September 4, 2024
China’s StarTimes boosts soft power with popular shows and football in Africa
Listen to the article China’s strategic expansion into Africa through satellite TV has highlighted its soft power, especially with its focus on popular shows and soccer. As African leaders gather in Beijing for the China-Africa summit, President Xi Jinping’s initiative to provide digital television access to remote villages is nearing completion, with more than 9,600 villages receiving satellite infrastructure. The project, overseen by Chinese company StarTimes, was part of a commitment Xi made at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Johannesburg nearly nine years ago. Funded by China’s South-South Aid Fund, the initiative aimed to install satellite dishes in



