On the morning of October 24, the 3rd China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation and Development Shaoxing Summit with the theme of "Joining Hands to Develop Vietnam and Africa Forward Together" opened. Representatives of 24 African countries and organizations gathered in Shaoxing to discuss plans for cooperation and development.

The summit pointed out that the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Development Summit has been held for three consecutive years and has become an important window and the best platform for Shaoxing to expand its opening up to Africa and strengthen cooperation with Africa. In recent years, Shaoxing’s economic and trade cooperation with Africa has become increasingly close, exports to Africa have maintained continuous growth, and the scale of two-way investment has continued to expand. Africa has become an important market for Shaoxing’s foreign trade and a priority for enterprises to “go out”. Shaoxing will build a platform with greater efforts, continue to deepen high-level dialogue, economic and trade interaction, and cultural exchanges, and promote cooperation with Africa to a broader and deeper level, and make Shaoxing the first choice for China-Africa investment and trade cooperation, tourism and cultural exchanges. To make greater contributions to building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

The summit stated that Shaoxing has a solid economic foundation, profound cultural heritage, and a high level of opening up. Over the past five years, Shaoxing's import and export trade with Africa has grown at an average annual rate of about 15%. Two-way investment has developed rapidly. 28 African companies have invested in Shaoxing, and Shaoxing’s investment in Africa has covered 21 African countries. It is hoped that Shaoxing will seize the opportunity of the “Belt and Road” construction, take the construction of the international and domestic “dual cycle” structure as the starting point, continue to innovate forms, expand fields, and promote economic and trade cooperation with African countries to a new level.

The African side said that in the past 20 years, China-Africa trade volume has increased by 20 times, and China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years. The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Zone will bring more opportunities and convenience to investment from all countries. The industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization of African countries are unleashing huge market demands. We hope to find more connections with Shaoxing and achieve more cooperation results in the fields of economy, trade, health, education, culture, and tourism.

At the opening ceremony, the establishment and unveiling ceremony of the "China-Africa Yangtze River Delta Research Institute" was held. Shaoxing City Council for the Promotion of International Trade and Uganda Embassy in China, Shaoxing College of Arts and Sciences and Peking University New Structural Economics Institute, Shaoxing City Open Economic Service Alliance and cooperative units Cooperation agreements were signed respectively, and the Institute of New Structural Economics of Peking University released the report "Policy Research on Strengthening Capacity Cooperation between Shaoxing and Africa". After the opening ceremony, a keynote speech was also held.

During the summit, activities such as the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum, China-Africa entrepreneurs’ docking, and economic, trade and cultural inspections were also held.