BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese films and TV dramas are finding growing audiences across Africa, just as African stories are beginning to make their way onto Chinese screens.
A two-way cultural flow is gaining momentum through a rising appetite among young viewers on both sides, alongside government agreements and industry partnerships.
For Tanzanian student Zena Saidi, Chinese audiovisual content served as an early window into Chinese society. She was drawn to dramas like "The Temptation of Going Home" and "The Tale of Rose," and soon found herself sharing her enthusiasm with those around her.
"Under my influence, my family and friends have also become fans of Chinese television dramas," she said.
In recent years, a growing variety of Chinese audiovisual products have reached African audiences, ranging from films and television dramas to animation and micro-dramas.
Chinese streaming platforms such as iQIYI and Mango TV have expanded their presence in Africa, while local broadcasters have increasingly dubbed Chinese dramas into local languages.
In the Comoros, 15-year-old Halima Binty Mohamed Kassim, who has studied Chinese for five years, was deeply moved by "Minning Town," a drama about ordinary people working to change their lives.
Before watching the series, Kassim mainly thought of China as a highly modernized country from afar. The drama brought that picture closer, revealing the everyday lives of ordinary Chinese people, whose resilience, family devotion and solidarity made the country feel more real and relatable. "Through this TV series, I have gained a deeper understanding of China," the young viewer said.
"African audiences increasingly love Chinese television programs," said director general of the African Union of Broadcasting, Gregoire Ndjaka, at a recent forum on China-Africa media collaboration in Beijing.
While acknowledging the tangible results of Africa-China cooperation in the broadcasting industry, Ndjaka called on African and Chinese broadcasters and media platforms to explore ways of bringing African stories to Chinese audiences.
Both China and Africa are undergoing profound transformations in their media industries, he added. "We should build a partnership in which technology connects us, innovation makes us stronger, and content brings our people closer together."
"African stories often struggle to find visibility on the world stage, and China-Africa audiovisual cooperation provides a powerful platform for us," said Kassim. The teenager expressed hope that films and cultural productions from the Comoros could one day air on Chinese television, allowing Chinese audiences to discover the islands' unique landscapes, musical traditions and everyday life.
Notably, efforts have already fostered two-way cultural exchanges. Chinese media organizations are also working to bring excellent African stories to Chinese audiences.
Since 2022, a total of 80 audiovisual productions from 29 African countries have been made available to Chinese audiences, including 30 productions from countries like Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda in 2026 alone.
One example is the Egyptian documentary "Om El Donya." Restored with Chinese tech assistance and broadcast in primetime on a 4K television channel in China, it brings Chinese audiences a vivid glimpse into 6,500 years of ancient Egyptian civilization.
The restoration project demonstrates how Chinese technology can help preserve African cultural heritage while creating new opportunities for bilateral cultural exchange.
China has also applied this digital restoration approach to audiovisual materials from other African countries, alongside training programs in artificial intelligence and ultra-high-definition production, to build local capacity.
From early 2025 to August 2026, Chinese authorities and institutions trained nearly 480 professionals from 31 countries across the continent.
Fu Binxing, president of Huace Group, said her company aims "not only to bring Chinese stories to Africa, but also to bring African stories to the world through its global network."
"When content truly strikes a chord with audiences, cultural differences are no longer barriers, but become a starting point for mutual appreciation," Fu said.
Meanwhile, China-Africa media cooperation has shifted from imports to co-creation. In 2025, a production team from central China's Hunan Province traveled across nine African countries to produce the first season of "Sing for Africa," a talent show co-created with Kenya's national broadcaster. The program attracted over 5,000 music enthusiasts from across the continent.
On the news front, China Media Group has deepened ties with African media through Africa Link Union and the Global South Media Partners Mechanism, making "Africa Live" a regular news program on national TV in Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
As 2026 marks both the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries, deeper cooperation will take place across various media platforms to strengthen mutual understanding and bilateral ties.
"We welcome the growing exchanges between our peoples and the sharing of expertise. Chinese and African media organizations are joining hands to tell the stories of our friendship," said Ndjaka. ■