China and numerous African nations have signed a joint declaration focusing on artificial intelligence applications, digital transformation, and media cooperation during a major high-level summit in Beijing. The agreement was approved by guests attending the seventh South African Government News Agency, which officially opened on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
China and African Nations Sign Landmark Deal at Beijing Media Forum
The event drew approximately 400 delegates from China and 45 African nations, including government broadcasting regulators, media outlets, international organizations, diplomatic missions, businesses, and university think tanks. Organizers reported a record-high level of participation, featuring 33 minister-level delegates from African countries.
The three-day forum, running from August 19 to 21, 2026, is co-hosted by China’s National Radio and Television Administration, the Beijing municipal government, and the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), operating under the theme Share Development Opportunities, Shape the Audio-Visual Future.
First established in 2012, the gathering serves as a primary platform for media dialogue between China and African nations during the designated China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
Artificial Intelligence, Governance, and Broadcasting Innovation
Discussions at the summit centered heavily on integrating artificial intelligence into radio, television, and audio-visual sectors. Addressing the forum, AUB Director General Gregoire Ndjaka noted that the broadcasting industry is entering a new era where AI, digital transformation, and shifting audience behavior are reshaping content production and distribution.
At this critical moment, the booming cooperation between China and Africa in AI media applications has been a strong source of encouragement,
Ndjaka said, adding that Chinese technology has significantly contributed to modernizing Africa’s broadcasting infrastructure.
Leaders and officials from across the continent emphasized both the utility and the governance challenges surrounding emerging technologies. Nomsa Lebogang Chabeli, CEO of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, stated that AI helps overcome language barriers, broadens media access, and enables multi-platform distribution. However, Chabeli warned of regulatory risks, suggesting that China and African nations can jointly explore solutions by sharing experiences in ethical digital governance.
Chernor Abduli Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, voiced a desire for deeper technological collaboration. China has built fantastic expertise and professionalism over the years,
Bah said, adding, It’s not just about us benefiting from Chinese technology. It is for us to be part of the process of creating AI models and technologies so that these models can be responsive to our needs.
Expanding Infrastructure and Practical Partnerships
The forum highlighted several ongoing and expanding technological projects across the African continent. Evelyne Butoyi, Burundi’s Minister of Communication and Media, detailed how her country’s collaboration with Chinese firm StarTimes established the Burundi Television Company, which improved picture quality and expanded programming. Butoyi also highlighted the Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages
initiative, noting that 500 villages in Burundi received free set-top boxes to bring digital television to remote rural communities.
In addition, the AUB is preparing to establish a training center in Dakar, Senegal, which will host a pan-African broadcasting and television station. Alongside the ministerial meetings, a separate delegation of 55 young media representatives from seven African nations—including Côte d’Ivoire, Comoros, the Central African Republic, Mauritania, Mauritius, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso—toured industrial and cultural sites in China’s Hunan Province to explore practical avenues for industrial and agricultural cooperation.
South African Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong participated in the forum as part of broader efforts to advance a more balanced representation of Africa and the Global South in the international information environment, engaging with technology companies and media institutions to promote content production and media skills development.
