The China-Africa Building in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, is strengthening trade and investment links between African businesses and the Chinese market by providing a platform for product promotion, business networking and investment cooperation.
Zhu Sun, founder and CEO of the Sino-Africa Holding Group and president of the Yiwu China-Africa Chamber of Commerce, made the disclosure during a courtesy visit by journalists from 16 African countries.
The journalists visited the facility as part of activities marking the 2026 China-Africa Audiovisual Culture Exchange Week and to experience first-hand the role of the Sino-Africa Holding Group in promoting China-Africa trade.
Sun said the Zhejiang Sino-Africa Holding Group was a comprehensive enterprise deeply engaged in the African market, with its operations structured around four core sectors: Jinmin Electric, new energy vehicles, Sino-Africa Real Estate and Sino-Africa Investment.
He said the group had developed an industrial ecosystem covering different aspects of the African market, with businesses spanning electrical products, renewable energy, new energy vehicles, investment, logistics, real estate and supply chains.
According to Sun, the Sino-Africa Investment focuses on China-Africa investment cooperation, supporting businesses through equity investment and financing in areas including logistics, supply chains, import trade, payment systems, exhibitions and advertising.
He said the new energy vehicle division was working to facilitate the entry of China’s new energy vehicle industry into African markets through vehicle manufacturing and sales, ride-hailing platforms, electric motorcycles and other light mobility products.
The journalists also toured the China-Africa Building, which houses a range of Chinese and African businesses and serves as a platform for African enterprises seeking to display their products and access the Chinese market.
Mouhammadou Bassirou Puoye, Secretary of the Yiwu China-Africa Chamber of Commerce, described the facility as an important platform for African exporters seeking to promote and sell their products in China.
Puoye, who also operates businesses in Yiwu and Senegal, encouraged African entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in Yiwu, describing the city as a major centre of China-Africa trade. He welcomed China’s expanded zero-tariff treatment for African countries, saying the policy could create greater opportunities for African products to enter the Chinese market.
However, he stressed that African countries needed to strengthen their manufacturing capacity and improve product quality, packaging and compliance with Chinese standards to take full advantage of the policy. He advocated a strategy of manufacturing and adding value in Africa before exporting, saying this would create jobs, increase profits and strengthen African economies.
Puoye also said the African Continental Free Trade Area could help African businesses pool production and source products from across the continent for export to China.
He said the Yiwu China-Africa Chamber of Commerce provides support to African entrepreneurs seeking to establish businesses in China, including company registration, immigration assistance and market information.
The visit comes amid the growing role of Yiwu as a commercial bridge between Chinese businesses and African enterprises at a time of expanding China-Africa trade.
Yiwu-Africa trade reached US$14.3 billion in the first half of 2026, surging 42.65% year-on-year. Also, China-Africa trade reached a record $207 billion in the period under review, while Chinese imports from Africa stood at $29 billion between May and June, representing a 24 per cent year-on-year increase.
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