China and South Africa Hold New Media Roundtable

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).