On November 3rd, the 2024 Annual Conference of the Chinese Society of Asian and African Studies and the Academic Seminar on China Africa Joint Promotion of Modernization were held at Shanghai Normal University (SHNU). The conference was jointly hosted by the Chinese Society of Asian and African Studies and SHNU, and organized by the African Studies Center of Shanghai Normal University. The theme of this meeting is that China and Africa Work Together to Promote Modernization. Counsellor He Meng from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Li Xinfeng, President of the China Afr0-Asian Society and the first Executive Director of the China Africa Research Institute, Chen Heng, Vice President of SHNU as well as over 130 experts, scholars, and young students from more than 70 universities and research institutions, participated in the seminar.
Vice President Professor Chen Heng delivered a welcome speech on behalf of SHNU. He stated that the SHNU African Studies Center has made achievements in the fields of African economy, China Africa relations, Pan-African integration, African history, and African literary history. The SHNU African Research Center has won three major national philosophical and social projects. The SHNU values this great opportunity for exchange and learning. and looks forward to jointly contributing the power of think tanks to promote modernization in China and Africa.
The topic of the second expert forum is Exploration of African Modernization, History and Reality. A total of 17 experts and scholars made speeches and exchanges.
The third forum is the Youth Forum, where a total of 25 young students made speeches and exchanged ideas.
The African Studies Center of Shanghai Normal University was established in 1998 and is one of the earliest African research institutions in universities of China. In 2011, it was awarded the title of National and Regional Research (Cultivation) Base by the China Ministry of Education, and in 2014, it was selected for the China Africa Think Tank 10+10 Partnership Program by the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The center has not only made significant achievements in basic research, strategic research, and talent cultivation, but also actively engaged in academic exchanges. Since 2011, the center has held a total of 27 academic seminars. This seminar is the largest academic event held by the center in recent years.
