WINDHOEK, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- As China-Africa relations continue to deepen, more young Africans are choosing China as a destination to study, create and connect across cultures.
Among them is Namibian television host and digital content creator David Mbeha, who recently relocated to Beijing to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree, while expanding his footprint in the digital creative space.
"I decided on China, considering that I was already slowly moving into digital content production with the launch of my podcast titled 'Uninterrupted with David Mbeha,'" Mbeha told Xinhua in a recent interview.
"I knew Beijing would be the perfect place due to its huge embrace of digital creativity, digital economy and advanced technology sector, allowing me to form part of a bigger digital creative community," he said.
Mbeha described his move as part of a broader personal and professional strategy aimed at cultivating a global mindset and evolving creatively, a path that mirrors the growing emphasis on people-to-people exchanges between Africa and China.
The launch of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges is expected to further encourage such exchanges in culture, media, education and youth engagement.
Since arriving in Beijing, Mbeha has quickly immersed himself in China's vibrant creative and media ecosystem.
"Since my move to Beijing, I have had the honor of being part of the 2025 Beijing International Film Festival as an African media representative," he said.
Mbeha also took part in a Wuhan-based e-commerce workshop, where he was recognized for his live-streaming skills, reflecting the growing convergence of media, commerce and digital innovation in China.
Mbeha was also recently featured on China Global Television Network (CGTN) in an interview tracing his personal and professional journey in Beijing, marking a major milestone in his international media career.
"My work in both digital creativity and television in Africa gained recognition from CGTN, where I shared about my journey in the creative industry and connecting Africa and China," he said.
The conversation explored Mbeha's transition from traditional television hosting to digital storytelling, his experiences navigating China's media and creative industries, and the growing importance of cross-cultural narratives in strengthening Africa-China engagement.
Mbeha's experience in Beijing reflects the broader trend of young African creatives engaging with global media, innovation and cultural exchange.
According to Mbeha, he plans to remain in Beijing for the duration of his one-year master's program.
Beyond his studies, he noted that living in the Chinese capital has exposed him to culture, food and fashion in entirely new ways.
"Every day feels like a masterclass on innovation," Mbeha said. "From little things such as how payments are conducted to the high-speed train, efficiency is everything. Here in Beijing, there is so much that I want to do."
Reflecting on his career evolution, Mbeha said the move to China coincided with a moment of self-reflection.
"Television is my first love," he said. "But when I turned 30 this year, I knew that it was time to challenge myself and grow in other spaces."
"I have a huge passion to develop my skills further not only as a TV host but also as a producer and director and to grow in the digital content production space," he added.
Mbeha believes his journey can serve as inspiration to others across Africa who aspire to work beyond borders.
"My move to Beijing marks the beginning of a career shift, and I hope to inspire everyone who has a dream to never stop believing in themselves," Mbeha said.
Looking ahead, Mbeha said he hopes to play a bridging role between the two continents, particularly as China and Africa prepare to expand cultural and human exchanges in the coming years.
"I hope to be a conduit of human stories, connecting the African continent to China and China to Africa," he said.
"I believe there is a space for both Africa and China to share their creativity. Africa can take advantage of its partnership with China to learn from China's impeccable technological advancement and the country's embrace of the digital economy," Mbeha added.
