On Sept. 14, 2016, the 2016 Training Program of Business Promotion and Management for the Coastal African Countries closed at SFTC. 21 trainees from South Africa and five other coastal African countries attended the closing ceremony and were conferred training certificates. The event was witnessed by Vice President Gao Cheng and was hosted by Mr. Zhang Qingguo, Head of the China-Aid Office of SFTC.

The training program is sponsored by China's Ministry of Commerce and is undertaken by SFTC. The program not only promotes business co-operations between China and the coastal African countries, but also provides business opportunities for the enterprises in Qingdao, especially SFTC's alumni enterprises. In the study visits of the training, an initial agreement of opening a factory was signed between one of SFTC alumni enterprises with a trainee from the Republic of Malawi.