China-South Africa human rights seminar held in Hangzhou

(ECNS) -- The 2026 China-South Africa Human Rights Seminar was held in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, on Thursday, bringing together officials and experts from China, South Africa and other countries to discuss human rights and development. 

Co-hosted by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development (CFHRD) and the Africa-China Studies Center at the University of Johannesburg, the seminar was themed “Common Modernization and Human Rights Development.”

Discussions focused on topics including China-Africa economic cooperation, shared development, the green transition and modern social governance, as well as their role in advancing human rights protection.

Zhou Shuchun, executive vice chairman of the CFHRD, said China and South Africa, both members of the Global South, should deepen practical cooperation and advance modernization to improve people’s well-being.

David Monyae, director of the Africa-China Studies Center at the University of Johannesburg, also called for stronger China-Africa cooperation in technology, the green transition and digital development, while encouraging Africa to play a greater role in technological innovation. 

Before the seminar, participants visited industrial parks, businesses and rural communities in Hangzhou and Jinhua to gain first-hand insights into local development.

(By Helen Mo & intern Liu Shuangjing)