Reference News Network, January 20 report: The Hong Kong South China Morning Post website published an article titled "How China is Increasing its 'Soft Power' Charm Offensive to Strengthen Cultural Ties and Deepen Influence" on January 18. The following is a compilation of the report:

China is conducting numerous activities in Africa, including study tours and AI competitions. Experts describe this as part of a "soft power" charm offensive aimed at deepening China's influence on the continent.

Beijing has moved away from its past focus on infrastructure and high-level financing, deepening cooperation through the 2026 "China-Africa People-to-People Exchange Year" — an initiative focused on culture and public diplomacy.

During his visit to Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi launched this project at the African Union headquarters, indicating that Sino-African exchanges are moving from traditional intergovernmental diplomacy toward more closely integrated people-to-people interactions.

China plans to hold nearly 600 events throughout the year, covering five areas: youth, culture, livelihood, idea exchange, and talent development.

Wang Yi told the media that holding the exchange year aims to continue the relay race of Sino-African generations of friendship, making the people of China and Africa closer, expanding Sino-African cooperation, and deepening Sino-African friendship.

Wang Yi said that the exchange year is a showcase of the achievements of Sino-African cooperation, and the exchange activities will allow African people to have more sense of gain and deeper sense of identity with Sino-African friendship.

The exchange activities include visits by young leaders of African political parties to China for inspection, AI competitions, film festivals, etc.

China has strengthened cultural cooperation with multiple African countries by holding Chinese film weeks and tourism promotion activities across Africa, and also invited African actors to perform in China to deepen mutual cultural understanding.

Sino-African civilian exchanges are supported by practical projects, such as the medical aid team project, which provides free medical services to people in rural and underdeveloped areas of Africa.

China also funds the installation of satellite TV receivers in about 10,000 villages in Africa, accumulating goodwill by allowing local residents to watch digital TV and Chinese programs.

Cameron Hudson, senior researcher at the Africa Program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, pointed out that China is well aware of the diplomatic value of symbolic activities.

Hudson said that through the foreign minister's visit and various exchange activities, "China has shown the strength of continuity and stability in the relationship between China and Africa."

To strengthen these efforts, Beijing now focuses on "soft" infrastructure construction, building large cultural landmarks across Africa as symbols of lasting influence.

Examples include the Central African Cultural and Arts Center, which was completed at the end of 2024 in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the largest cultural facilities in the region, and the Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark Museum in Tanzania, which was put into use last year. These venues, along with facilities such as the Dar es Salaam University Library in Tanzania, provide physical platforms for the exchange activities in 2026.

Zhou Yuyuan, director of the Africa Research Center at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies and vice director of the Institute of Diplomatic Policy, said that these exchanges reflect the maturing of the Sino-African partnership.

"The deepening of Sino-African cooperation highlights the importance of exchanging and learning from each other, sharing modernization paths, and development experiences," he added. Such interactions help both sides understand each other's needs and concerns more deeply.

Zhou Yuyuan believes that although intergovernmental cooperation and economic ties are thriving, civil exchanges and mutual understanding remain relatively weak, which inevitably leads to misunderstandings and affects Sino-African cooperation.

David Schen, former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, offered another perspective.

He said that China organizes these activities to achieve greater results with fewer resources.

"China is focusing on soft power activities that do not require huge investments. These activities bring good publicity for China," Schen said. (Translated by Guo Jun)

On November 11, 2025, people visited the Chinese company booth at the 2025 Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa. (Xinhua)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7597324880693969471/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.