I heard a story about a young Chinese man who had known Africa through TV since he was a kid and was full of yearning for Africa. Later, they got married and chose Tanzania as the destination for their honeymoon. On their first Valentine's Day, they packed their bags and traveled to Tanzania to experience the customs and beauty of the Serengeti grasslands. After returning home, they posted what they had seen and heard in Tanzania on their blog, which received tens of thousands of hits and hundreds of replies. They say that we have truly fallen in love with Africa and that our hearts will never be separated from this magical land again. This story shows that the Chinese and African people have a natural sense of closeness, and as long as the exchanges between the Chinese and African people are continuously strengthened, the friendship between the Chinese and African people will surely take root and flourish.

- "Always Be a Reliable Friend and Sincere Partner - Speech at Nyerere International Conference Center, Tanzania" (March 25, 2013)

Further reading:

The pair of young people who were included in the speeches of the heads of state are travelers who like "poetry and distance". The two found each other's other half during their travels, and going into Africa added a different color to Mr. Chan and Ms. Li's newlywed. February 14, 2010, the first day of the Chinese lunar New Year, was the second morning of their arrival in Africa and their first Valentine's Day after their marriage.

Why did you choose to go to Africa for your newlywed honeymoon? Ms. Li said that when she was a child, she especially liked to watch CCTV's "Animal World", and she always felt that Africa is a pure land where people and nature live in harmony and purify the soul. "The Lion King", "Madagascar", "Out of Africa" and BBC documentaries about Africa always evoke her longing for the continent. Since her husband also longed for Africa, the two of them set their honeymoon trip to Tanzania to fulfill their long-standing wish.

Ms. Li once described to the media the surprise and emotion of her trip to Africa. They chase animal migrations in the savannah, look for lions and cheetahs in volcanic craters, gaze out at the equatorial snow-capped mountains on the "Roof of Africa", and swim with dolphins in the Indian Ocean...... What left a deeper impression on them was the African friends they made during the trip. The taxi driver who drove them not only took them tirelessly looking for hotels, but also helped them carry their luggage in the rain until they were soaked; The guides who took them did not invade the territory of the wild animals before approaching, trying not to disturb the wild animals. The simplicity, kindness, and love of nature of the African people have become the most direct spiritual bridge connecting ordinary people in the two countries.

Tourism is an important link of friendship and cooperation between countries, and Africa is the fastest growing region in China's outbound tourism market. According to the 2015 Annual Report on China's Outbound Tourism Development released by the China Tourism Academy, Africa accounted for 9.4% of China's outbound tourism market in 2014, with a year-on-year growth rate of 80.9%, making it one of the fastest growing regions in recent years. Data shows that from August to October every year, the number of Chinese citizens visiting Kenya to watch the great migration of animals has exceeded that of Europe and the United States.

After taking office as China's president, Xi Jinping visited Africa for the first time, and the first stop was Tanzania. When Tanzanian President Kikwete heard about it, he "could hardly believe his ears". In his speech, Xi Jinping shared the stories of Chinese young people yearning, visiting and loving Africa, which fully illustrates the simple feelings of ordinary Chinese people towards Africa, which can be said to be a contemporary fragment of the epic of friendly exchanges between China and Africa.

Xi Jinping himself is also an important witness to China-Africa friendship. When he was young, he was familiar with the true exchanges between Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and other leaders of the older generation of China and the older generation of African leaders. He himself has been to Africa seven times. The purpose of telling the story of the two young people is to show that the Chinese and African people have a natural sense of closeness, and as long as the exchanges between the people are continuously strengthened, the friendship between China and Africa will surely take root and flourish.