I think China has done a lot of practical work, but it hasn't done enough to spread its influence abroad.
On July 30th, during this open and honest conversation, Uyimana spoke from her own experiences, combining years of observation in the front line, and shared some "truths" with the camera.
In his opinion, there is much that can be done in China to increase the visibility of its contributions.
‘Perhaps this is because of the humility that runs deep in your veins. I think Chinese people are very humble, and you are willing to provide substantial support.’
Uyiman explained, “For partners from other countries, if they give you a project worth $100,000, about half of the budget will be spent on public relations and promotion. For example, if they donate 20 bags of rice to you, they insist on printing the words ‘From the People of Country X’ on the packaging. They always try to create more brand packaging, and even if it’s just a small thing, they still want to promote it vigorously. But in China, things are much more discreet.”
He said bluntly, "You may be doing a noble cause, doing many good things, but if you don’t speak out, people won’t know what you’re doing."
In August 2024, Chinese rice experts from Huye District, Southern Province of Rwanda, were guiding local rice farmers in transplanting seedlings in the rice fields. Xinhua News Agency
In the international media landscape, China's many actions in Africa have long been within the reach of Western media, leading to frequent accusations without any basis. Uyiman, in particular, is an experienced person who has crossed different media landscapes—he has worked for Voice of America, European News Agency, Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, and Xinhua News Agency. Such a cross-system and cross-regional media background gives him a deeper understanding of the hidden currents and obstacles in global information flows than most people.
Western media is not only targeting China but also African countries, they often focus on those "unsustainable" negative events and extensively report them. Uiyman pointed out the narrative bias of Western media in a dialogue.
Uyimana cited Somalia as an example: “How much do you know about Somalia? When most people hear the word ‘Somalia,’ the first things that come to mind are terms like ‘Al-Shabaab,’ a terrorist organization. But in reality, Somalia is making many positive progress. Mogadishu is now a very beautiful city. You can take any African country as an example, and you will find that the narratives presented by the outside world are always negative. But in fact, there is tangible positive progress happening on the African continent.”
January 2026, the coastal scenery of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Xinhua News Agency
Uyima in the conversation called out: “If we always wait for others to tell our stories, they will manipulate the facts in ways they think are appropriate, in order to serve their own interests. But that is our mission. Especially in the Global South, we must rely on South-South cooperation to ensure that we tell our own stories. After all, we know better than anyone what has happened, and we have lived throughout our lives in the Global South.”
