China/Africa media partnership will strengthen bilateral ties –Ni Yanshuo

R-L: Director, Centre for China Studies (CCS), Mr. Charles Onunaiju with Head of Delegation, ChinaAfrica Magazine, Mr. Ni Yanshuo, during his visit to CCS head office, in Abuja yesterday


By Ochiaka Ugwu

A strategic media partnership between the People’s Republic of China and Africa will greatly enhance relations between the two entities, the Assistant Executive Editor of CHINAFRICA and BEIJING REVIEW News outlets, Mr. Ni Yanshuo has said.

He said we have to balance whatever story that was coming out of Africa noting that the collaboration need to inform peoples on the activities of China, Africa relation.

Mr. Ni made this known Sunday while leading a delegation of media think-tank from China to felicitate with the Centre for China Studies (CCS) in Abuja.

Ni noted that China and Nigeria have a lot in common that will strengthen their ties for a better society and shared future.

He said that China being the most populous nation in Asia continent and the world and Nigeria being the most populous country in Africa and the black world needs each other for a stronger community and for world peace.

Ni called for a people to people contact for a better comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership that will promote peace and sustainable development.

The leader of the four-person-delegation maintained that our role as media personnel was not only to inform our people but to inform them aright.

He said they as Chinese newsmen were dedicated in reporting any region right and not like Western oriented mediums that always report negative stories thereby neglecting balance and objectivity.

Also speaking, Director of Centre for China Studies (CCS), Mr. Charles Onunaiju said our collaboration in media is very important for a greater partnership between China and Africa.

Onunaiju who thanked China for providing concessionary loans to Africa for development of critical infrastructure for sustainable development said there is need for China and Africa to jointly tell their stories in order not to allow their detractors tell their story for them.

He also praised China’s resolve not to interfere in internal affairs of nations is having dealings with saying that China’s military bases in Djibouti is about strategic military support to fight piracy unlike the West that uses it for regime change.

CCS Director also made case for both Beijing Review and Chinafrica to be published in West Africa with an office in Nigeria given the huge presence of Chinese activities in the region.