Activity Type: Media Summit

On November 23, 2018, government officials and media representatives from China and South Africa met in Pretoria for a South Africa-China New Media Roundtable (中國-南非新媒體圓桌會議). Co-hosted by China’s Cyberspace Administration (國家互聯網信息辦公室), an agency under the CCP’s Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission that serves as both a state and party institution, and South Africa’s Information Department, the event gathered delegates from both countries’ government, business, media, and academic sectors. Notable attendees included Gao Xiang (高翔), Deputy Director of China’s Cyberspace Administration who later became president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Cedric Frolick, House Chairperson for Committees, Oversight and ICT in South Africa’s National Assembly. Gao Xiang outlined China’s internet governance approach and offered three proposals for media cooperation, while South African Information Department Director-General Mashilo Boloka expressed interest in Chinese network security expertise and stated that “South Africa needs to learn from China’s knowledge and experience in network governance, network regulations, and network technology.” The meeting concluded with a memorandum signing between People’s Daily Online (人民網股份有限公司) and the South Africa-China Cultural and Tourism Investment Trade Promotion Center (南中文化和旅遊投資貿易促進中心).

On July 19, 2018, Xinhua News Agency (新华通讯社) and South Africa’s Independent Media co-hosted the 3rd BRICS Media Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. According to Xinhua sources, the event reportedly attracted attendance from 48 mainstream media organizations from the five BRICS countries and African nations, though Independent Online confirmed “38 mainstream media organisations from the BRICS bloc as well as African countries” attended. Xinhua reported that African media representatives expressed “expectations for strengthening cooperation with BRICS countries’ media” (期待与金砖国家媒体加强合作). A representative from Kenya’s The Standard (旗帜报) was quoted as saying that “Africa has its own stories to tell the world” (非洲有自己的故事要向世人讲述), echoing narratives promoted by Chinese media about African storytelling. The forum adopted the Cape Town Declaration 2018, which established commitments for content sharing and creating “a united news service between the various BRICS news services.”