Ehizuelen Michael Mitchell Omoruyi, a Nigerian scholar working in China, said he felt "valued, appreciated, seen and accepted "when he read a reply letter from President Xi Jinping, in which the Chinese leader recognized the efforts of African scholars in fostering understanding between China and Africa.

"It is a public reward for all the hard work we have been doing," said Omoruyi, the executive director of the Center for Nigerian Studies in the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University.

Omoruyi is one of a group of scholars from 50 African countries who jointly sent a letter to Xi ahead of the 2024 FOCAC Summit in Beijing, calling for greater collaboration between Africa and China in various fields of academics and research.

"Our decision to write the letter was because we believe that the prospects of African and Chinese cooperation are both bright and promising," he said.

In his reply, Xi said, "I would like to express my appreciation for your commitment to studies on China and China-Africa relations and the platform you have provided for Africans to know more about China's history, culture and endeavors in the new era."

Gert Grobler, a former South African diplomat and honorary professor of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, said the Chinese leader's letter serves as a significant inspiration for the scholars to continue building bridges of understanding between the two sides.

"President Xi's esteemed support motivates us to further step up our rigorous research and strive for excellence in our contributions to China-Africa relations," he said.

Grobler said it is the shared belief of African scholars that the FOCAC summit in Beijing represents a crucial opportunity to chart the course for continued cooperation and envision a brighter future for China-Africa relations.

Paul Frimpong, executive director of the Africa-China Center for Policy and Advisory, a think tank based in Ghana, said that thanks to a series of initiatives proposed by China, academic exchanges on China-Africa relations are improving.

"China-Africa academic exchanges have yielded fruitful results," Frimpong told Xinhua News Agency. "Many African scholars like me can access various platforms to do field research and exchange academic ideas with other African and Chinese counterparts, enabling the two sides to deepen our mutual understanding and foster better policies to boost bilateral cooperation."