What makes local governance work? That question brought more than 70 delegates from 21 African countries to East China's Shandong province from Sept 19 to 22. They came for the Shandong Dialogue on China–Africa Good Governance, a first-of-its-kind event in China focused on governance exchanges.

Participants engaged in roundtables on grassroots governance, urban management, women's participation and education. A youth leaders' dialogue explored public participation and cross-cultural collaboration. 

The event released Good Governance in Shandong: Case Studies, Priority Sectors for Cooperation with Africa: A Shandong Business Guide. It also launched the Good Governance Dialogue website. Delegates also adopted the Jinan Initiative on China–Africa Local Good Governance Cooperation.

Field visits took guests to urban and rural communities, industrial parks and logistics hubs in Linyi and Jinan, offering firsthand insight into Shandong's practices in grassroots governance, rural vitalization and industrial development.

"This is about sharing experience," said Sun Ximin, vice-governor of Shandong. By focusing on local solutions to common challenges, the dialogue aims to inject fresh momentum into China–Africa cooperation and build a closer community with a shared future.

"Marking 70 years of China–Africa diplomatic ties, governance exchanges are vital to the Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations. We hope both sides pursue modernization together and write a new chapter for the China–Africa community with a shared future," said Jiang Jie, counsellor at the Department of African Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, South African Ambassador to China, said no universal governance model exists given the various national conditions. She introduced the African Peer Review Mechanism, praised the dialogue's value for mutual learning, and called for deeper cooperation with Shandong in governance, trade, agriculture, green development and cultural exchanges.

Co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Shandong provincial government, the main event concluded in Jinan on Sept 22, bringing together over 210 diplomats, officials, scholars, and youth representatives.

Guests gather at the case and project exhibiting area in Jinan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The main event of the Shandong Dialogue on China–Africa Good Governance attracts more than 210 attendees from 21 Africa countries. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]