Online Reporter
Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
CHINA-AFRICA Art and Cultural Exchange Exhibition opened at the Picasso Art Museum in Shanghai on March 8, drawing a distinguished audience and signalling a renewed emphasis on artistic dialogue between China and Africa.
Launched against the backdrop of President Xi Jinping designating 2026 as the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, the exhibition is co-hosted by the China Zimbabwe Exchange Centre (China Centre), the Sino Africa Hub, and the Picasso Art Museum.
Centred on the theme “Picasso and Africa,” the exhibition brings together Picasso’s works alongside Zimbabwean stone sculptures and paintings.
By tracing the cross-cultural lineage of modern art and showcasing the core values of African artistic traditions, the show offers a vivid cultural response to the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and promotes mutual learning between civilisations.
The opening ceremony featured speeches by representatives of the co-hosts Mr Liu Long, chairman of the China Region of the China Zimbabwe Exchange Centre and founder of the Sino Africa Hub, and Ms Zhang Chi, Director of the Picasso Art Museum, who jointly unveiled the exhibition.
In his address, Mr Liu noted that 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, the 46th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Zimbabwe, the host year of the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and the inaugural year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan.
“China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which attaches great importance to cultural exchanges and mutual learning, is highly aligned with Africa’s Agenda 2063, opening up new horizons for China-Africa cultural cooperation,” he said.
Speaking from long experience in China–Africa exchanges, Mr Liu highlighted his team’s 16 years of engagement and the role of the Sino-Africa Hub.
Established in Baoshan District, Shanghai, in 2025, the Hub has become a comprehensive service platform for China-Africa cooperation.
“This exhibition, featuring Zimbabwean artworks as its core, is an important initiative for the Sino Africa Hub to uphold its original aspiration of connecting hearts,” he said.
“In the future, the Hub will further advance in artistic cooperation, youth exchanges, and the integration of cultural tourism and trade.
“It will spread Chinese culture represented by Shanghai to Africa, ensuring that China-Africa cooperation features not only ‘hard connectivity’ of infrastructure and ‘soft connectivity’ of rules and standards, but also ‘heart connectivity’ between peoples, and build a bridge for exchanges and cooperation in education, entrepreneurship, trade, and study tours between China and Africa.”
The event drew support from a wide cross-section of society and brought together guests from diverse fields. After the opening ceremony, attendees toured the exhibition under professional guidance and then attended a special lecture, the China Africa Culture and Trade Forum, delivered by Eric Mupona, vice chairman of the China Zimbabwe Exchange Centre, representative of the China chapter of the Zimbabwean Students Association, and a PhD candidate at Zhejiang University.
Mupona began with a comprehensive introduction to the African continent—its geography, population, and economy—before analysing the investment and trade landscape and development trends across Africa.
He explored investment opportunities by country and offered professional advice on investment risk management tailored to regional characteristics.
Finally, he highlighted Zimbabwe’s core industries, trade policies, and cooperation opportunities. His detailed and professional presentation sparked lively interest and in-depth discussion among guests on China-Africa people-to-people exchanges, art, and trade cooperation.
More than an artistic showcase, the exhibition serves as a concrete measure for Shanghai to promote international cultural dialogue and to strengthen its role as a cultural hub city under the framework of the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
Connecting people through art adds new lustre to the deepening friendship and understanding between the Chinese and African peoples.
As a friendly bridge linking China and Zimbabwe, the China Zimbabwe Exchange Centre and the Sino Africa Hub reaffirmed their commitment to deepening China–Africa ties.
They actively promote Zimbabwe’s unique culture, art, and trade resources in China, opening a window for Zimbabweans to understand China.
Based on practical needs, they also provide comprehensive support to Zimbabwean compatriots in China, covering resource linkage, legal assistance, China-Africa education connections, innovation and entrepreneurship support, and trade cooperation promotion.
