2nd CACIRC held in Beijing

The second China - Africa Cultural Industry Roundtable Conference (CACIRC) was held on May 27 in Beijing. Over 150 people attended the opening ceremony, including officials from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Commerce, as well as officials and experts from the cultural sectors of 21 Francophone countries in Africa and Chinese cultural businesses representatives.

Zhang Aiping, Director of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of China's Ministry of Culture and guest of honor of the meeting, Sedozan Apithy, Benin ambassador to China, made the keynote speeches. Zhang said that the meeting was to carry out the guidelines of the fifth ministerial conference of the forum on China-Africa cooperation, fulfill the related cultural commitments in "Beijing Action Plan (2013-2015)" and further strengthen the pragmatic development for China-Africa friendship. It was also to promote Sino-African economic and trade and cultural exchanges. Apithy said that CACIRC will push forward cultural development on both sides and further promote exchanges in cultural circles. Visiting Chinese cities and cultural businesses also provided representatives with chances to further understand Chinese culture.

The 2nd CACIRC aims to build an exchange platform for Sino- African cultural industries and lay a solid foundation for future bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural industry.

The meeting will end on June 2. The focus will be on the status and role the cultural industry plays in emerging industries in China and African countries and the prospects for future bilateral cooperation. Representatives from both sides will further discuss and exchange opinions on the related policies pertaining to Sino-Africa culture, industry, and their development, successful experience, bilateral demands and cooperative wishes. In addition to a two-day meeting, African representative will also visit cultural businesses in Beijing and Fujian provinces.