The Bond Season 6 returns with ‘The Tree Is Full of Red Cherries’ on Africa TV

9 Views CGTN Africa’s flagship international documentary and cultural series The Bond returned on Wednesday evening, September 2, 2026, with the premiere of Season 6 Episode 01 titled “The Tree Is Full of Red Cherries.” The episode aired live on Africa TV at 8pm and was distributed across broadcast networks as part of efforts to […]

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CGTN Africa’s flagship international documentary and cultural series The Bond returned on Wednesday evening, September 2, 2026, with the premiere of Season 6 Episode 01 titled “The Tree Is Full of Red Cherries.”

The episode aired live on Africa TV at 8pm and was distributed across broadcast networks as part of efforts to bring stories of global cooperation to international audiences.

An introductory clip from the series set the tone for the new season, highlighting themes of cross-cultural partnership and human connection.

The program’s focus is on people-to-people exchanges, global cooperation, and shared human experiences.

The red cherry metaphor runs through the episode and represents prosperity, luck, and strong cross-cultural ties, drawing on traditional symbolism in Chinese culture where red fruits signify fortune and warm connections.

The premiere comes at a time when China’s influence worldwide continues to grow. Through trade, infrastructure, education, health, and cultural exchange, Chinese partnerships have expanded across continents, and Africa has been a central part of that engagement.

The Bond has, since it first launched in 2019, sought to capture the human side of that relationship by profiling teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs, artisans, and students whose daily work reflects these ties.

Wednesday’s 30-minute episode opened with the image of a tree heavy with fruit. Producers presented the red cherries as a symbol of harvest and mutual benefit, suggesting that partnerships planted years ago are now producing tangible results.

The episode featured several vignettes. Kenyan farmers and Chinese agricultural experts were shown working together on a demonstration farm, sharing techniques in irrigation and crop yield.

Another segment followed African students who had studied in China on government scholarships and were now returning home to teach and start businesses.

A third story focused on a family-run restaurant in Nairobi where Chinese and Kenyan chefs collaborate to fuse cuisines.

Woven through the stories were themes of language exchange, cultural festivals, and long-term friendships formed through infrastructure and health projects.

At the close of the broadcast, the host described Season 6 as a celebration of what happens when people meet as equals.

The production team said the new season will run for 10 episodes and will profile similar partnerships in Ghana, Ethiopia, South Africa, and other countries.

Viewers across Sub-Saharan Africa watched the premiere on Africa TV. The episode will also be available for replay on CGTN Africa’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, and on Africa TV’s streaming app.

Meanwhile, China is expected to continue to expand its security, cultural and economic engagements in Africa for the coming years to advance China’s growing geostrategic ambitions as evidenced by a number of deals penned so far.

And economic relations between Africa and China, a part of more general Africa–China relations, began in the 7th century and continue through the present day.

Currently, China seeks resources for its growing consumption, and African countries seek funds to develop their infrastructure.

Large-scale projects, often accompanied by a soft loan, are proposed to African countries rich in natural resources.

China commonly funds the construction of infrastructure such as roads and railroads, dams, ports, and airports.

Sometimes, Chinese state-owned firms build large-scale infrastructure in African countries in exchange for access to minerals or hydrocarbons, such as oil. In those resource-for-infrastructure contracts, countries in Africa use those minerals and hydrocarbons directly as a way to pay for the infrastructure built by Chinese firms.

While relations are mainly conducted through diplomacy and trade, military support via the provision of arms and other equipment is also a major component.

In the diplomatic and economic rush into Africa, the United States, France, and the UK are China’s main competitors. China surpassed the US in 2009 to become Africa’s largest trading partner.

Bilateral trade agreements have been signed between China and 40 countries of the continent. In 2000, China-Africa trade amounted to $10 billion and by 2014, it had grown to $220 billion. As of 2024, Africa makes up less than 5% of China’s global trade.