This photo taken on Nov. 13, 2025 shows a scene at the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum China-Africa Partnership Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Global South Media and Think Tank Forum China-Africa Partnership Conference on Thursday launched the "United in Heart, Path and Action -- 2026 China-Africa Partnership Empowerment Action Plan," aiming to align China-Africa media and think tank cooperation and better support shared development while amplifying the collective voice of the Global South in global governance. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Global South Media and Think Tank Forum China-Africa Partnership Conference on Thursday launched the "United in Heart, Path and Action -- 2026 China-Africa Partnership Empowerment Action Plan," aiming to align China-Africa media and think tank cooperation and better support shared development while amplifying the collective voice of the Global South in global governance.

Issued under the Global South Media and Think Tank Cooperation and Communication Partner Network, the action plan responds to a changing global landscape and common challenges such as climate change, uneven development, the digital divide and geopolitical conflict.

Meanwhile, the action plan agrees on the importance of working together in a world with many power centers, ensuring fair and professional communication, focusing on common development goals, strengthening partnerships under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) framework, and encouraging conversations between different cultures to improve the Global South's influence and voice.

Proposed by Xinhua News Agency in 2024, the Global South Media and Think Tank Cooperation and Communication Partner Network has since attracted more than 1,000 media outlets, think tanks, government agencies and international organizations from 95 countries and regions.

The action plan is a concrete, results-oriented initiative launched by Xinhua to mark the 70th anniversary of China-Africa diplomatic relations and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges in 2026.

The two-day meeting, themed "Reforming Global Governance: New Roles and Visions for China-Africa Cooperation," drew more than 200 representatives from over 160 mainstream media outlets, think tanks and government departments from China and 41 African countries, as well as the African Union (AU). ■