Number of institutes offering African studies jumps

There are now more than 30 institutes offering Africa studies, a marked jump from less than five a decade ago, according to the organizers of the fifth China-Africa Think Tank Forum.

In addition, at least 150 domestic institutions of higher learning offer courses on Africa, said Liu Hongwu, president of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University.

"China is paying more attention to the study and understanding of Africa," said Liu, whose university has established partnerships with over 60 higher learning institutions from 28 African countries.

The fifth China-Africa Think Tank Forum opened on Friday in Yiwu City in east China's Zhejiang Province, focusing on China-Africa industrial cooperation. Endi