China and Africa have been advised to continue to uphold the spirit of friendship and cooperation so as to overcome the growing universal challenges and changes.
The advice was given on Tuesday at the 5th Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation organized by Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau and co-hosted by National Radio and Television Administration, the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and African Union of Broadcasting.”
A joint declaration issued after the event held at the China World Hotel Conference Centre in Beijing noted that: “The world today is undergoing great changes never yet seen over a century. Setting foot on a new starting point, we should continue to uphold the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation – sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, progress with the times, and openness and inclusiveness – and foster a new vision of achieving common development and greater international influence of our media.”
It added that: “We should support new developments in the media field that serve China’s Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of all African countries.
“We should also blaze a new trail in China-Africa media cooperation by implementing the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation – Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024), building on content creation and technological innovation and boosting convergent media development and digital economy.”
The Forum which brought more than 240 delegates from the government departments, media institutions, audio-video enterprises, diplomatic missions from China and 42 African countries, the African Union Commission and the African Union of Broadcasting, reached common understanding to enhance dialogue and exchange of ideas and strengthen collaboration in international communication.
Among the understandings include: “Chinese and African media will continue to develop strategies and regulatory systems in the light of our economic, social and cultural development. We will continue to disseminate news and information to the international community that is panoramic, true, objective and just. We will support each other on major issues related to our core interests and of common concern in the international arena. We will strive for a growing influence of Chinese and African media, and advocate humanity’s common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom.
“Fulfill media responsibility and make contributions to global development. We highly agree that development holds the key to solving various difficult problems and delivering better lives to the people. Media of both sides will advocate for and take part in global development. We will strive to promote the vision of sustainable development among the general public, contributing to forging a global development partnership and fostering a development paradigm featuring benefits for all, balance, coordination, inclusiveness, win-win cooperation and common prosperity.
“Promote innovation in content creation and present compelling stories of China-Africa friendship. In particular, those stories should reflect our common struggle against the pandemic, our mutual support and joint development. We will support the creation of high-quality audio-video content on those themes and co-produce TV dramas, documentaries, animations and short videos that reflect the economic and social development of China and Africa and our friendly relationship. We will continue to broadcast each other’s programs to further enrich the cultural life of our people.
“Deepen technical cooperation and facilitate the digital development of media. China is committed to continued support and assistance, wherever possible, to the digital transformation of radio and television in Africa. The two sides will actively communicate and cooperate in the application of new technologies in the media field such as mobile Internet, 5G, big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. We will share development experience and jointly explore effective ways of communication and new service models in the context of omnimedia so as to promote common prosperity and development of China and Africa’s media industries.
“Promote cooperation in personnel training and strengthen exchanges among young media talents. We will continue to deepen cooperation in human resource development in the fields of media management, content creation, technology research & development, and online audio-video communication. We will support leading institutions and individuals in the Chinese and African media industries to carry out innovative cooperation and strengthen dialogue and communication among young people so as to inject more vitality into China-Africa media cooperation in the new era.”
The participants said: “We applaud the fruitful achievements of this forum. Guided by the spirit of congratulatory letters by leaders of China and Africa, we look forward to embracing a new decade of even more vigorous China-Africa media cooperation. Hence we will be able to make new contributions to the well-being of our peoples, and to the building of a China-Africa community of shared future in the new era, so as to achieve stronger, greener and healthier global development.”
For these purposes, we have reached the following common understanding:
China’s President Xi Jinping and President Macky Sall of Senegal sent congratulatory letters to the Forum, in which they spoke highly of the Forum’s conducive role in advancing the dialogue and cooperation between Chinese and African media, promoting mutual learning between the civilizations, and deepening the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.
