Officials have called for intensified people-to-people exchanges between China and Africa to solidify the foundation for bilateral ties at an award ceremony for a China-Africa video and photo competition on Thursday in Beijing.

The competition, which started in May, saw more than 2,500 short videos and photos featuring China-Africa friendship submitted by participants from China and African countries, with more than 60 percent of submissions from African participants, according to China International Publishing Group, a co-sponsor of the competition.

The videos and photos feature a wide range of topics relating to China-Africa exchanges and cooperation, such as African students studying Chinese language and culture and starting up businesses in China, and Chinese sent to Africa to aid fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, said Li Jianguo, editor in chief of Beijing Review, an organizer of the competition.

A total of 89 photos and videos won different prizes after online voting by netizens and an evaluation procedure by a panel of 11 experts from countries including China, South Africa and Kenya.

Deng Li, assistant minister of foreign affairs, said the numerous stories carried by the photos and videos are touching and enlightening, and embody the China-Africa friendship.

Gao Anming, vice-president and editor-in-chief of China International Publishing Group, said people-to-people exchange is a crucial part of China-Africa exchanges and has served to lay a solid foundation for the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides.

Gao said he expects to see more people promote friendship and bilateral ties via videos, words and photos to contribute to a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

China-Africa exchanges and cooperation have been increasing in recent years despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Bilateral trade reached $139 billion in the first seven months of the year, an increase of 40.5 percent compared with the same period last year, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed.

Thursday's award ceremony was held ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is to be held in the west African nation of Senegal later this year.