China and Australia's relationship dates back several centuries. According to historical accounts, Chinese merchants visited Australia's northern coasts in as early as the 1750s, predating the arrival of British explorer Captain James Cook, who claimed Australia for Britain in 1770.
Since the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), the ancient port of Xuwen in Zhanjiang and the Guangzhou Port have served as key maritime hubs on the "Maritime Silk Road", with the Strait of Malacca along the Malay Peninsula as a crucial node linking the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Guangdong has become one of the most closely connected regions to Africa in terms of trade, with a solid foundation of cooperation. Nigeria, in particular, is one of the African nations with the most promising prospects for cooperation.
On March 1, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) hosted a video conference on local cooperation between China and Bavaria in Germany.