Follow us on:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Archive -Seychelles

Seventh Meeting of the Think Tanks Forum Stronger voice, effective public communication for better image building |22 August 2018

In preparation for next month’s Forum on China Africa Cooperation (Focac) summit in Beijing, more than 350 experts, scholars and journalists from China and 53 African countries researched into ways of strengthening cooperation by engaging in free, open and in-depth discussions.

This was during the two-day Seventh Meeting of the Think Tanks Forum in the Chinese capital Beijing, July 4-5, and delegates had a choice to take part in discussions around one of the three topics in the parallel panels – ‘40 years of China’s reform and opening up and the development of China-Africa relation’, ‘Experience and inspirations of China and Africa in the independent exploration of development paths’ and ‘China-Africa think tanks and media cooperation: strengthen the effectiveness of communication and increase the voice’.

The meeting was hosted by the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the Focac and co-organised by Zhejiang Normal University and the Centre for International Strategic Studies of the Counsellor's Office of the State Council.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong of the People’s Republic of China said, “the last 40 years has not only seen China achieving common progress with the rest of the world, but also witnessed China and Africa forging ahead, side by side, shoulder to shoulder.”

He added that “over the past four decades, our political relations have grown from strength to strength; economic cooperation has achieved phenomenal growth; people-to-people and cultural exchanges have been steadily expanded; and our cooperation on international and regional issues has been close”.

Mr Chen noted that “the year 2018 is a big year for China-Africa relation” and added that “both sides will capitalise on the momentum generated by the summit to chart the way forward”.

He once again pointed out that “China's cooperation with Africa has no political strings attached”.

“It is a boost to local economic and social development and economically viable and win-win in nature, winning universal welcome and support from the African countries and peoples. China pays high attention to the importance of debt sustainability in Africa. As we provide financing to Africa in a responsible manner and try to help Africa contain debt risks, the associated risks are generally under control. The benefits of China-Africa cooperation are abundantly clear. No one will ever buy the irresponsible slanders made by a handful of countries. Many African governments and individuals have come forward to say so,” said Mr Chen.

Mr Chen pointed out that “China and Africa have walked an extraordinary path in developing our relations and cooperation, and our peoples have benefitted a lot. What we have accomplished together is for the whole world to see. Yet a minority Westerners, blinded by their own ‘pride and prejudice’, choose not to see it. Being long used to patronising us and pointing fingers at us, they often disparage our cooperation and recently whipped up the so-called ‘debt problem’ by accusing China of ‘mir{ing} nations in debt and undercutting their sovereignty.”

He explained that China’s cooperation with Africa is economically viable and win-win in nature, and that the Beijing Summit will reinvigorate the government and the people’s effort to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Delegates mentioned the need to have more media cooperation between China and Africa to strengthen the power of journalists’ voice and enhance their capability of mass communication, thus enabling them to tell stories from both China and Africa much better.

They noted that a stronger voice and effective public communication is needed for better image building as the continent’s stories should be told by African journalists.

The delegates also discussed ways of increasing the voice of Asian and African countries on the international stage, and means of enhancing the communication and cooperation between China and Africa in the field of film and television and new media.

Through the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum was established by the Institute of African Studies Zhejiang Normal University in 2011 and was officially incorporated into the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) in 2012.

It has become a fixed mechanism for China-Africa civil dialogue, holding meetings each year in China and Africa in rotation. Since its establishment, six meetings have been successfully held, with fruitful outcomes achieved. As a “folk-oriented” and “government-participated” forum, it aims to “expand consensus” by “open dialogue”.

Representatives from government departments, major Africa-related non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, universities, and enterprises in China and from famous universities, organisations and institutions in Africa are invited to take part in the meetings.

The forum has effectively promoted communication between scholars from China and Africa and improved their mutual understanding, offering suggestions for the development of Chinese enterprises in Africa and African enterprises in China, and contributing to the development of China-Africa relations under the new situation.

 

 

 

 

» Back to Archive