China’s growing relationship with Africa is crucial for attaining its wider global goals, according to veteran diplomat Kuang Weilin, China’s first ambassador to the African Union, and a highly-regarded commentator on African affairs in China.

Kuang spoke recently at a policy forum organized by three of Shanghai’s leading international affairs think tanks that included the influential Shanghai Institute of International Studies. The fact that such prominent policy shops are engaging the likes of Kuang and other Africa scholars reveals that even amid the war in Ukraine and worsening relations with the United States there’s an ongoing effort to ensure that Africa remains a priority in the Chinese policymaking process.