The launch ceremony of ChinAfrica  Magazine's Special Issue for the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is held in Johannesburg on December 3 (Wang Xiang BEIJING REVIEW)

Jiang Jianguo, Minister of the State Council Information Office (Wang Xiang BEIJING REVIEW)

Nolo Letele, Chairman of Multichoice and Director of Naspers Group (Wang Xiang BEIJING REVIEW)

ChinAfrica  Magazine's Special Issue for the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was officially launched in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 3, one day before the opening of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit.

Hosted by the State Council Information Office of China, the launch ceremony was jointly organized by BEIJING REVIEW of China International Publishing Group and Naspers Group of South Africa. Jiang Jianguo, Minister of the State Council Information Office, Yang Peidong, Acting Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg, Li Yafang, President of BEIJING REVIEW and Nolo Letele, Chairman of Multichoice and Director of Naspers Group spoke at the event.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma sent congratulatory messages on the publication of the Special Issue. In his message, Xi said, "We [China and Africa] are now facing unprecedented opportunities for cooperation. Let us work together toward win-win cooperation for common development within the framework of FOCAC and a more prosperous life for Chinese and African people." Zuma hoped that on the occasion of FOCAC's 15th anniversary, "we can identify what is needed to catapult this strategic partnership to a new level."

Jiang said in his speech that the congratulatory messages provide strong evidence of the close attention paid by the two heads of state to the role of the Special Issue as well as their full recognition of the contributions made by Chinese and African media to the China-Africa friendship. The minister added that the presidential messages give the media a new mandate to forge greater synergy for further development of China-Africa relations.

Introducing the ChinAfrica  Summit Special Issue, BEIJING REVIEW President Li Yafang said it gives a full coverage on the fruitful achievements of China-Africa cooperation in major sectors since the establishment of FOCAC in 2000. The articles by Chinese ministers of foreign affairs, agriculture, culture and national health and family planning, commentaries by Chinese and African experts and scholars, and human interest stories about ordinary Chinese and Africans, all demonstrate the pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa in diverse areas.

Copies of the Special Issue will be available for all participants in the FOCAC Summit. Besides, Naspers Group will distribute 211,000 copies across Africa through its channels.

The event was also attended by officials from the State Council Information Office, participants in the China-Africa Media Summit, Chinese diplomats to South Africa, and representatives from Naspers Group and Chinese companies in South Africa, as well as Chinese and South African think tanks and media organizations.

(Reporting from South Africa )