Beijing Forum Advances China-Africa Cooperation on AI and Media
AFRICA
BEIJING — Delegates from China and 45 African nations gathered here for the 7th Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation, approving a joint declaration centered on artificial intelligence applications and governance within the broadcasting sector. The forum, held annually since 2012, drew roughly 400 participants including government regulators, diplomats and media executives from both sides.
African Union of Broadcasting Director-General Gregoire Ndjaka told the gathering that AI, digital transformation and shifting audience behavior are reshaping how media is produced and distributed, describing the deepening China-Africa cooperation on AI as an encouraging development amid that transition. The forum coincided with China's designation of 2026 as the Year of China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges, part of a broader push marking seven decades of diplomatic relations with the continent.
Officials noted more than 80 programs from 29 African countries currently air on Chinese television and digital platforms, alongside dozens of joint training programs for African media professionals conducted since 2024. The expanding relationship sits within the broader Forum on China-Africa Cooperation framework, which spans infrastructure financing and diplomatic coordination ahead of the 2027 FOCAC summit planned for the Republic of the Congo.