Tunisia–China: Historical Memory, Youth, and Cooperation for a Sustainable Strategic Partnership

By Souhir Lahiani of Research, Studies and International News05–09-2025

Tunisia–China: Shared Memory, Committed Youth, and a Sustainable Future

Tunisia–China: A Youth Platform for a United and Sustainable Future

In a world shaken by geopolitical crises, climate disruptions, and growing inequalities, the shared historical memory between Tunisia and China offers a unique opportunity. The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japanese aggression and fascism, celebrated on August 22, 2025, goes beyond a duty of remembrance. It invites us to rethink international cooperation around common values: lasting peace, South–South solidarity, and the inclusion of younger generations.

Faced with Tunisia’s challenges—endemic unemployment, rampant desertification, and a worrying brain drain—the creation of a joint Tunisian–Chinese platform dedicated to youth, in the fields of knowledge, culture, and media, emerges as a strategic lever to transform these challenges into opportunities. This article calls for the establishment of such a space, a true bridge between Tunisian and Chinese youth, to build an exemplary partnership, rooted in history and resolutely oriented toward a sustainable future.

A Civilization Beyond an Empire

 The history of China cannot be reduced to that of an empire. It embodies a millennia-old civilization, where thought, religion, art, and political structures are inseparable. As François Joyaux reminded us, “Every history of China is also a history of Chinese civilization.”

This continuity has never meant isolation: over the centuries, China was shaped by contact with the Huns, Turks, Mongols, Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians, integrating these influences into a process of sinicization that enriched its identity.

As historian René Grousset pointed out as early as 1942, “The building of China was achieved above all through a vast undertaking of agricultural colonization,” comparable to the conquest of North American territories by pioneers. More than a succession of military conquests, Chinese history is thus marked by the patient work of generations of peasants who shaped vast territories and ensured the continuity of civilization.

This historical memory resonates particularly in today’s world, marked by multiple crises, persistent conflicts, climate disruptions, and economic inequalities. The 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japanese aggression is a reminder that peace is never guaranteed and must constantly be consolidated. For China, this commemoration is not only about remembrance; it also constitutes an invitation to imagine a new international order based on cooperation and multilateralism.

During ceremonies held in Beijing, President Xi Jinping defended a vision of a “common future for humanity,” highlighting the sovereignty of states, non-interference, and the promotion of fair multilateralism (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, 2022).

In this context, Tunisia and China appear as two nations sharing a common experience: both resisted foreign occupation and imperialist domination, and both inscribed their trajectory in a quest for dignity and sovereignty. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1964, the two countries have gradually expanded their cooperation.

But it is above all since Tunisia’s accession to the Belt and Road Initiative in 2017 that this partnership has deepened, opening new perspectives in scientific research, infrastructure, digital technology, and health. In 2025, a major scientific and technological agreement was signed, providing for the creation of joint laboratories and researcher exchanges. This commitment illustrates the will of both countries to build sustainable cooperation, based on innovation and shared development.

A Tunisian Youth in Search of a Future

Tunisia is going through a structural crisis that particularly affects its youth. In the first quarter of 2025, the overall unemployment rate stood at 15.7%, but for young people aged 15 to 24, it reached an alarming 36.8% in the second quarter, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

In marginalized regions, where desertification is eroding arable land, this unemployment worsens precariousness and fuels the migration of talent. Tunisian youth, however, are recognized for their creativity, entrepreneurial dynamism, and digital skills, particularly in engineering, IT, and agriculture, but they are often forced to seek opportunities abroad. This accelerating brain drain deprives the country of its most valuable resource.

Yet, this youth is a vital force, ready to engage in shaping a better future. What they lack is a structured framework to channel their energy and skills. Cooperation with China, strong in innovation and sustainable transformation, can provide this momentum. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1964—and especially since Tunisia’s accession to the Belt and Road Initiative in 2017—the two countries have intensified exchanges in key sectors such as scientific research, infrastructure, and health.

In 2025, a scientific and technological agreement marked a decisive step, providing for joint laboratories and researcher exchanges. However, for this partnership to become truly transformative, it must place youth at the center, through a dedicated platform.

Chinese Expertise: A Source of Inspiration for Tunisia

China, historically confronted with environmental and social challenges similar to those of Tunisia, offers valuable lessons. Its Great Green Wall project, launched in the 1970s, has reclaimed millions of hectares of arid land in the north, northeast, and northwest of the country, transforming deserts into productive agricultural spaces.

The case of the Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia is emblematic: once a sandy expanse comparable to the Tunisian Sahara, it is today a fertile oasis thanks to techniques such as reforestation, dune stabilization with herbaceous plants, natural windbreaks, and drip irrigation. These strategies, combining science, local traditions, and community engagement, have not only slowed desertification but also created sustainable jobs and strengthened food security.

This model aligns perfectly with the pan-African Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative, in which Tunisia participates. Coordinated by the African Union, this project aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, sequester 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs through sustainable land and water management practices.

For Tunisia, where the advance of the Sahara threatens rural communities, collaboration with China could revitalize these regions by relying on proven techniques and mobilizing youth for green agriculture and ecological innovation projects.

Why a Youth Platform?

Youth are the engine of innovation and the architects of the future. Tunisian youth, with their creativity and mastery of digital tools, ideally complement Chinese expertise in artificial intelligence, startups, and ecological projects.

A joint platform—both digital and physical—would be the ideal space to merge these strengths. It would allow the realization of concrete projects while embodying the values of intercultural dialogue and lasting peace, cherished by both nations.

In the field of knowledge

This platform could host initiatives such as hackathons on sustainable agriculture, joint training in agricultural technologies, or virtual laboratories for research in renewable energies and AI applied to the environment.

For example, Tunisian youth could learn to adapt Chinese techniques of water management and reforestation to the Saharan context, thereby creating green jobs and curbing brain drain. Programs like Seeds for the Future or the Huawei ICT Academy already show the way, by enhancing Tunisian digital skills. Similarly, the recent training of students from the Faculty of Medicine in Sousse in traditional Chinese medicine in Beijing illustrates the potential of academic exchanges.

In the field of culture

 The “soft power” of culture is essential for weaving lasting ties. This platform could organize digital festivals, online cultural weeks, and cross-translations into Arabic, Chinese, and French.

Imagine Tunisian youth sharing the art of mosaics or Sufi music, while their Chinese counterparts present calligraphy or traditional theater. These exchanges, rooted in the common memory of anti-colonial and anti-fascist struggles, would strengthen mutual understanding and consolidate a partnership based on trust.

In the field of media

A youth media hub could produce podcasts, videos, and short films in multiple languages on themes such as sustainability, peace, or innovation. An annual award for the best joint creations would amplify the visibility of this partnership, transform collective imaginaries, and give voice to younger generations.

These initiatives, relying on digital tools, would reach a global audience while highlighting local talent.

A Vision Rooted in History, Oriented Toward the Future Tunisian–Chinese cooperation is rooted in a shared history of resistance and dignity. As Dr. Badra Gaaloul emphasized during the Tunisian–Chinese forum on August 22, 2025, working for a “human peace” requires fighting new fascisms and global threats, while mobilizing youth for shared development.

China, with its strategy of “peaceful development” and its Global Security Initiative, proposes a multilateral framework based on non-interference and shared security, which is particularly relevant for Tunisia, faced with regional instability in the Sahel and Libya.

The Belt and Road Initiative, in which Tunisia is engaged, provides the ideal framework to integrate these ambitions. In 2024, the two countries elevated their relations to the level of a strategic partnership, and the 2025 scientific agreement marks a turning point toward innovation-driven cooperation.

But to go further, a concrete tool is needed: a youth platform embodying this vision. It could include a think tank run by young researchers to formulate policy recommendations, a network of young ambassadors in culture and innovation, and green agriculture projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A Model for the Global South Tunisia, located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, the Maghreb, and Africa, possesses underused diplomatic capital. China, with its investment diplomacy and non-interventionist approach, offers an alternative to Western models often accompanied by conditionalities.

But as Donia Jemli notes, the absence of a coherent national strategy still limits Tunisia’s ability to fully benefit from this partnership. A youth platform would be a first step to overcome these obstacles by mobilizing the complementarities between Tunisian creativity and Chinese expertise.

The creation of a Tunisian–Chinese youth platform is not a utopia but a strategic necessity. It would transform challenges—unemployment, desertification, migration—into opportunities, by giving young people the tools to co-build a prosperous future.

Inspired by historical memory and concrete successes such as that of Kubuqi, this initiative could make Tunisian–Chinese cooperation an exemplary South–South model.

The time to act is now: let us offer our youth a space to dream, innovate, and build a more united, creative, and peaceful world.