THE Second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo opened Sunday, unleashing new potential for cooperation between China and Africa.

The four-day event, held both online and offline, and themed “New Start, New Opportunities, and New Accomplishments,” has attracted nearly 900 enterprises from about 40 African countries and China, according to the organizers.

The expo in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, features exhibitions on the fruits of China-Africa economic cooperation, African brand commodities and specialty products such as coffee and nuts. The event also includes forums on cooperation in areas such as food and agricultural products, the health-care industry, financing, infrastructure and the private sector.

The expo has a total exhibition area of 94,000 square meters this year, with Algeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Senegal the guest countries of honor.

“China-Africa economic and trade cooperation is at a critical period of transformation, upgrading, and improving quality and efficiency,” said Wang Bingnan, China’s vice minister of commerce.

First launched in 2019, the expo is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries. Among the new measures to promote two-way trade, the expo this year included new special events to promote African products. (Xinhua)