China-Africa Media Forum: African Journalists Demand Stronger Partnership to Counter Stereotypes

African journalists have called for stronger and more practical partnerships with their Chinese counterparts to promote accurate reporting and deepen public understanding of China-Africa relations.

The call was made at the 7th China-Africa Media Cooperation Forum in Beijing, where media professionals from across Africa and China examined the changing role of journalism amid the rapid growth of digital platforms and artificial intelligence.

Participants stressed the need to move beyond traditional media exchanges towards sustained professional collaboration, joint reporting, capacity building and technology-driven partnerships that can strengthen newsrooms on both sides.

They argued that closer interaction between African and Chinese journalists would enable both sides to better understand the realities, challenges and opportunities shaping their respective societies.

Speaking at the forum, Nigerian journalist Michael Onjewu described the media as a strategic instrument for shaping public understanding and correcting misconceptions about countries and regions.

He said inadequate media cooperation often creates room for stereotypes and inaccurate narratives about China and Africa.

«“The role of media is strategic in the sense that without proper media, there are negative stereotypes about countries. But with proper media cooperation, we can begin to tell the true stories about China-Africa relationship,” Onjewu said.»

Onjewu stressed that journalists have a responsibility to provide audiences with credible information that reflects the realities of the relationship between China and African countries.

He noted that stronger professional exchanges could give journalists greater access to firsthand experiences and perspectives, helping them produce more balanced and informed reports.

AI Reshaping African Newsrooms

The forum also focused on the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on journalism.

African media professionals noted that AI is rapidly changing how stories are researched, produced, translated, distributed and consumed, creating both challenges and opportunities for news organisations.

They called for greater cooperation in technology and skills development to ensure African newsrooms are equipped to take advantage of emerging digital tools.

Participants said practical partnerships could include journalist training, newsroom innovation, content-sharing arrangements, exchange programmes and collaborative reporting projects.

Such initiatives, they argued, would strengthen the capacity of African journalists while creating new channels for audiences in China and Africa to access stories directly from one another.

Beyond Traditional Media Exchanges

The discussions at the forum highlighted the need for China-Africa media cooperation to evolve in line with changes in the global information environment.

Rather than focusing solely on formal exchanges and conferences, participants advocated partnerships capable of producing tangible results for journalists, media organisations and audiences.

They also emphasised the importance of people-to-people communication, noting that accurate journalism can play a critical role in strengthening mutual understanding and building closer ties between China and African countries.

The forum underscored the growing importance of the media in shaping the narrative around China-Africa relations, particularly at a time when social media, artificial intelligence and other digital platforms are transforming the global information landscape.

For African journalists, deeper cooperation with Chinese media professionals could provide an opportunity not only to improve newsroom capacity but also to ensure that the evolving China-Africa relationship is reported with greater accuracy, context and balance.