A seminar to promote Sino-African relations got off to a
positive start in Beijing yesterday.
A delegation of 43 senior African press officials, from 29
countries, met at the invitation of the State Council Information
Office (SCIO).
The annual press seminar has run for three years, as part of an
agreement reached during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to deepen
cooperation between the two sides.
"China is the most populous developing country in the world,
while Africa is the region with most developing countries," Qian
Xiaoqian, deputy director of SCIO, said at the opening
ceremony.
"The promotion of Sino-African press communication and
cooperation will facilitate the building of a just and reasonable
international communications order that reflects the voices and
interests of developing countries," Qian said.
"We should take advantage of the opportunity to enhance
cooperation and maintain long-term developments in regard the
press. We will take what we learn here and spread it," Burundi's
government spokeswoman and information minister Hafsa Mossi
said.
"We are thankful to China for its support and assistance of
Africa's development I believe the relationship between China and
Africa will have a bright future in the years ahead," the Ethiopian
Ambassador to China Hailekiros Gessesse, said.
In its half-month tour of China, the delegation will visit the
Ministry of Commerce, the Beijing Olympics Organization Committee
and attend a regular news briefing at the Foreign Ministry.
It is also slated to visit several press agencies, including
China Daily.
(China Daily September 4, 2007)
