Arts and culture bolster Sino-African relations

Arts and culture are emerging as important avenues for strengthening people-to-people ties between China and Africa, while also creating opportunities to promote African products and expand trade.

Rosie Wigmore, a DJ and project manager of Africa Reimagined, a flagship program of Development Reimagined, an international development consultancy, said cultural exchanges through fashion, music and other creative industries could help reshape perceptions of Africa and promote stronger economic ties with China.

Wigmore said her experience in trade and international development has been accompanied by a long-standing interest in African music, dance and fashion.

Through Africa Reimagined, she has focused on promoting African brands seeking to enter the Chinese market and promoting higher-value African exports. The initiative has showcased African products in areas, including fashion, skin care and processed agricultural goods.

Fashion, in particular, offers an effective platform for changing perceptions of Africa, Wigmore said, noting that many African brands are producing contemporary designs that go beyond traditional prints and fabrics.

During last year's Shanghai Fashion Week, Africa Reimagined showcased 22 African fashion brands from 12 countries.

The brands displayed their products and sought to connect with buyers, retailers and potential business partners. Wigmore said the initiative generated about 1 million media impressions.

Such initiatives can deepen cultural understanding while strengthening business links and helping African countries expand exports of value-added products to China, she said.

"African fashion is a really incredible way to change perceptions of what Africa is all about," Wigmore said, adding that many African brands now produce contemporary and minimalist designs.

The sector can also support efforts to develop textile industries, attract investment and increase exports of value-added products, she said.

Kutlwano Molefe, a South African dancer and choreographer, said dance and music can serve as platforms for cultural exchange and education.

Molefe moved to China in 2019 and began teaching Amapiano, a South African music genre with strong links to dance culture, through workshops. He has since held workshops in more than 16 Chinese cities.

He said his work goes beyond teaching dance movements, focusing also on the history and cultural stories behind African dance.

New opportunities

The growing popularity of African music and dance in China has created new opportunities for African artists, Molefe said, with performers increasingly invited to collaborate with Chinese organizations and participate in events beyond traditional cultural spaces.

However, he stressed that greater popularity should be accompanied by deeper cultural understanding and respect.

Wigmore said her experience living in Chengdu, Sichuan province, where she observed growing interaction among African, Chinese and other communities through Afro music and dance, demonstrated the potential of cultural exchanges to generate greater interest in Africa.

The designation of 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and African countries, provides a broader framework for using arts, culture and creative collaboration to deepen mutual understanding and trust beyond traditional areas of trade and politics.

Recent cultural initiatives have included an exhibition on China-Africa cultural exchange and mutual learning in fine arts, which opened at the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi on Sept 22, featuring more than 60 works by Chinese and Kenyan artists.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, an exhibition on Silk Road painting and calligraphy opened on June 1, bringing together Chinese and South African participants for cultural and artistic exchanges.