On August 11, the Forum on China-Africa Cross-Border E-Commerce 2023 took place in Jinhua, Zhejiang. This event was organized by Zhejiang Normal University (ZJNU) and the Jinhua Municipal People’s Government, with support from the Jinhua Municipal Bureau of Commerce, ZJNU School of Economics and Management (China-Africa International Business School), and Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College. The forum aimed to promote the “Digital Silk Road,” enhance China-Africa e-commerce talks and cooperation, and explore the “Zhejiang Plan” in this setting. Leading experts from government, business, think tanks, and academia were brought together to discuss China-Africa cross-border e-commerce expansion, digital economic trends, and nurturing talent. The forum took place both online and offline, with live streams available in Chinese and English languages, attracting a total of 5.12 million viewers worldwide.

Zhang Genfu hosted the opening ceremony. Liu Zhenying, leader of the Chinese Skills Development Team of the BRICS Business Council, president of the Belt and Road and BRICS Skills Development International Alliance, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Organizing Committee of the BRICS Skills Development and Technological Innovation Competition, and Jiang Yunliang, president of ZJNU, delivered speeches.

During the opening speeches, experts from various fields provided special presentations on topics such as the African Free Trade Area Agreement, the growth of digital trade between China and Africa, the intersection of computer art and cross-border e-commerce in the China-Africa context, and entrepreneurship in e-commerce between China and Africa. The speakers included Liu Ping, former director of Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate at the World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretariat; Nie Linhai, chairman of the China E-Commerce Business Association Alliance and former deputy director of the Department of E-Commerce of the Ministry of Commerce; Zhong Zeyu, vice president and secretary general of China Association for Trade in Services; Zhang Weizhi, chairman of the World Electronic Ports and Logistics Organization (WEPO); and Ehizuelen Michael M.O., executive director of the Center for Nigerian Studies at the Institute of African Studies ZJNU.

During the forum, recognition was given to the teams and organizations that achieved success in the national finals of the Second Cross Border E-Commerce Skills and Data Analysis competition (teacher group, undergraduate group) within the 2023 Belt and Road and BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition. A total of 5,815 teams from 523 colleges and universities across the country participated in this competition, making it a significant part of the Belt and Road and BRICS Skills Development and Technological Innovation Competition. (By Chen Ye)