The 2026 China-Africa Salon on Cooperation between Friendship Cities and Ports. [Photo/Yongpai App]

The 2026 China-Africa Salon on Cooperation between Friendship Cities and Ports was held on May 27 in Ningbo.

Jointly organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Ningbo municipal government, the event focused on deepening local-level cooperation between China and Africa.

The salon attracted more than 200 representatives from local governments, ports, businesses and academic institutions across 16 Chinese provinces and cities and 20 African countries.

Participants discussed smart governance for port cities, industrial and logistical integration, and the opportunities created by China's zero-tariff policies for African countries. The discussions highlighted the growing importance of local cooperation in advancing China-Africa relations.

During the event, the Ningbo Initiative on China-Africa Friendship Cities and Ports Cooperation was released. The initiative calls for stronger ties between Chinese and African port cities through enhanced logistics connectivity, industrial collaboration, investment cooperation, and green, low-carbon development.

Ningbo has continued expanding its cooperation with Africa in recent years. The city now has seven friendship cities in Africa, the highest number in Zhejiang province, while Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has become a key hub for China-Africa maritime cooperation.