[Video/chinadaily.com.cn]

Benin sees strong potential for deeper cooperation with Shandong province in such areas as agriculture, technology and education, said Franck Adjagba, Benin's ambassador to China.

He made the remarks at the 2026 China-Africa Friendship Tour – Shandong Meets Africa Cultural Gala in Jinan, capital of Shandong province on Aug 4.

This year has been designated as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Adjagba also expressed hope that the event would help deepen cooperation in cultural exchanges and tourism, saying culture could become "the warmest bond" between the two countries. 

One of the flagship events of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, the event is jointly hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Shandong Provincial People's Government.

The four-day event, themed "Beauty and Harmony Across Shores and Seas", has brought together 89 guests from 23 African countries, including Lesotho, Malawi, Somalia, Madagascar, Benin and Angola, to experience Shandong firsthand and further promote people-to-people exchanges between China and Africa.