about Chineseculture, language and history. If we can integrate some Chinesestudies within the university program, it will probablyspeed up the process.

　　Joseph Onjala: Many of the African countries thatare signed up to this framework maybe aren’t enjoyingequal benefits. This is especially true in trade. Most Africancountries import [a lot] from China, but export only naturalresources. We need to research opportunities available tothem, and understand how they can also benefit from thispartnership.

　　In what areas do you see potential for the think tanks to further improve cooperation, soas to better provide intellectual support for the development of China-Africa relations?

　　Ya ng Lihua, Research fellow at IWAAS of CASS :

　　The research of the think tanks can focus more attentionon the future development trend of China-Africa cooperation,while scholars involved in research projects related toAfrica should have the chance to visit Africa for themselves.In addition, I suggest topics discussed at the forum can bemore focused.

　　Liu Hongwu: ZNU’s Institute of African Studies ispartnered with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairsunder the China-Africa Think Tanks 10+10 Partnership Plan.We plan to carry out joint research in a wide range of areasincluding peace and security, infrastructure constructionand agricultural technology transfer. We are also consideringworking with Nigerian universities to establish institutesof Chinese studies.

　　Sun Xiaomeng: I hope our cooperation can beexpanded in basic disciplines in African studies such as anthropology,history, society, religion, language and literature.

　　If the Chinese Government can set up special funds to buildinstitutes of Chinese studies in Africa, they will help Africansbetter understand China.

　　Benson A. Bana, Head of the Department ofPolitical Science and Public Administration at theUniversity of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania: I believecommunication is what makes a relationship easier,and helps our people better understand each other.The Confucius Institute is only one channel. Weshould also send teachers to China to teach Swahili,a popular language in Africa. Exchanges of teachingstaff and students are also important.

　　Isaac Olawale Albert, Director of the Instituteof African Studies at the University ofIbadan in Nigeria: The criticism from the Westernmedia that China is colonizing Africa is not true.There should be more African scholars coming upto challenge that. I hope the Chinese Governmentcan provide more scholarships for young Africanresearchers to study in China to understand whatthese issues are.

　　Stephen Odebero, Senior Lecturer of Planning& Economics of Education at Kenya’sMasinde Muliro University of Science andTechnology : Education will be the driver of changeand cooperation between China and Africa. We needproper investment in research and innovation, and afocus on quality education. The quantity of educationalone will not help places like Kenya, but we alsoneed an infusion of ideas such as quality, equity andefficiency.

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