An ongoing online shopping festival is being held in China with a target to promote export of high-quality goods from African countries. Hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the 4th Brand and Quality Online Shopping Festival and Quality African Products Online Shopping Festival, is aiming to expand the market, develop cooperation and promote digital innovation. Over 23 African countries, including Rwanda, are participating in the festival. Participants include more than 100,000 brands from over 1 million merchants from both China and Africa, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). The event has been going on from April 28 and will end on May 12, and it is hosted by MOFCOM, jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, among others. Zhou Ping the deputy director-general of the department of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the online shopping festival will have great value as China and Africa will deepen cooperation on digital innovation this year, to upgrade China-Africa cooperation with a touch of digital power and help Africa to deal with the digital gap. China always keeps its promises, and tries its best to deliver on its commitments to African friends, which is the most important feature of China-Africa cooperation, Zhou said. Apart from the online shopping festival, important trade promotion measures, like market entry for African agricultural products and expanding zero-tariff treatment to African products, have already been implemented.
