Dean, Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University (IASZNU), Liu Hongwu, has emphasised the need to foster stronger media and academic ties between China and Africa.

This was at the China-Africa Media Dialogue and the launch of the China-Africa Media Research and Communication Centre at IASZNU, China. The newly established centre aims to address the growing demand for Global South countries to amplify their voices in global discourse. Its mission is to promote media cooperation and academic exchange through research, dialogue, and capacity building.

Positioned as an inclusive platform, the centre will connect African and Chinese media ecosystems while contributing to the development of a knowledge system rooted in African perspectives. The centre will be jointly led by Editor-in-chief of Africa China Economy Magazine, Ikenna Emewu, and Assistant research fellow, IASZNU, Li Zhaoying.

Hongwu, emphasised the strategic significance of the centre in advancing South-South cooperation and integrating area studies with global communication. He highlighted its role in consolidating resources, developing cooperative mechanisms, and challenging Western-dominated narratives, ultimately contributing to a shared China-Africa future.

Consul General of China in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, underscored the importance of truthful, objective, and fair narratives in a rapidly evolving global landscape. She lauded IASZNU’s commitment to China-Africa educational and cultural ties and affirmed the centre’s potential to become a powerful platform for joint media training, policy dialogue, and broader cooperation. She also highlighted media’s critical role in rebuilding trust and understanding across communities.

Co-director, Emewu welcomed the initiative as a meaningful step toward institutionalising China-Africa media engagement. He proposed collaborative research, joint publications, and the creation of global networks linking scholars, think tanks, and media professionals to foster innovation and deepen public diplomacy.

The centre’s Chinese Co-director, Li Zhaoying, stressed that mutual understanding through multidimensional and authentic storytelling is essential to people-to-people ties. According to her, building diverse and balanced narratives is key to empowering both Africans and Chinese to represent their own stories on the world stage.