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Activity Category: Media Engagement Activity

Star Media Group Partnership with Contemporary World

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Star Media Group (SMG) and China’s Contemporary World magazine (當代世界), which operates under the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, signed a cooperation agreement in Kuala Lumpur on April 2, 2024. SMG CEO Chan Seng Fatt (陳成發) called the partnership a “golden opportunity” that would bridge regional divides through “concerted media collaboration,” acknowledging challenges including “language barriers, cultural misunderstandings and differing political landscapes.” Contemporary World Magazine Director General Lu Xuejun (盧學軍) said the initiative followed discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in March 2023, describing the media’s role as serving as a “bridge between the countries’ citizens” – typical rhetoric used by Chinese state media to frame overseas media partnerships as cultural exchange rather than external propaganda. The agreement, signed during the Contemporary World: Cultural Exchange roundtable, coincided with Malaysia-China’s 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations celebrations.

Chinese Ambassador to Italy Meets Deputy Director of Italy’s TG5

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On July 25, 2017, Chinese Ambassador Li Ruiyu (李瑞宇) met with Enrico Rondoni, Deputy Director of TG5, an Italian television news channel owned by Mediaset Italia S.P.A. During the meeting, Li presented exchanges and achievements between Italy and China in politics, commerce, culture, and technology. Li expressed hope that TG5 would enhance coverage of China’s economic development to give Italians “a more complete and objective idea of China.” Rondoni has served as Deputy Director of TG5 since 2006, after being Central Editor and Foreign Editor for nine years. The event was attended by Italian Deputy Minister of Economic Development Ivan Scalfarotto, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Country System Promotion Vincenzo De Luca, and Italian Ambassador to China Ettore Francesco Sequi, alongside representatives from Italian government, business and media.

Media Seminar in Beijing with Delegation of Laos and Myanmar Journalists

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In September 2017, thirteen journalists from Laos and Myanmar participated in a two-week seminar in Beijing focused on China’s development, media roles, and social responsibility. The closing ceremony was held on September 28, 2017, attended by Zhao Lijun (赵立军), Director of the China International Publishing Group (中国外文局) Training Center. The seminar aimed “to enhance the traditional friendship and cooperation between China and the two ASEAN member countries,” according to the Lao News Agency (KPL). Officials briefed participants on China’s development policies and achievements since its 1978 economic reforms. Zhao stated that the Belt and Road Initiative, launched by President Xi Jinping, “upholds shared consultation, shared construction and shared benefits” and is “inclusive rather than exclusive.” The program included visits to Xinhua News Agency (新華社) and Guangdong province to observe media operations and regional development.

Nouvelles d’Europe Collaboration with Xinmin Evening News

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Nouvelles d’Europe (歐洲時報), established in 1983, partnered with Shanghai’s Xinmin Evening News (新民晚報) to launch Europe Weekly (歐洲聯合週報) in Paris in February 2005. The weekly newspaper published on Saturdays and said it focused on “helping Chinese integrate into mainstream European society” and providing information about “development opportunities in China.” The paper described itself as combining “knowledge, entertainment, interactivity, and practicality” with sections on European law, global news, and China-focused content. Nouvelles d’Europe reported that editions were published in France, Austria, Germany, and Hungary, with 36 pages covering topics from “European focus” (歐陸聚焦) to “returning to China guide” (回國指南). The weekly ceased publication in 2008.

China Media Group Signs Four Serbian Media Partnerships

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China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台) signed four cooperation agreements with Serbian media and cultural institutions on May 8, 2024, during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Serbia. CMG Director and Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department Shen Haixiong (慎海雄) signed agreements with Serbia’s Presidential Media Relations Department, Politika newspaper, Radio Television of Serbia, and the Ministry of Culture. The agreements were witnessed by Xi Jinping and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Officials said the agreements would promote “people-to-people exchanges” (人文交流) and contribute to building a “China-Serbia community of shared future in the new era” (新時代中塞命運共同體) through “news exchange, joint programming, and technical cooperation” (新聞信息交換、聯合制播節目、技術交流). The agreements were described as part of Xi’s state visit outcomes, with CMG cited as signing the most cooperation documents among participating institutions. Politika is Serbia’s oldest and most influential daily newspaper, founded in 1904.

CMG Inks Media and Tourism Deals in Hungary

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On May 10, 2024, China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台) signed agreements with two Hungarian institutions during President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) state visit to Hungary. The agreements were signed by Shen Haixiong (慎海雄), deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party and director of China Media Group, with the Hungarian Media Services Support and Asset Management Fund and the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Xi and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (維克多·奧班) “witnessed” the signing ceremony, and the agreements were “included in” the list of outcome documents from Xi’s state visit from May 8-10. The memorandums aim to strengthen cultural exchanges through news information exchange, joint program production, and media technology exchange. The Hungarian Media Fund oversees state-owned media outlets including Hungarian National Television and Radio, while the Tourism Agency, led by CEO Könnyid László (柯尼德·拉斯洛), manages Hungary’s tourism promotion efforts.

Malaysia and China Sign MOU on Content Production and Sharing

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China’s National Radio and Television Administration (国家广播电视总局) and Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding on September 26, 2024. The agreement aimed to “deepen practical cooperation” in areas including content creation, program exchange, and technological development while addressing challenges and opportunities brought by new technologies to traditional broadcasting. Meeting in Beijing during the 50th anniversary year of China-Malaysia diplomatic relations, China’s broadcasting chief Cao Shumin (曹淑敏) met with Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. The memorandum comes as both sides highlighted recent successes in “joint production and industry cooperation” (联合制作, 产业合作), with Malaysia noting that broadcasting has played a “positive role in enhancing mutual understanding” between the two nations.