Spokeswoman on implementing FOCAC outcomes

China is ready to work with African member countries to implement the outcomes of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and better benefit the Chinese and African people, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday.

The three-day 2024 FOCAC Summit concluded in Beijing on Friday with significant achievements. While reaching a clear political consensus on enhancing all-round cooperation, China and African countries drafted a blueprint for future cooperation, and China also proposed ten partnership action plans with Africa to advance modernization in the next three years, sending a powerful message of joint development.

FOCAC was born at the turn of the century, becoming the first platform for institutional dialogue established by China and developing countries, and the first mechanism for multilateral cooperation between China and a whole continent. Over the past 24 years since its inception, FOCAC has held four summits, nine ministerial meetings and 17 senior officials meetings. It has become an important platform for collective dialog between China and African countries, an effective mechanism for deepening practical cooperation and a pacesetter of South-South cooperation, Mao said.

"Since the inception of FOCAC, China-Africa relations have leapfrogged from 'a new type of partnership' to 'a new type of strategic partnership' to 'a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership' and to 'an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era,' demonstrating growing strategic significance. China's trade volume with Africa and investment stock in Africa increased by over 20 times and 100 times respectively. Belt and Road cooperation produced fruitful outcomes. The ten cooperation plans put forward at the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit, the eight major initiatives identified at the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, and the nine programs proposed at the 2021 FOCAC Ministerial Conference in Dakar were implemented smoothly. At this year's FOCAC Summit, the ten partnership actions were proposed, bringing China-Africa practical cooperation to a new level," said Mao.

"There have been a rich variety of cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Africa, which deepened mutual understanding between the Chinese and African people, and enhanced the traditional friendship. China has set up multiple cultural centers in Africa, established over 60 Confucius Institutes, and sent medical teams to over 40 African countries, who treated close to 300 million African patients. The two sides have witnessed inspiring stories of friendship in the new era," she said.

"At the new historical starting point, China will continue upholding the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests. We will continue working with African members of FOCAC to implement the outcomes of the Summit and better benefit the people of both sides," Mao said.

Spokeswoman on implementing FOCAC outcomes

The rising popularity of Guochao, also known as the trend of "China-chic", has contributed to a consumption boom and more diversified consumption scenarios ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

China-chic refers to fashion trends native to China, which incorporates unique native cultural elements into the latest trends.

For this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the brand-new event "The Empress's Mid-Autumn Feast" at the Mingtang Tiantang Scenic Area in the National Archaeological Site Park of Sui-Tang Luoyang City in central China's Henan Province has attracted many visitors.

Through interactive experiences such as the performance of court music and dance, and the Empress Wu Zetian bestowing incense, it recreated the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) palace, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the holiday.

The "Hanfu craze" in Luoyang City has led to an increase in the number of tourists visiting scenic spots and has extended the overall economic chain. This trend has boosted the popularity of services such as Hanfu rental, makeup and styling, and professional photography, making them widely popular.

In Luoyang's Luanchuan County, activities such as the "Fairy Palace Moon Viewing Party" at the peak of the Laojun Mountain, which stands over 2,000 meters above sea level, have driven a surge in business for the Hanfu stores at the mountain's summit, leading to a peak in consumer activity.

"This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is witnessing an increase of over 50 percent in Hanfu rentals and sales, as well as travel photography services, compared with the same period last year. With such beautiful scenery as a backdrop, the demand for traditional China-chic consumption remains strong," said Jin Ge, owner of a Hanfu store atop the Laojun Mountain.

Driven by the rise of China-chic, creative cultural products are continuously updated with new offerings.

At a glazed glass workshop in Zibo City, east China's Shandong, skilled workers were busy crafting creative glassworks featuring lively jade rabbits, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

As soon as the products hit the market, they quickly became popular both online and offline.

"While inheriting tradition, we've been exploring something new, developing creative products that better meet current market demands, thus winning the favor of a wide range of consumers," said Liu Jianhua, deputy general manager of Xiye Workshop.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions in China. It falls on September 17 this year.

China-chic boom fuels consumption for Mid-Autumn Festival