On June 26, China Public Diplomacy Association’s 2019 Project, Africa Center Media Group, arrived in Changsha and started on a visit of 5 days to report on the first China-Africa Economic and Trade Exposition. Mainstream media reporters from 33 African countries including Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia will fully participate in covering the various activities of the conference, then set off for Shaoshan, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center and Sany Heavy Industry to visit and interview.

 

To reporters of the African Center Media Group, which aspect of the Exposition do they concern about the most? What do they know about Hunan? Hunan today has interviewed journalists from South Africa, Uganda, Senegal, and other countries to hear what they say.

 

African reporters from 33 countries are interested in different fields.

 

“Coming to this Expo has been a great opportunity for Senegal, especially when Senegal being among the guest countries of honor.” Amadou Diop, the reporter of Le Soleil, said proudly.

 

According to him, the Expo will help China and Africa to establish a better relationship while promoting trade and investment between China and Africa. “Also, through this event, everyone will be able to realize that Africa can not only import goods from China but also export its products to China."

 

Wendyl Martin, the assistant chief editor of the Independent Media in South Africa, is most concerned about the fashion industry in his country. “At this expo, there will be many designers and costumes from South Africa to showcase their costumes and fashion pieces, so as to promote African traditional patterns to China. I want to focus on interviewing them.”

 

Martin stated that there has been more and more China-Africa open communication, especially between southern China and Africa. A few weeks ago, South Africa opened up a new air route to Guangzhou. “I believe that the development of transportation can bring on more commercial opportunities. As a result, Changsha and Africa will be able to develop further cooperation in the future.”

 

For Mahmoud Saad Kamel Diab, Foreign Affair Journalist of the Al-Ahram Gate,  at the Expo, he cares about the issue of tourism the most. “There has been a growing number of Chinese tourists visiting Egypt, wanting to get a touch of the ancient Egyptian culture and history. As far as I know, Hunan is also a province with ancient history. I hope that more Hunan tourists will travel to Egypt in the future and have distinctive cultural and historical experience.”

 

Victor Oluoch Onyango from The Daily Nation in Kenya said, "The cooperation between China and Africa used to be at the national level, but now the connection between China's various provinces and Africa are becoming closer and more frequent." He also mentioned in particular that in the field of energy. In this field of energy automobiles, Hunan is developing rapidly.

 

On June 12, Changsha launched a new regular flight route to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. "The starting of this route will open up a larger Hunan market and even the Chinese market as a whole."

 

“I want to go to Shaoshan to see where Chairman Mao used to live.”

 

At the meeting, directors of the Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department shared with the press Mao Zedong’s special connection with Africa, the contribution Yuan Longping has devoted to Africa, the medical aid from Hunan against the Ebola epidemic, as well as other friendly stories Hunan media has interviewed and reported about Africa. They look forward to the visiting African media group to work as a conscientious messenger of communication and cooperation between China and Africa, comprehensively reporting the grand exposition and its achievement in depth. In actively disseminating great stories and harmonious voices of China and Africa, African people will be able to learn about Hunan and China more thoroughly, thereby create a China-Africa cooperating community that shares responsibilities and builds cultural prosperity.

 

When talking about Chairman Mao, Ugandan host and journalist Mubarak Mugabo from the Vision Group seemed both excited and respectful. “In Uganda, everyone knows about Chairman Mao, even a three-year-old child.” He said that in Africa, there are four Chinese people whose names are celebrated everywhere: Chairman Mao, President Xi Jinping, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li.

 

Mubarak Mugabo showed great expectations for the upcoming trip to visit Shaoshan and other places. "I know that Shaoshan is the hometown of Chairman Mao and would like to see what kind of house Chairman Mao once lived in."

 

Prior to his arrival, Wendyl Martin, assistant chief editor of the Independent Media Group, had never heard of Changsha. But he searched for Changsha on the Internet, thus learned a lot about this city. 

 

Laughingly, he said, "Changsha is said to have many famous attractions and fascinating nightlife. I’d really like to experience it."

 

Source: hunantoday.cn