By Gabriel Ameh
The 7th China-Africa Media Cooperation Forum is underway in Beijing, bringing together African and Chinese officials, broadcasters and media professionals to strengthen cooperation in broadcasting, audiovisual production, digital technology and professional development.
Held under the theme “Share Development Opportunities, Shape the Audio-Visual Future,” the forum is focused on expanding media partnerships between China and Africa while promoting greater people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding.
Alhaji Mohamed Sarjoh Bah, the African Union’s Permanent Representative to China, said Africa’s creative industries could become major drivers of economic growth, job creation, investment and innovation.
Bah called for deeper cooperation between African and Chinese media organisations in film production, broadcasting, animation, gaming, digital content and other creative sectors.
He also stressed the importance of enabling Africans to tell their own stories, urging stronger partnerships in content production and distribution to ensure that African perspectives reach wider global audiences.
The AU envoy further called for the responsible use of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies, alongside increased investment in youth skills development, professional exchanges and knowledge transfer.
Director-General of the African Union of Broadcasting, Gregoire Ndjaka, said China-Africa broadcasting cooperation had already produced tangible results through the provision of technology, equipment and professional training that have contributed to the modernisation of African broadcasting.
Ndjaka urged both sides to expand cooperation in emerging broadcasting technologies and professional development, while encouraging wider distribution of African audiovisual content through Chinese media platforms.
He said a more balanced exchange of audiovisual content would give Chinese audiences greater access to African perspectives and help strengthen mutual understanding between the two regions.
UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, highlighted the media’s role in reshaping perceptions of Africa and strengthening the continent’s ownership of its narrative.
Eziakonwa described Africa as resource-rich, idea-rich and youthful, pointing to the growing potential of its audiovisual and creative industries to generate employment, expand services trade and promote cultural exchange.
She encouraged African and Chinese media organisations to move beyond simply exchanging or transmitting content towards co-creating content, including through the responsible application of artificial intelligence in African languages and contexts.
Delivering the keynote address, Cao Shumin, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of the National Radio and Television Administration, called for stronger two-way media cooperation and content exchange between China and Africa.
Cao said media cooperation had contributed to people-to-people bonds through high-quality content and urged both sides to prioritise technological development, professional exchanges and regular interaction among media practitioners.
She noted that China and African countries had already collaborated on audiovisual programmes, while encouraging further joint production and the use of artificial intelligence in content creation.
The forum, taking place from August 19 to 21, also featured the release of achievements from China-Africa Radio and the adoption of a joint declaration on China-Africa media cooperation.
Supporting activities include the China-Africa Audiovisual Programme Exchange, the China-Africa Audiovisual Youth Cooperation Initiative and a China visit programme for African media practitioners.
Participants are expected to use the forum to deepen cooperation in content production, technological innovation and professional development while strengthening China-Africa friendship and people-to-people relations.
