China-Africa Publishing Association to boost exchanges between Chinese, African civilizations

The 10th Forum on Innovation and Development of Digital Publishing was held in Jinan, Shandong province, on Aug 28, during which the China-Africa Publishing Association was launched. The alliance has blazed a new trail for deepening pragmatic cooperation and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results between China and Africa in the publishing sector.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa and the China-Africa Year of Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges. To implement the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2025–2027) and practice the Global Civilization Initiative, publishing institutions from China and Africa have jointly initiated and established the alliance under the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. It aims to build a regularized cooperation mechanism for China-Africa publishing exchanges, deepen mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations, as well as exchanges on governance, tell inspiring stories of China-Africa cooperation, and advance in-depth pragmatic cooperation in publishing and cultural fields.

Wang Liming, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the China Publishers Association, said generative artificial intelligence is driving the full-chain transformation and upgrading of the publishing industry. The industry must accurately grasp the direction of industrial reform, prioritize content as the core, and uphold the soul and foundation of publishing amid technological iteration. Meanwhile, it is essential to strictly regulate the boundaries of technological application, strengthen industrial self-discipline and ethical development, safeguard publishing security, and maintain a sound and orderly market environment for the industry. Looking ahead, the industry needs to continuously build an open industrial ecosystem, accelerate the cultivation of interdisciplinary talents adaptable to the needs of the times, and focus on fostering strategic and innovative talents to lead the future development of the industry. Furthermore, it should actively participate in global digital publishing governance, carry out extensive international pragmatic cooperation, build consensus among the global industry, and foster a new pattern of mutually beneficial development for the publishing industry. Wang also called on the industry to consolidate development consensus, deepen collaborative cooperation, jointly write a new chapter of AI-empowered publishing ecosystem, and contribute Chinese wisdom to the high-quality development of the global publishing industry.