How China is using film diplomacy to project a better image across Africa

Beijing’s soft power drive to win African hearts through cinema was on display recently in Bujumbura, where Chinese dragon and lion dances merged with sacred Burundian drums to open Chinese Film Week.The Chinese embassy in Bujumbura, the economic capital of Burundi, said the July 15 event offered “a beautiful example of cultural exchanges between the two countries” and that both sides were determined to “make cinema a vehicle for Sino-Burundian friendship”.Zhu Kewei, China’s ambassador to the East African country, called cinema “a force capable of bridging language barriers, borders and cultures”, adding that “film carries a nation’s historical memories, cultural traditions, values and the emotions of its people”.“Many African friends have told me that they came to know and understand China through Chinese kung fu movies and martial arts stars,” she said at the event, referring to the famous Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies of the 1970s and 1980s.In addition to the film screenings, China and Burundi plan to expand cooperation through creator exchanges, artist mobility, university partnerships, co-productions and skills transfer.Zhu Kewei, China’s ambassador to Burundi, has highlighted the role of cinema as “a force capable of bridging language barriers, borders and cultures”. Photo: HandoutAs part of the China-africa-year-of-human-and-cultural-exchanges" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="171258" data-entity-type="event">China-Africa Year of Human and Cultural Exchanges, the festival in Burundi lined up seven Chinese films, including The Wandering Earth II, Changan and The Snow Leopard.