Beyond investments and infrastructure in African markets, such as the monumental "One Belt One Road" project, China is organizing more and more events to strengthen relations with Africa.
The eighth meeting of the China-Africa Think Tank Forum took place in Beijing on August 27 and 28. Ambassadors from African countries and media representatives were invited to discuss with their Chinese counterparts the actions to be taken to develop close relations between China and African countries.
China's interest in the African continent is well established, but recently the government has been stepping up initiatives to extend its influence, including in the media landscape.
It should be noted that in the telecommunications sector, Huawei has become a key player in Africa. With a presence in some 40 countries, the technology giant is supporting the growth of African telecommunications. In the audiovisual sector, StarTimes has established itself as one of the leaders in digital television in sub-Saharan Africa, competing with CANAL+ and Multichoice in the English-speaking region.
Furthermore, in the name of Sino-African cooperation, China is increasing its investments in African media and supporting local journalists through the implementation of numerous training programs. Beijing is currently hosting journalists from French-speaking Africa for a training and exchange seminar. Initiated by the Chinese government, this seminar aims to create media synergies between the two regions of the world.
In the field of information, the Chinese news agency Xinhua is forging more alliances with local media outlets. On July 19 in Dakar, the Senegalese Press Agency renewed its partnership agreement with its Chinese counterpart with a view to integrating new media into the cooperation process.