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Activity Category: Media Engagement Activity

Chinese Vocational Workshop Launched in Ethiopia

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On February 5, 2026, Hunan Biological and Electromechanical Polytechnic College (湖南生物機電職業技術學院) signed a cooperation agreement with Gofa Industrial College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, establishing a “‘Chinese + Vocational Skills’ Yadis Workshop,” according to an announcement on the Chinese institution’s website. The partnership was explicitly framed as “actively responding to the Belt and Road Initiative” and advancing China’s vocational education model abroad. The Chinese representative emphasized “sharing China’s advanced experience” in agricultural technology and vocational methods. The agreement includes teacher exchanges and curriculum development aligned with Chinese technical standards, positioning such partnerships as development solutions for African countries and reflecting broader Chinese public diplomacy efforts to promote its development model in the region.

China and Spain Launch Anniversary Series

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On March 30, 2023, China Media Group and Spain’s Ministry of Culture launched “China-Spain Cultural Journey” (中西文化之旅), a series of programs marking the 50th anniversary of China-Spain diplomatic relations. According to Wen Wei Po, the programs will be broadcast through CGTN and Spanish partners, including TVE, Telemadrid, Televisión de Extremadura, Canal Sur, and Britel Media Group. The initiative includes the documentary “From Beijing to Madrid,” which profiles individuals across politics, economics, sports, and arts to illustrate bilateral cooperation. Shen Haixiong (慎海雄), president of China Media Group; Spain’s minister of culture and sports, Miquel Iceta; China’s ambassador to Spain, Wu Haitao (吳海濤); and Spanish Ambassador to China Rafael Dezcallar, delivered video messages during the launch. Chinese official messaging focused on the Belt and Road Initiative and emphasized “mutual learning among civilizations” (文明互鑒), employing a more recent addition to the CCP lexicon. 

RSS and Xinhua Sign Agreement

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On August 29, 2025, Nepal’s government announced that its cabinet had approved an agreement for its national news agency, Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), and China’s Xinhua News Agency to exchange news content. Under the agreement, Xinhua provides RSS with news, photographs, video, and multimedia content in English at no cost. The agreement also included provisions for the exchange of reporters, editors, and technical experts between the two state-owned agencies, along with joint training programs and the sharing of expertise in integrating news technologies. Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung indicated that the agreement would be signed during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China. 

Chinese Ambassador Pens Article Praising China’s Economy

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On November 24, 2023, Chinese Ambassador to Spain Yao Jing (姚敬) published a signed article in the Barcelona-based newspaper El Periódico advancing China’s economic messaging. Titled “China Will Promote Common Global Development Through High-Level Opening-Up” (中國將以高水平對外開放推動世界共同發展), the piece says China’s growth in the first three quarters of 2023 reached 5.2 percent, which Yao framed as demonstrating the “correctness” of Chinese government policies. He highlighted the opening of the China International Import Expo, positioning China as a contributor to global economic development. Despite targeting a foreign audience, the article was full of official CCP terminologies, including political signaling such as a reference to “the central CCP leadership with Xi Jinping as the core” (習近平同志為核心的黨中央). 

Gui Congyou Interviewed by Swedish Television

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On January 8, 2020, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou (桂從友) was interviewed at the embassy by Swedish Television (SVT) regarding media roles and Swedish coverage of China. The interview, published on January 17, 2020, covered media responsibilities, press freedom, journalist visa policies, and the case of detained Swedish citizen Gui Minhai (桂敏海). Gui outlined three media principles: basing reporting on “objective facts,” promoting “friendship” rather than inciting hostility, and assuming social responsibility. In CCP official discourse, which assumes political control of media for the Party’s needs, “objectivity” refers to coverage aligned with the CCP’s vision rather than criticism of China and its leaders. “Friendship” implies a conditional relationship where criticism is set aside for mutual interests. Gui criticized Swedish journalists for “groundlessly attacking” the Chinese Communist Party and government while refusing to visit China, comparing them to Chekhov’s short story “The Man in a Case” (裝在套子裡的人) — understood as a cautionary tale about voluntary isolation. He confirmed rejecting visa applications from Swedish journalists, stating Sweden lacked “the qualifications and ability to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.”

Xinhua Reports on Icelandic Times Chinese Edition Launch

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On December 24, 2014, Xinhua News Agency reported on the launch of the Chinese-language edition of Icelandic Times magazine. The coverage featured an interview with then-Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, who described China as “a country creating the future” and emphasized Iceland’s interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in tourism. Tourism Minister Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir also appeared in the coverage, welcoming Chinese tourists. The Xinhua report promoted the magazine’s first Chinese edition and announced plans for a second edition to be printed and distributed in China in February 2015, along with the launch of the Chinese-language website www.icelandictimes.cn. This coverage established Icelandic Times as a platform for Chinese state media engagement and narrative framing with Icelandic audiences, as well as promotion of Iceland to Chinese tourists.

Icelandic Times Runs Interview with Chinese Ambassador

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On July 23, 2024, Icelandic Times magazine published an interview with Ambassador He Rulong (何儒龍) titled “Different Countries, Connected Hearts” (《國不同,心相通》). The interview highlighted cooperation between China and Iceland in cultural tourism, Arctic affairs, geothermal energy, and mutual learning between civilizations (文明互鑒). The piece was published in three languages—Icelandic, English, and Chinese. Icelandic Times has maintained longstanding cooperation with Chinese state entities, including Xinhua News Agency, and regularly features content from Chinese diplomatic missions. The interview represents continued use of the publication as a platform for Chinese diplomatic messaging in Iceland.

Chinese Ambassador Runs Article in Icelandic Times

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On July 25, 2019, the Chinese Embassy in Iceland published a signed article by Ambassador Jin Zhijian (金智健) in Icelandic Times magazine titled “The Time is Right to Advance China-Iceland Bilateral Cooperation” (《推動中冰雙邊合作正當其時》). The embassy-provided article (駐冰島使館供稿) appeared in the magazine’s seventh issue, which has had longstanding cooperation with Chinese state entities, including Xinhua News Agency. Jin’s piece emphasized bilateral achievements including trade exceeding $700 million in 2018, high-level exchanges, cultural initiatives like the “Happy Chinese New Year” (歡樂春節) celebrations, and cooperation on Arctic affairs and climate change.

Chinese Ambassador Visits Icelandic Times Office

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On June 13, 2019, Chinese Ambassador Jin Zhijian (金智健) visited Icelandic Times and met with Editor-in-Chief Einar Thorsteinsson and senior staff to discuss future cooperation. Jin introduced China’s economic and social development and bilateral relations with Iceland, praising the magazine’s Chinese edition for providing tourism information that enhanced Chinese tourists’ understanding of Icelandic society, economy, and culture. The ambassador stated that “the Chinese Embassy was willing to strengthen cooperation with Icelandic Times and work together to promote further development of China-Iceland relations.” Thorsteinsson welcomed the ambassador and “expressed his satisfaction with the current cooperation with the Chinese Embassy, and expected more cooperation for the future.” Icelandic Times publishes in English, Icelandic, Chinese, German, and other languages, focusing on Icelandic tourism, culture, trade, and economy.