Jiang Jianguo, Minister of State Council Information Office of China, speaks at the China-Africa Media Summit in Cape Town, Dec 1, 2015. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

CAPE TOWN - The China-Africa Media Summit kicked off in Cape Town on Tuesday, with both sides pledging to enhance cooperation for the benefit of mutual understanding.

Representatives from 120 media organizations in China and 47 African countries attended the gathering under the theme "A New Era of Win-Win Media Cooperation between China and Africa".

Both Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma sent congratulatory messages to the summit.

In his keynote speech, Jiang Jianguo, Minister of State Council Information Office of China, said the summit bore great significance because it took place days ahead of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled for December 4-5.

He stressed the importance of enhancing the role of media in promoting friendship and mutual understanding between the Chinese and African peoples.

The past recent years, Jiang said, have seen leaps and bounds in the cooperation between the Chinese and African media, thanks to the rapid development of bilateral relations.

He said the media has a greater role to play as China-African relations have reached a new historical level and meet with new opportunities.

Jiang put forward four proposals for further cooperation between the Chinese and African media -- continue to promote China-Africa cooperation; further consolidate the foundation of public opinion for the benefit of China-Africa friendship; create a new framework of communication with joint voices, and deepen practical exchanges between the two sides.

In his opening address, Jeff Radebe, Minister in the Presidency, said the relationship between China and Africa is based on more than just trade, it is a partnership that is aligned to Africa's development goals.

He pointed to an opportunity for media to contribute to development and positive behavioural change by publishing content that is not only informative, but also educational, empowering, and liberating to individuals and communities.

"Media leaders from both China and Africa stand an opportunity to frame win-win solutions that would deepen this positive trajectory of co-operation and development," he added.

"At a political level, as most African leaders we appreciate the increasing diplomatic and trade relations with China. I am therefore hoping that as media activists you will be able to strengthen the relationship between Africa and your Chinese counterparts in terms of deepening a new type Sino-African Strategic Partnership," the minister noted.

He said South Africa appreciates the Chinese people, businesses and government for their interest to partner with African countries through mutually beneficial mechanisms like FOCAC.

The FOCAC meeting will be an opportunity to further stimulate growth and unlock new opportunities between China and Africa on trade and cooperation. Africa and China have forged strong economic relations, particularly since 2009 when China became the continent's largest trading partner, said Radebe.