Publishing tie-up with Africa launched

The China-Africa Publishing Association was launched on Friday in Jinan, Shandong province, providing a new platform for publishing exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations.

The association was jointly initiated by publishing institutions from China and Africa during the 10th Forum on Innovation and Development of Digital Publishing, with the aim of deepening practical cooperation and promoting mutual benefit in the publishing sector.

Fang Yunlong, a counselor of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the initiative is an important step toward implementing the consensus reached at the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and advancing the development of a platform for China-Africa exchanges on governance.

"From the ancient Silk Road to the Belt and Road Initiative, publications have served as a bridge of friendship and a means of sharing knowledge between the peoples of China and Africa," Fang said. The ongoing digital and intelligent revolution has also created broad opportunities for publishing cooperation between the two sides, he added.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries, as well as the China-Africa Year of Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges.

Asare Konadu Yamoah, vice-president of the African Publishers Network and president of Ghana's Adaex Education Publications, said China and Africa have rich civilizational heritages and highly complementary publishing industries.

Cooperation will help African cultures reach wider audiences while creating new opportunities for the publishing industries of both sides, he said.

Feng Shixin, president of the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, called for leveraging platforms such as the China-Africa Publishing Association to deepen cooperation in copyright, talent, technology and services, and promote mutual learning between civilizations and closer people-to-people ties.