China-Africa digital forum: AI and new narratives drive cooperation

Participants pose for a group photo at a sub-forum themed "Internet Media Cooperation and Promoting People-to-People Connectivity", during the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum, in Xiamen, Southeast China's Fujian province, on Monday. [Photo by Dong Xinyi/chinadaily.com.cn]

The China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum 2025 was held in Xiamen, Southeast China's Fujian province, from Sept 28 to 29. As part of the two-day forum, a sub-forum titled "Internet Media Cooperation and Promoting People-to-People Connectivity", brought together experts, media practitioners and content creators.

Addressing the sub-forum on Monday, Zhen Cheng, deputy director of the Bureau of Cyber Communications at the Cyberspace Administration of China, pledged to "steadily expand IT cooperation with African partners," translating cyberspace interconnectivity and shared governance into real growth. He urged online media to "move quickly and smartly" as audiences shift to digital and AI-driven formats.

Ubuntu AI, China's first specialized intelligent application for African studies, was launched at the sub-forum.

Developed in collaboration with African think tanks and media organizations, the platform aims to build a shared knowledge ecosystem, with its name drawing from a philosophy deeply rooted in African culture.

"The Ubuntu AI large model, developed based on China-Africa cooperation narratives, holds broad prospects," Hu Junfeng, director of Convergence Media Center of China International Communications Group, said.

Africa's image has long been shaped by external narratives focused on poverty, conflict and crisis, noted Chinazaekpere Ugochinyere Ibeakamma, a doctoral candidate at Zhejiang Normal University's School of Education.

Ibeakamma proposed that Chinese and African think tanks could establish a shared media platform to promote the authentic stories of both regions.

"It is essential to promote authentic, multifaceted stories that reflect Africa's innovation, resilience and cultural richness," she said.

Calling for concrete steps to build an inclusive digital ecosystem where African and Chinese creators thrive, Bob Otieno Ndolo Owiyo, chairman of Digital Content Creators Association of Kenya, said that the forum was "not just for dialogue, but for action," adding that mutual trust will help guide the partnership.

A key focus of this collaboration, Owiyo emphasized, will be advancing technology and talent cultivation — specifically through training programs, scholarship and joint research — to nurture the next generation of digital leaders.