Give Full Play to the Role of Think Tanks to Promote Friendly Cooperation between China and Africa—The General Preface to the Library of the China-Africa Institute

We are witnessing major changes unfolding in the world,changes unprecedented in a century.With the in-depth development of world multipolarization,economic globalization,social informatization and cultural diversity,peace,development,cooperation and mutual benefit have become the common aspirations of human society; and it is the common wish of people from all countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind.At the same time,humankind is faced with many common challenges,typified by fierce power politics among major countries,continuous regional conflicts,terrorism,development imbalance,climate change,rising unilateralism and protectionism.China,as the largest developing country in the world,is a builder,contributor and upholder of the cause of peace and development of mankind.The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held in October 2017 has led China to a new great journey of development.Guided by Chinese President Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,the Chinese people are making continued efforts to achieve the Two Centenary Goals of China and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,and to make new and greater contributions to mankind.Africa,the continent with the largest number of developing countries,is one of the important forces in safeguarding world peace and promoting global development.In recent years,Africa has made the admirable advances on the road of pursuing sustainable self-development and strength through unity,changing from a“hopeless continent”for the West to a“continent with a future full of hope,”and a“running lion.”African countries are actively exploring development paths that suit their own national conditions,and the African people are forging ahead to realize Agenda 2063 and the African dream of peace and prosperity.

China and Africa boast a deep-running friendship and have long formed a community with a shared future.China attaches great importance to the development of China-Africa relations.InMarch 2013,Xi Jinping visited Africa,also his first trip abroad as national leader.He also chose Africa for his first overseas visit in July 2018 after he was elected to a second term.Over the past six years,Xi has visited the African continent four times and arrived in eight African countries,including Tanzania,South Africa and Senegal,showing the world that China cherishes the traditional friendship with Africa and values highly the continent and China-Africa relations.In 2018,the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was successfully held.At this summit,Xi revealed the essential characteristics of China-Africa unity and cooperation,pointed out the direction of bilateral ties,and outlined the specific paths for the common development of China and Africa.He has greatly improved and innovated the theoreti cal framework and ideologi cal system of China's policy toward Africa,which has then become an important theoreti cal innovation of Xi Jinping thought on diplomacy of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era and provided a strong politi cal principle and guide for the development of China-Africa relations in the future.This summit marks another milestone in the history of China-Africa relations.

With the vigorous development of China-Africa cooperation,the international community has paid more attention to the bilateral ties.Out of concern over China's growing influence in Africa,Western countries have made up some ridiculous theories to willfully smear and defame China-Africa relations,such as“neo-colonialism”“resource contention”“debt trap”,which have disturbed the development of China-Africa relations to a certain extent.In this context,it is increasingly urgent and important for the academic community in China to strengthen its research on Africa and Africa-China relations,timely launch relevant research results,enhance discourse in international relations,demonstrate the fruits of the pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa,reflect the sound development of China-Africa relations objectively and actively,and let the world hear China's voice.

Directed by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has strived to build theoreti cal fronts ofMarxism,serve as a think tank for the decision-making of the Communist Party of China,make new and greater contributions to the construction of the discipline system,academic system and discourse system concerning the philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics,thus constantly enhancing the international influence of Chinese philosophy and social sciences.The Institute of West-Asian and African Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is a regional research institute established under the instructions of ChairmanMao Zedong.It has long been committed to studying African issues and China-Africa relations,with equal emphasis on basic research and applied research.It has also published a large number of academic monographs and papers,continuously expanding the influence both at home and abroad.The China-Africa Institute,established in April 2019 with the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies as the main body,is an important measure announced by Xi Jinping,also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China,at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to strengthen people-to-people exchanges between China and Africa.

In accordance with the spirit of Xi's letter to congratulate the inauguration of the China-Africa Institute,the institute aims to draw on both sides'academic resources,facilitate mutual learning between China and Africa,strengthen exchanges of experience on governance and development,provide good ideas and advice for China-Africa cooperation as well as the cooperation between the two sides and other parties,enhance understanding and friendship between the Chinese and the African people,provide intelligence and talents to support China and Africa in jointly promoting cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative,forging a future-oriented comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership and building an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future.The China-Africa Institute mainly performs four functions.For starters,it serves as an exchange platform that helps strengthen academic exchanges between China and Africa.It attempts to organize well such activities as Africa Lecture,China Lecture and Ambassador Lecture,and host the conference on dialogue of Chinese and African civilizations.Meanwhile,it will also put into better operation the China-Africa exchange systems and mechanisms of governance,sustainable development,and jointly building the Belt and Road.Secondly,it is a research base focusing on the joint construction of the Belt and Road.Specifi cally,it will conduct research on ChinaAfrica cooperation,follow up major and hot issues of common concern to China and Africa,and publish research subjects and results on a regular basis.Thirdly,it intends to give full play to the role as a talent highland and train high-end professionals.It will carry out academic qualification and degree education,implement the program of exchange visits between Chinese and African scholars,train young experts,support young scholars and cultivate high-end professionals.Meanwhile,it attempts to popularize the friendly stories between China and Africa as a window of communication.It intends to run well the official Wechat account of the China-Africa Institute as well as the official website in both Chinese and English,and publish the Journal of China-Africa Studies in multiple languages.

In order to implement the spirit of Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter,better gather the resources of Chinese and African academic think tanks,unite African scholars,improve the academic level and innovative ability of Chinese researchers on Africa,promote the integrated development of Africa-related disciplines,launch high-quality works and strengthen the construction of academic ethics,the China-Africa Institute,with a keen awareness of national realities and a global vision,has established a library oriented towards all Chinese researchers on Africa.The Library of the China-Africa Institute,adhering to a foundational principle to introduce high-quality works,has set up an editorial board composed of relevant government officials and experts and scholars,which will then select and publish research results on Africa and China-Africa relations.There are six series of books under the library.The academic series cover the systematic and thematic research results of a certain African discipline,such as the development issues and paths of Africa and China-Africa cooperation,aiming to promote the development of disciplines and give advice.The classic translation works are made up by the Chinese version of classic academic works concerning African issues composed by scholars from Africa and other regions.The series focus on revealing comprehensively the academic level and views of African scholars and how they think about their own development issues.The legal translation series mainly translate and publish major laws and regulations of African countries,varying from investment,mining,construction,environmental protection,labor,and tax,to customs,land,finance and arbitration,as well as the legal documents in Africa,regional and sub-regional organizations in the continent.The think tank report series mainly study China-Africa ties and also include ChinaAfrica cooperation in various fields,country-specific bilateral relations,China's interaction with other countries in Africa.It aims to reflect the current situation of China-Africa cooperation in an objective,accurate and detailed manner and give advice on the advance of China-Africa ties in the new era.The research paper series involve the innovative academic papers of Chinese experts and scholars on major African issues in politics,economy,security,social development,as well as the international relations of Africa in a context where the international society has witnessed changes and socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered the new era.The series feature multidisciplinary,fundamental,systemic and symbolic research results.The almanac series include a series of information documents,with columns such as Important Documents,Hot Topics,Features,Reviews,Introduction to New Books and Academic Journals,Academic Institutes and Trends,Data and Events of the Year,aiming to collect the new viewpoints,trends and results concerning African studies systemati cally on a yearly basis.

It is expected that China's studies on Africa and Africa's studies on China will usher in a new chapter at the new histori cal starting point of the establishment of the China-Africa Institute.The institute will gather domestic research forces,unite experts and scholars from African countries,make pioneering efforts to innovate and promote China's studies on Africa,Africa's studies on China and China-Africa relations research,better serving both sides in jointly building of the Belt and Road and facilitating the all-round and in-depth development of ChinaAfrica friendship and cooperation in the new era.

Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,Director of the China-Africa Institute

Cai Fang