China and Africa have been urged to continue to strengthen their bilateral ties and cooperation to overcome increasing global universal challenges and changes.
The Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation gave the charge at its fifth edition organised by Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau and co-hosted by the National Radio and Television Administration, the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and African Union of Broadcasting.
A joint declaration issued after the event at the China World Hotel Conference Centre in Beijing said: “The world is undergoing great changes not yet seen over a century. Setting foot on a new starting point, we should continue to uphold the spirit of China-Africa friendship, cooperation and equality.
“This should be a win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness, justice, progress with the times, as well as openness and inclusiveness to foster a new vision of achieving common development and greater international influence of our media.”
“We should support new developments in the media field that serve China’s Long-Range Objectives Through 2035, African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063 and development strategies of 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 gathered over 240 delegates from 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, exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration in international communication.
Areas of understanding include that: “Chinese and African media will continue to develop strategies and regulatory systems in the light of our economic and socio-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 relating 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.
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“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.
Others are to promote innovation in content creation and present compelling stories of China-Africa friendship. In particular, the stories should reflect the common struggles against the COVID-19 pandemic, mutual support and joint development.
The ties should also deepen support for the creation of high-quality audio-video content on themes and co-produce TV dramas, documentaries, animations and short videos that reflect the socio-economic development of China and Africa and bilateral relationship, among others.
Some of the participants said: “We applaud the fruitful achievements of the 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.”
China’s President Xi Jinping and President Macky Sall of Senegal congratulated the Forum and spoke highly of its role in advancing dialogue and cooperation between Chinese and African media, promoting mutual learning between the civilizations and deepening the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.
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