The China-Africa Partnership Conference under the Forum of Media and Think Tanks of the Global South opened on November 13 in Johannesburg to explore ways to strengthen cooperation, amplify the collective voice of Global South countries, and promote shared global governance.
Co-organized by Xinhua News Agency, the African Union (AU), and South Africa’s Independent Media Group, among other partners, this two-day event brought together more than 200 representatives from over 160 media outlets, think tanks, government organizations, and other institutions from China and 41 African countries, as well as the AU.
In his opening speech, Lyu Yansong, Editor-in-Chief of Xinhua News Agency, stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to China-Africa cooperation. He recalled that during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing in September 2024, President Xi proposed that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to a “community with a shared future for all time in the new era.”
In her remarks, Leslie Richer, Director of Information and Communication of the AU, said that Africa is striving to move from being a “mere participant in global conversations” to becoming a “co-author of the story of humanity’s future.” She added that Africa will work with China and other Global South partners to make its voice heard more strongly on climate, finance, and digital governance, while promoting more balanced narratives through closer cooperation between media and think tanks.