Author: Héribert-Label Elisée Adjovi is Governor of the Pan-African Magazine of Diplomacy and International Relations Le Label Diplomatique, Chairman of the Xi’an Think Tank for Sino-African Cooperation and Development and Chairman of the African Journalists’ Caucus for the Global South Community Destiny,.
The 4th edition of the “Media Evening 2025 and Award Ceremony of the Best Press Productions Contest on Sino-Beninese Cooperation” was held on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Cotonou, Benin. The event gathered embassy staff and about a hundred Beninese journalists who did not want to miss the occasion.
Host of the ceremony, His Excellency Mr. Zhang Wei, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Benin, took the opportunity to express his sincere thanks to journalist friends who, for a long time, “have followed with interest and supported the development of Sino-Beninese relations, and have consistently reported on China in a positive and objective manner.” This year, he said, the Embassy launched the contest for the best press productions entitled “Chinese-style modernization and Sino-Beninese relations in my eyes.” “Thirty-one (31) journalists participated enthusiastically, sharing their direct observations of China’s socio-economic development through vivid images and inspired words, expressing their strong expectations for Benin to explore its own path to modernization, and demonstrating firm confidence in the dynamism of the Sino-Beninese strategic partnership.”
Achieving modernization in a developing country as populous as China, Zhang Wei emphasized, is both a development challenge and a governance issue. “Last October, the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully held. During this plenary, the Proposals of the CPC Central Committee on the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development were adopted. This strategic document, the first five-year plan in the new march toward building a modern socialist country in all respects, reflects the major strengths of Chinese-style governance.”
Speaking of the specific aspects of this 15th Five-Year Plan, Zhang Wei listed four. 1. Long-term planning and perseverance. From 1953 to 2025, China has fully leveraged its institutional advantage of concentrating efforts on major tasks. By the end of this year, its GDP will reach about 140 trillion yuan. China has contributed 30% of global economic growth in recent years. It continues to move forward with clear direction and steady steps, and its development results are remarkable, bringing more certainty and stability to a turbulent world. 2. Primacy of the people. Under the banner of the CPC, the 15th Five-Year Plan deploys a set of policies focused on improving people’s well-being, notably promoting high-quality and sufficient employment, improving the income distribution system, advancing education that meets people’s expectations, and enhancing the social security system, so that the fruits of modernization benefit the entire population more equitably. 3. High-quality development. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China focused on an innovation-driven development strategy. Thanks to these efforts, China’s skies are increasingly blue, mountains greener, and waters clearer, while the environment improves daily. In the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will continue to coordinate high-quality development with high-level protection, accelerate scientific and technological self-reliance, and constantly stimulate new drivers, create new advantages, and open new development spaces. 4. High-level opening to the outside world. Solidarity — not the law of the strongest — must prevail as a fundamental principle of global governance. “A few days ago, the 8th China International Import Expo was successfully held in Shanghai. More than 4,000 companies from 155 countries and regions participated. Beninese specialty products such as pineapples, cashew nuts, shea butter, and sesame were once again showcased at the event and highly appreciated by Chinese consumers. This exhibition demonstrated to the world the openness and inclusiveness of China’s economy.”
Looking ahead, Ambassador Zhang Wei promised that China will steadily expand its institutional opening, firmly uphold the multilateral trading system, and promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, in order to share opportunities and pursue development with Benin and other countries worldwide. “The Chinese side intends to better align the 15th Five-Year Plan with Benin’s ‘Vision 2060’ goals, fully implement the consensus reached by the two Heads of State as well as the achievements of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, so as to continuously inject strong momentum into the development of the Sino-Beninese strategic partnership.” He also stressed that “the Chinese Embassy wishes to strengthen friendly cooperation with Beninese media and provide more opportunities for Beninese journalists to better discover and understand China.”
This delighted the audience, starting with Saturnin Comlan Hounkpè, President of the Media Network for Sino-Beninese Cooperation, who expressed his deep emotion in his speech. “This moment is not only an award ceremony: it is a symbolic bridge, a space of intellectual fraternity, a place where new pages of friendship between China and Benin are written… This event, now rooted in our media landscape, has become a true tradition.” Quoting President Xi Jinping, who said, “Civilizations become rich through exchanges, and profound through mutual learning,” Saturnin Hounkpè noted that this phrase captures the essence of the contest. It is about “allowing Beninese journalists to discover China with their own eyes, interpret its realities freely, and contribute, through their productions, to building a mutual understanding that is faithful, respectful, and future-oriented.” President Xi also said, “The world is beautiful because we are different.” Hounkpè added: “This diversity, far from being an obstacle, becomes a strength when the journalist’s professional eye transforms it into narrative, analysis, and a bridge of intelligence and humanity.”
Before the festive dinner and raffle game, the President of the Media Network for Sino-Beninese Cooperation announced the contest results. Of the thirty-one (31) productions, 20 were in print media — newspapers and online press — 4 in television and web-TV, and 7 in radio and web radio. The jury, composed of Agapit Napoléon Maforikan, Director of E-Télé (President of the Jury), Abiath Oumarou, journalist and former Director of Bénin-TV, the public service television, and Donklam Aballo, Director of Eden-TV, selected three colleagues for print media — Josué Mêhouénou, Alexis Isidore Gozo, and Edouard Adode — the same number for radio — Gontran Serge Hinnou, Breide Rivel Gansè, and Assibavi Amélie Zonmadin — and only one for television — Ekué Ulrich Gaba — (because the television productions did not meet the jury’s expectations).
The 4th edition of the “Media Evening 2025 and Award Ceremony of the Best Press Productions Contest on Sino-Beninese Cooperation” was finally marked by the exhibition of a Bruce Lee statue, a creation by Remy Ama Sossouvi, which Ambassador Zhang Wei described as “a beautiful work… very unique and original,” that “harmoniously combines the spirit of Chinese martial arts and Beninese craftsmanship.” A fine way to celebrate the strategic partnership established in September 2023 between China and Benin, following President Patrice Talon’s state visit to Beijing.