From January 6 to 12, 2026, at the invitation of the African Union Commission and the Egypt-China Friendship Association, Lu Xiangdong, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), led a delegation to Ethiopia and Egypt.

During his visit to Ethiopia, Vice President Lu Xiangdong attended the launching ceremony of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the African Union headquarters. He met separately with Hajer Gueldich, Legal Counsel of the African Union Commission, and Biruk Kedir, President of the Ethiopian Federal Technical and Vocational Training Institute, to exchange views on further deepening China-Africa and China-Ethiopia people-to-people exchanges. He also visited the Ethiopian Luban Workshop and Huajian Group, a vice-president member organization of the China Africa Friendship Association, to learn more about the outcomes of practical cooperation between the two countries in vocational education and technology-enabled development.

At the meetings, Vice President Lu Xiangdong spoke positively of China-Africa relations and commended the African side for its contribution to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. He briefed them on the CPAFFC's work over the past seven decades in promoting China-Africa people-to-people exchanges, practical cooperation, cultural exchanges and youth friendship, particularly its efforts as the lead organization for the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Vice President Lu Xiangdong said that holding the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries reflects an important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and African leaders at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The CPAFFC stands ready to use the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to better play its role as a bridge and work with the African Union and African countries, including Ethiopia, to promote exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations and bring the two peoples closer together.

Hajer Gueldich spoke highly of the achievements of Africa-China mutually beneficial cooperation and thanked China for its consistent support for Africa and the African Union. He praised China's major achievements in scientific and technological innovation and expressed the hope of further learning from China's successful development experience. He also commended the CPAFFC for its active contribution to promoting Africa-China people-to-people exchanges and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. He said the African side stands ready to work with China to ensure the success of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and further strengthen the public support for Africa-China friendship.

Biruk Kedir reviewed the history of Ethiopia-China cooperation in vocational education and thanked China for its long-standing, selfless support for Ethiopia's education development and talent training. He recognized the important role of the Luban Workshop in promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation with China, actively participate in activities under the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and jointly train more high-caliber vocational and technical professionals, as well as practitioners and inheritors of Africa-China friendship.

During his visit to Egypt, Vice President Lu Xiangdong held a group meeting in Alexandria with friendly figures including Yousry El-Gamal, former Egyptian Minister of Education and board member of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport; Enas, Professor at the Faculty of Arts of Alexandria University; and Hoda El-Saati, Vice President of the Alexandria Journalists Association and senior journalist with Al-Shorouk. In Cairo, he held discussions with Aly Houssam Eldin Elhefny Mahmoud, former Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister and Vice President of the Egypt-China Friendship Association, as well as representatives of the association from the cultural, educational, financial, industrial and commercial sectors. He also met with Yahia El-Adgham, Secretary-General of Cairo Governorate. Vice President Lu Xiangdong also exchanged views with Ali Yousif Ahmed, former Sudanese Foreign Minister and Secretary-General of the Arab-Chinese Friendship Societies' League, on further strengthening China-Arab people-to-people friendship exchanges. Yang Yi, Consul General of China in Alexandria, attended relevant activities.

Vice President Lu Xiangdong briefed the Egyptian side on President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to the launching ceremony of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and spoke positively of the achievements in China-Egypt relations. He noted that Egypt was the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and that the two countries enjoy a deep traditional friendship. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, bilateral relations have flourished and are now at their best in history. The CPAFFC stands ready to work with friends from all sectors in Egypt, taking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, further promote exchanges of ideas, youth exchanges and subnational cooperation, and help deepen and substantiate the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Egyptian side spoke highly of President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter, saying that it reflects President Xi Jinping's great importance to strengthening mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations and is deeply encouraging. The Egyptian side said that Egypt and China, both countries of the Global South, share the mission of common development. Egypt admires China's remarkable achievements in economic and social development and looks forward to deepening practical cooperation with China in various fields to jointly address risks and challenges. The Egyptian side cherishes its profound friendship with China, firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and stands ready to take the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to carry out diverse and dynamic people-to-people friendship exchanges in various fields, bringing new vitality to the traditional friendship.