Story by Jonathan Marerwa in Beijing
Journalists and media organisations who covered the recently-held 2024 Forum for China Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing, China have been applauded for a job well done.
The Director responsible for African Affairs in the Chinese Foreign Affairs ministry, Du Xiaohui, who was speaking during a post FOCAC summit media briefing in Beijing this Thursday, said without the presence and excellent coverage by journalists particularly from China and Africa, the summit would not have achieved the great success it did.
President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa was among the African Heads of State and Government who took part in the summit that ran from 4 to 6 September and whose theme was ‘Joining hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High Level China -Africa Community with a shared future ‘.
Director Du noted that since the official languages of FOCAC are Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, the coverage before, during and after the summit reached all corners of China, Africa and the world, thereby delivering its intended messages to citizens of member States and beyond.
He revealed that exchange programmes and trainings in such fields as journalism will continue to be availed to media practitioners from Africa and other developing countries so that the dissemination and accessibility of information will not be skewed in favour of one region at the expense of others.
Meanwhile, Director Du says the Chinese government hopes that many countries will forge ties with African nations and come up with win-win relationships that are beneficial to both blocs.
He added that China is not in competition with any other country of the world and would wish to see other countries help in the development of Africa whilst not interfering in individual countries’ politics, but respecting and upholding their independence and self determination.
