How China is stepping up Africa charm offensive to boost cultural ties, deepen influence

China is rolling out hundreds of activities across Africa, including study trips and AI competitions, as part of what experts have described as a “soft power” charm offensive designed to deepen its influence across the continent.In moving beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure and high-level finance, Beijing is expanding its engagement through the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges – an initiative dedicated to cultural and social diplomacy.Announced by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the African Union headquarters during his trip to the continent this month, the initiative signals a shift from traditional state-to-state diplomacy towards a more networked and grass-roots approach.Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with the chairman of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, at the union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 8. Photo: via ReutersBeijing plans to undertake nearly 600 activities throughout the year across five pillars: youth innovation, cultural festivals, livelihood projects, intellectual exchange and talent development. These efforts aim to forge direct social and cultural links between the 2.8 billion citizens of China and Africa, according to Wang.The initiative aimed to “continue the relay race of China-Africa friendship for generations to come” and bring the two peoples closer together, Wang said on January 8 in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, the first stop on the top Chinese diplomat’s annual new year visit to Africa.He described the initiative as “a showcase of the achievements of China-Africa cooperation”, promising that the activities would ensure African people felt a “greater sense of gain and a deeper sense of identity with China-Africa friendship”.In a congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping expressed hope that China and Africa would strengthen their friendship, share governance experiences and jointly advance modernisation.The programme includes study trips for young African leaders, artificial intelligence (AI) competitions and film festivals.