Huzhou in East China's Zhejiang province launches a week-long shopping festival to promote the sales of African goods in the city on May 7. [Photo/WeChat account: huzhoufabu]

Huzhou in East China's Zhejiang province kicked off a week-long shopping festival to promote the sales of African goods in the city on May 7, local media reported.

The festival includes more than 20 activities including commercial livestreams and agricultural product promotions.

Huzhou has been actively boosting its economic and trade ties with Africa in recent years.

Seventeen companies from the city have made investments in more than 10 African countries to date. Its imports and exports to Africa during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period grew at an average annual rate of 18.2 percent to $24.2 billion.

During the festival's launch ceremony, the city also reached an agreement with the Zhejiang-Africa service center to establish a liaison office in the city to strengthen its trade links with Africa.

The ceremony also witnessed the inauguration of a number of e-commerce facilities including the Huzhou College of Cross-border E-commerce and the Taobao Tmall (Huzhou) Business Operation Center.

The local government aims to expand the sales of African commodities while helping local children's wear and cosmetics brands secure a presence in the continent.