The media center for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), with its impressive media technologies and tailored services, has been well received by journalists covering the event.
Covering more than 10,000 square meters, the media centre is fully covered by a 5G mobile network and has three live reporting points equipped with the latest AI-powered robotics which are capable of providing 24-hour service. There are also interview rooms, studios and silent cabins in the center.
Xiao Qi, an interactive humanoid robot can answer questions from journalists in Chinese, English, and French.
"As soon as you enter you are greeted with an AI robot that you could actually have a conversation with. I was very impressed. I got to press the button and talk and engage with the robot. It just shows us, you know, how technologically advanced that this whole media center is and I am just looking forward to the technology and to the sharing of skills and knowledge that we can import from one another with the African and our Chinese counterparts. It's one of the best media centers that I have experienced in my 15 years of professional journalism," said Ayanda Moluli, journalist of South Africa's Daily Mail.
"The design of the media center is closely related to China-Africa cooperation, integrating elements such as the Beijing swift, the Temple of Heaven, a wall of the flags of participating African countries, natural landscapes of Africa, and the achievements of China-Africa cooperation. It shows the consistent solidarity of the friendly family of China and Africa and highlights the theme of this year's summit: Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future." said Tao Lili, executive director of the media center.
The media center also has two major eye-catching offerings: an interactive technology exhibition and an immersive experience of intangible cultural heritage. By watching the 8K ultra-high-definition (HD) videos and interacting with AI digital personas, journalists can enjoy an in-person interaction with China's new quality productive forces and its traditional culture.
So far, the this year's summit, which is scheduled to be held from Wednesday to Friday in Beijing, has seen over 3,000 Chinese and foreign journalists registered, a record number for a FOCAC summit.
Hi-tech media center for 2024 FOCAC summit well received by journalists
The Mid-Autumn Festival Gala, to be held by China Media Group (CMG), will provide a stunning visual feast through the ingenious combination of state-of-the-art technologies and picturesque landscape scenery, aiming to impress the audience via delicate stage designs in romantic and aesthetic settings.
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Tuesday this year. CMG has announced that the gala is going to take place in Shenyang City, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.
The stage for the upcoming gala has been set on the lakeside of Dingxiang Lake in Shenyang City as the event is aimed to present an impressive "beautiful, sincere, lyrical, and romantic" artistic vision.
Nestled against the lake, the circular stage featuring a 360-degree panorama highlights the integration of art and modern technologies.
The biggest highlight and innovation of the stage design is a movable "full moon". With a diameter of 12 meters, the moon weighing 10 tons sits on the main stage and casts light on the rippling water.
"The use of water is a feature of the Mid-Autumn Festival Gala. We hope that the mutual reflections of the images will evoke longing for family reunion. These buildings with styles of Ming and Qing dynasties, the typical and simple Chinese moon gate, we hope that through graphics, modeling, physical scenery set and the overall structural setting of the stage, we can combine Chinese aesthetics with modernity and infuse the Chinese aesthetics in the Mid-Autumn Festival stage creation, so as to present them to Chinese people around the world," said Wang Chen, director of stage art of the gala.
"When I got here and saw it today, I thought the stage setting is so beautiful. The big moon delivers an artistic conception. And there is a pavilion by the water. When a performer stands inside and sing, it looks like a beautiful painting. This time I will sing a very beautiful song, and I'll also dance in my performance. I hope people will like it," said Jin Chen, a performer.
In addition to the theme of family reunion, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival Gala also incorporates patriotism, as well as precious video clips showcasing the development of the country.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a significant traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the night when the moon reaches its fullest and brightest on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.
During the festival, family members would come together, share mooncakes while admiring the moon, and light up lanterns to enjoy the happiness of family reunion.
CMG unveils moon-shaped, dreamlike stage of Mid-Autumn Festival Gala
