Xi Jinping attends the completion ceremony of China-Congo Friendship Hospital (WANG YE)

Setting the tone

Experts say Xi's first outbound visit has set the tone for China's diplomatic relations during his term. To He Wenping, Director of African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Institute of West Asian and African Studies, Xi's visit to the three African nations shows China's intent to continue its African policy, Sino-African friendship and the importance China attaches to Africa. "China always stresses its relations with developing countries, especially African countries," she said.

While delivering a speech at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center, Xi summed up the defining features of China-Africa relations: sincerity, friendship, mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development.

"China has done its best to advance Africa's development. Yet China is always grateful to African countries and peoples for the firm support and selfless help they have given to China over the years," the president said.

Thanks to sound Sino-African relations in the past, bilateral cooperation between China and the continent has produced notable results. In 2012, two-way trade approached $200 billion. China's accumulated direct investment to Africa was over $15 billion at the end of last year. In 2009, China surpassed the United States to become Africa's largest trade partner.

"Against this background, it is necessary for the leaders of both China and African countries to care more about Sino-African cooperation so as to steer it in the right direction," Xu Wei, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Development at the State Council's Development Research Center, told Xinhua News Agency.

More cultural exchanges

Of course, close bilateral interactions should not be limited to the business sector. According to He Wenping, people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges will also be the key parts of the development of Sino-African relations in coming years. "We cannot always only talk about business when we meet. We should also have personnel, social and cultural exchanges and communicate ideas," she said.

"Though different countries have different cultures, humanity has much in common. That's why the TV series A Beautiful Daughter-in-Law Era is so popular in Tanzania, even though it portrays a very typical Chinese family," said Hai Qing, the actress who plays Mao Doudou, the show's main character. "Recognition of humanity is the base of cultural exchanges between China and African countries."

When the TV series premiered in Tanzania in November 2011, Hai was so popular in Tanzania that she was recognized by some Tanzanian women when she attended the World Congress of Rural Women in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2012.

A Beautiful Daughter-in-Law Era is the first Chinese TV series broadcast in Africa; but more will follow. China Radio International (CRI) has plans to translate and dub 10 Chinese TV series and 52 films into six African languages by the end of this year. In coming years, popular Chinese TV series such as Love Stories in Beijing, The Happy Life of Jin Liang and A Legend of a Doctor are expected to air in Africa.

"We can see from the speeches President Xi delivered in African countries that Sino-African cooperation will shift from being business and resource-oriented to all-round cooperation, including social and cultural exchanges," said Zhu Feng, a professor at Peking University's School of International Studies, in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.