On April 2, the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum 2024 was held in Xiamen. The forum centered on the theme of "Building Digital Innovation Partnerships and Creating a Better Future for Digital Cooperation", and aimed to provide a platform for China and Africa to expand and deepen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of digital economy, cyber-security, cyber-media, and AI governance, to deepen the dialogues and exchanges between China and Africa in the field of the Internet, and to join hands in building a closer community of destiny in cyberspace. Mr. Zhuang Rongwen, Director of the National Internet Information Office of China, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech, Mr. Zhou Zuyi, Secretary of Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of Fujian Provincial People's Congress, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech, and Mr. Zhao Long, Deputy Secretary of Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Fujian Provincial People's Government, presided over the opening ceremony.

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony, Zhuang Rongwen said that in 2013, President Xi Jinping put forward the concept of truthful and sincere policy toward Africa and the correct concept of righteousness and benefit, solemnly declared that China and Africa will always be reliable friends and sincere partners, and emphasized that "China and Africa have always been a community of shared destiny", which points out the direction for us to strengthen the exchanges and cooperation in the field of China-Africa cyber-credit. In recent years, China and Africa have deepened their exchanges and cooperation in the fields of digital economy, digital technology, cyber-security and cyber-media, injecting new momentum into the building of the China-Africa community of destiny. China is willing to work with African countries to promote common development through equal dialogues, join hands to promote China-Africa digital cooperation to keep pace with the times, improve quality and upgrade, promote mutual benefits and win-win situation through practical cooperation, and jointly write a new chapter of China-Africa digital cooperation. In this regard, he put forward four suggestions: first, adhere to inclusive cooperation and share the development opportunities of the information revolution; second, adhere to mutual assistance and safeguard peace and security in cyberspace; third, adhere to openness and inclusiveness and promote exchanges and mutual understanding of cyber civilization; and fourth, adhere to justice and reasonableness and improve the global Internet governance system.

Zhou Zuyi said in his speech that President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to China-Africa relations, leading the construction of the China-Africa community of shared destiny into the "high-speed way", which provides a fundamental guideline for us to deepen the cooperation in various fields, including the Internet. Fujian is the ideological source and practical starting point for the construction of digital China. During his work in Fujian, President Xi Jinping made a strategic plan to build digital Fujian, pioneering the construction of digital provinces. Fujian has close ties with Africa, and cooperation between the two sides has continued to deepen in recent years. On the new journey, Fujian will deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's foreign affairs thought and President Xi Jinping's important thought on network power, take this China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum held in Xiamen as an opportunity to further broaden the breadth and depth of cooperation in the field of Internet with Africa, and work together to promote the construction of information infrastructure, develop and grow the digital economy, improve the level of digital public service, safeguard cyber-security, share development opportunities, win-win in the digital era of infinite vitality, and strive to make greater contributions to the development of China-Africa relations.

The representative of Africa thanked China for organizing the forum, saying that the forum is an important action for all parties to implement the Dakar Declaration signed in 2021, and is very important for carrying out China-Africa cooperation in the field of Internet and information technology. China is Africa's strategic partner in the digital field, and hopes to take this forum as an opportunity to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa, enhance the construction of digital infrastructure in Africa, promote digital entrepreneurship, innovation and e-commerce development, strengthen international cooperation in the digital field, and push forward the building of a community of shared destiny in China-Africa cyberspace.

Chen Xiaodong, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Yang Guorui, Deputy Director General of China's State Administration of Radio and Television, Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou, Minister of Digital and Digitization of Benin, Bonjean Frédéric Mbazza, Minister of Digital Economy and New Information Technology of Gabon, Dominic Migisha, Director General of Digital Development of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Percy Chinyama, National Coordinator of Smart Zambia, and Ny Quinoya, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ant Group, Executive Officer Mr. Wells, Internet Hall of Fame inductee and "Father of the Internet in Africa" Mr. Nii Quinno, and Chief Regulatory Officer of GSM Association Mr. Giusti attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Wang Song, Deputy Director General of China's National Internet Information Office, Modestus Amutesse, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology of Namibia, Milin Hellemichael Tolesa, Deputy Director General of the Ethiopian Communications Authority and other government officials of African countries, Mr. Wang Chunwan, Ambassador of Mauritius, Mr. Siyabonga, Ambassador of South Africa, Mr. Franois Nkuna Balumuene, Ambassador of DRC, Mr. Elia George Kaiyamo, Ambassador of Namibia, Mr.Daouda Bitie, Ambassador of Burkina Faso, Mr. Kenneth Sentle Rabale, Ambassador of Lesotho, and Mr. Lenet Mwende Ndir, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Kenya, were present at the Opening Ceremony.

At the opening ceremony, an event was held to release the results. Zhuang Rongwen awarded a plaque to the "China-Africa Network Security and Informatization Exchange and Cooperation Base", and Wang Song presided over the release of the results and announced that a training course on China-Africa network capacity building would be held this year.

Organized by the National Internet Information Office of China and the People's Government of Fujian Province, the forum is themed "Building Digital Innovation Partnerships for a Better Future of Digital Cooperation", with four sub-forums on "Sharing Opportunities for the Development of Digital Economy", "Expanding China-Africa Online Media Cooperation", "Building a Solid Barrier for Cyber Security" and "Artificial Intelligence Development and Governance". About 400 representatives from China and 20 African countries, as well as international organizations, colleges and universities, research institutes and news media attended the forum.

The forum will also release the Presidential Statement of the 2024 China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum on China-Africa Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence.