HARARE, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe is committed to deepening cultural exchanges and collaboration with China to promote the arts industry, Napoleon Nyanhi, chief executive officer of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the second edition of the Harare Forum for Africa (HFA) held in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Nyanhi said a series of cultural exchange programs have taken Zimbabwean creative experts and young artists to China for education and information sharing, further exposing local talent to the international scene.
"A lot of exchange has happened in the areas of live performance, including music, dance, and instrumentation. We are intrigued to see the increased collaboration that has gone into other spheres of the arts, which are areas of fashion design, areas of filmmaking, and television production," said Nyanhi.
He noted that in recent years, there has been significant support from China and the local Chinese community to Zimbabwe's arts and culture activities, which include the National Arts Merit Awards held annually to recognize outstanding achievements by artists across various disciplines.
The inaugural China Film Festival in Zimbabwe, held earlier this month, marked a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe, which are celebrating 45 years of diplomatic relations and cooperation, he added.
Nyanhi said last year, the NACZ launched the Zimbabwe Film Strategy 2025-2030, which seeks to improve the quality of productions and transform the country's film industry into a globally competitive sector.
"Collaborations with friendly countries, or countries that are deeply tied in friendship with Zimbabwe, like China, are critical in making this plan a reality," Nyanhi added.
The HFA, mainly organized by the School of Journalism and Communication at China's Tsinghua University and the China Zimbabwe Exchange Center, serves as a platform for academics, business leaders, and government representatives to share their insights into Africa's development issues.
