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Activity Category: Media Engagement Activity

Xi Jinping Publishes Article in Le Figaro Ahead of State Visit

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On May 5, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) published a signed article titled “Carrying forward the spirit of Sino-French diplomatic relations, jointly promoting world peace and development”  (傳承中法建交精神 共促世界和平發展), in the French newspaper Le Figaro ahead of his state visit to France. The article highlighted the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations and promoted expanded bilateral cooperation. Addressing Europe’s political situation and referencing the war in Ukraine, Xi claimed China has “never initiated a war” and is “the only country among nuclear powers to commit to no first use of nuclear weapons” — claims disputed by historians who cite conflicts including the 1962 Sino-Indian War and 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. On the issue of Ukraine directly, Xi wrote that China “has been playing a constructive role” while expressing understanding for European concerns. The article encouraged French investment in China, particularly in green industries, and called for deeper cooperation on global governance.

China Daily Runs Content in Le Figaro

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On May 29, 2015, French newspaper Le Figaro (費加羅報) published the inaugural French edition of China Watch (中國國家形象專刊), a monthly advertising supplement produced by China’s state-run China Daily (中國日報) and distributed within the pages of Le Figaro. The first issue featured articles on China’s “Made in China 2025” industrial strategy and Beijing’s Winter Olympics bid. The president of China Daily called the French edition “the first step” in expanding beyond English-language markets, and the Chinese Ambassador to France  described the partnership as helping French readers “better understand China.” The collaboration reportedly ended around 2020. 

iQIYI Signs Cooperation in Middle East

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During the BRIDGE Global Media Summit held in the United Arab Emirates in December 2025, Chinese streaming platform iQIYI (爱奇艺) announced a strategic cooperation with the UAE-based BRIDGE Alliance, an initiative overseen by the UAE National Media Office. The cooperation reportedly involves plans for joint IP development, film and television production and distribution, virtual production and VR applications, and media technology exchanges focused on the Middle East and North Africa. iQIYI (爱奇艺) framed the announcement as a further step in expanding its regional presence following the launch of its MENA service in May 2025. However, the scope, funding, and concrete outcomes of the cooperation remain unspecified, and claims about ecosystem building and cross-regional impact originate primarily from the participating parties and have yet to be independently substantiated.

Belt and Road Media Forum Held in Yangjiang

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China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台) convened nearly 300 media representatives from 20 countries in Yangjiang (陽江), Guangdong Province, on December 7 for the 2025 Silk Road Television Community Summit Forum (絲綢之路電視共同體高峰論壇). Guangdong Provincial Party Secretary Huang Kunming (黃坤明) attended the opening ceremony alongside CMG Director and Central Propaganda Department Deputy Head Shen Haixiong (慎海雄), who delivered the keynote address. The state broadcaster used the event to advance media cooperation with countries participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (一帶一路) — Beijing’s infrastructure and development program spanning Asia, Africa, and Europe — hosting panels on AI-generated content and international sports broadcasting rights. Participants toured local manufacturing facilities and cultural heritage sites, including the Southern Song dynasty shipwreck “Nanhai No. 1” (南海一號), an 800-year-old merchant vessel salvaged in 2007 that authorities present as historical evidence legitimizing the modern Belt and Road Initiative. The forum released an “International Media Cooperation Yangjiang Initiative” (國際媒體合作陽江倡議) and annual work report for the Silk Road Television Community (絲綢之路電視共同體), a China Media Group-led international broadcasting alliance established in 2016 that now encompasses 149 media institutions from 64 countries. CMG announced new content distribution projects including CGTN Spanish channel broadcasts targeting Latin America. Yangjiang Mayor Yu Jinfu (余金富) delivered remarks in English promoting the coastal city’s role in historical maritime trade routes.

Chinese Ambassador Pens Article in Handelsblatt

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On February 12, 2025, the Chinese Ambassador to Germany published an article in the business newspaper Handelsblatt titled “Protectionism is Out of Step with the Spirit of the Times” (保護主義不符合時代精神). The ambassador argued that China remains open to foreign business and urged more German investment. He celebrated the success of China’s DeepSeek (深度求索) AI foundation model, arguing that German startups should pursue opportunities in China for cooperation, partnerships, and capital. The article also attacked what it called European “protectionism,” a criticism of the EU’s October 2024 tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

2024 Overseas Chinese Media Tour of Jiangxi Province

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The “Walking China, Reporting China” (行走中國·報道中國) 2024 overseas Chinese media tour of Jiangxi Province took place October 13-19, 2024, bringing together 22 senior journalists and editors from 18 countries across five continents. The event was jointly organized by the China News Service (中國新聞社), the World Chinese Media Cooperation Union (世界華文媒體合作聯盟), and the Jiangxi International Communication Center (江西國際傳播中心). Participating media included Romania’s European Overseas Chinese News (歐洲僑報), Egypt’s China Weekly (中國週報), Cambodia’s Chinese Daily (柬華日報), Indonesia’s Harian Nusantara, and Brazil-China Communication Agency (巴西巴中通訊社). Other countries represented included France, Italy, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. The delegation visited Lushan Mountain, the Haihun Marquis archaeological site, and China’s Imperial Examination Culture Park, exploring Jiangxi’s natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and economic development. Officials emphasized the province’s “red revolutionary history, green ecology, and ancient culture” as key narratives for overseas promotion.

Chinese Embassy Donates Equipment to Philippine Media

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On February 13, 2019, the Chinese Embassy in Manila donated smartphones, computers, teleprompters, and video cameras to the Presidential Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the Philippine News Agency (PNA), both outlets of the Philippine government under the supervision of the News and Information Bureau (NIB). The handover ceremony, held at the Government Media Center, was attended by the Presidential Communications Secretary, the director of PBS, and the executive editor of PNA. The Chinese ambassador, Zhao Jianhua (赵鉴华), emphasized communication’s vital role in cementing “friendship” between the two nations, resorting to a common CCP foreign relations frame that implies accommodation of China’s core interests. Zhao praised the PCOO under Secretary Andanar for promoting bilateral relations and delivering friendly messages to both Filipino and Chinese audiences. He expressed willingness to help improve PCOO facilities as an appreciation for their work. The donation is an example of China’s broader overseas media strategy of providing technical equipment and resources to local news organizations as a means of building relationships and influence.

Chinese Media Delegation Visits Myanmar and Thailand

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On June 15, 2015, departing from Beijing, a five-member Chinese news delegation led by Farmers’ Daily (農民日報) Editor-in-Chief Tang Yuanjie (唐園結) visited Myanmar and Thailand at the invitation of Myanmar’s Ministry of Information and the Thai Journalists Association (泰國記者協會). The delegation, comprising representatives from Farmers’ Daily, Ningxia Daily Media Group (寧夏日報報業集團), Zhejiang Daily Media Group (浙江日報報業集團), Jilin Journalists Association (吉林省記協), and All-China Journalists Association (中國記協), planned to visit government departments, mainstream media outlets, and journalist organizations in both countries. In a readout from ACJA, officials said the mission was to facilitate “media cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative” (一帶一路倡議下的媒體合作), describing the visit as promoting regional media collaboration, though the timing aligned with China’s broader diplomatic campaign to build Southeast Asian support for its Belt and Road Initiative through media partnerships.

China Media Group and Gazprom-Media Holding Sign Strategic Media Partnership Agreement

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On May 16, 2024, Aleksandr Zharov, CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding, and Shen Haixiong (慎海雄), President of China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台), signed a media cooperation agreement in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The ceremony coincided with the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations and the China-Russia Year of Culture. Zharov stated that “the friendship between Russia and China has reached the highest level of trust,” while Shen expressed that China Media Group was “ready to share its wisdom and strength for the benefit of the two countries.” Under the agreement, the companies committed to exchanging technological expertise and strengthening news broadcasting cooperation between Russia’s largest media corporation and China’s leading state media organization.