BEIJING — The 7th Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation has adopted the Joint Declaration of the 7th Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation committing China and African countries to deepen cooperation in radio, film, television and audio-visual media.

The declaration was released during the forum, which opened in Beijing on August, 20 under the theme “Sharing New Opportunities for Development, Creating a New Future for Audio-Visual Media.”

Through the declaration, China and African countries agreed to uphold the spirit of China-Africa friendship and deepen exchanges and cooperation in the audio-visual sector.
The forum noted that following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s announcement of the China-Africa Cooperation Initiative on Radio, TV and Audio-Visual Innovation at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, cooperation between China and Africa in news, content, communication, technology and human resources has continued to expand.

The participants said that the cooperation has contributed to China-Africa development, strengthened people-to-people exchanges and promoted mutual learning between the two civilizations.

They also agreed to deepen content cooperation by showcasing stories of China-Africa friendship and common development, while enhancing youth talent exchanges to create a strong foundation for future media cooperation.

The participants also mentioned ntioned that China-Africa media should continue serving as a bridge for people-to-people exchanges and use media transformation to support cooperation across different sectors.

They also called for expanded cooperation in emerging formats, including micro-dramas, as well as increased co-production, mutual translation and broadcasting of audio-visual content.

Cooperation in the application and governance of artificial intelligence (AI) was also highlighted as an important area, with participants calling for technological innovation to drive the development of China-Africa media.

The forum brought together approximately 400 representatives from government departments, media organisations, international organisations, diplomatic missions, enterprises and academic institutions from China and 45 African countries.

A record-high 33 ministerial-level guests from African countries attended the forum.
The event also released 80 achievements in China-Africa cooperation in radio, film, television and audio-visual media.

A number of activities were held alongside the forum, including an exhibition showcasing China-Africa audio-visual cooperation achievements, the China-Africa Audio-Visual Youth Co-Creation Initiative and visits by African media delegations to media and broadcasting institutions in Beijing.
The forum also announced plans for continued mutual broadcasting of quality audio-visual programmes between China and Africa.

Selected African programmes, including Colorful Cameroon and Burundi: Echoes of the Sacred Drums, Chinese programmes such as To the Wonder (My Altay), Our Rivers and Mountains and A Beautiful Life, as well as the China-Africa co-produced work Welcome to Maletse, will be broadcast by mainstream media in both regions.
The programmes are expected to promote China-Africa friendship while enriching the cultural and spiritual lives of people in both regions.

The forum was co-hosted by China’s National Radio and Television Administration, the Beijing Municipal People’s Government and the African Union of Broadcasting, and organised by the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau.

The declaration further commits both sides to strengthening news cooperation to present the international community with a true, multi-dimensional and comprehensive picture of China-Africa development.

Image by Global Times?