Full text of Jiang Jianguo's speech at China-Africa Media Summit

Fourth, we should jointly deepen the practical exchanges between Chinese and African media. Different and complementary to each other and with respective advantages and needs, Chinese and African media share a vast space for cooperation, and some media companies on both sides have taken a preemptive step in carrying out communication and cooperation innovatively. StarTimes from China and NASPERS from South Africa, for instance, have set a good example for win-win media cooperation with their insight and investment in China-Africa cultural communication. In many African countries, the media community is working hard to accelerate transformation and development, focusing on raising the nation’s soft power and their own communication capability. News coverage has always been one of the key areas for China-Africa cooperation. China has implemented 11 radio and TV aid projects in countries like Ghana and the Republic of Congoover recent years, has assisted in the construction of 51 radio and TV facilities in African countries accumulatively, and has trained more than 10,000 talents specialized in such areas as radio and TV technology, news coverage and editing, and media education since 2000. Under new circumstances, the importance and value of carrying out dialogues and exchanges between Chinese and African media will be enhanced rather than weakened, and China’s aid and support to African media will be reinforced rather than slackened. There are three areas that we can work on. First, intensify research and training, assign more information officers, media management personnel and key employees from African countries to be trained in China, increase the quota for further education with degrees and diplomas, and set up scholarships to select and sponsor excellent media professionals to study in China. Second, strengthen practical media cooperation, and continue to support African media in terms of equipment and digital transformation. Third, tighten the cooperation in media and information industries, encourage Chinese companies like ZTE and Huawei to develop in Africa, and support them in helping African media by installing software, reducing or exempting fees, providing equipment, among others.

Friends, ladies and gentlemen,

Located at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, the famous Cape of Good Hope is a critical sea route connecting the south with the north and the east with the west, and the peaceful Table Mountain is extending welcoming arms to people from across the ocean. Today, we are joined in the beautiful city of Cape Town for the China-Africa Media Summit to discuss how to push forward win-win media cooperation. On this platform of dialogue and communication, we hope to contribute more insights and valuable ideas to the sound development of China-Africa relations. I wish the summit a complete success, and I have Good Hope for the future cooperation between Chinese and African media!