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Activity Type: Cross-Publication with PRC Sources

StarTimes Media and NRTA Sign Content Sharing Agreement

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China’s National Radio and Television Administration (國家廣播電視總局) and StarTimes Media Kenya signed a media cooperation agreement in Nairobi on July 1, 2024. NRTA Deputy Director Dong Xin (董新), who previously served as China Mobile CEO before his appointment to the media regulator in January 2024, said the deal would “help build bridges of friendship and mutual understanding” through content sharing, according to state media. The event launched “China TV Theater” and included a licensing agreement with Kenya’s Citizen Television for the drama series “Welcome to Milele Village” (歡迎來到麥樂村), which tells the story of Chinese medical teams working in Africa. Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Edward Kisiang’ani said they hoped for “two-way exchanges” where “Kenyan content will also be viewed in China,” as reported by the outlet. The NRTA, controlled by the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department, actively promotes China’s international media partnerships through state-controlled entities and cultural exchanges.

CCP Media Group Launches Column in German Paper

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China Media Group (CMG) (中央廣播電視總台) and Germany’s Berliner Zeitung (柏林日報) launched a new column in November 2024 called “China Perspective,” featuring articles by CMG reporters. The column’s first piece, published on November 16, analyzed Volkswagen’s factory closures while highlighting China’s developments in electric vehicles. A second article, published on November 30, discussed the C919 commercial airliner and promoted Beijing’s narrative that China is “becoming an important global player” in aviation, citing developments in fighter jets and transport aircraft. CMG, which is under direct control of the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party, frames this collaboration as providing Germans with “a new channel to understand China.” In reality, this partnership represents what analysts have identified as China’s “borrowed boat” strategy—a documented approach of utilizing foreign media platforms to advance state messaging internationally through content placement arrangements.

CMG Promotes Xi Jinping Quotes in Portuguese

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On November 20, 2024, China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台) launched a Portuguese version of “Quotable Quotes by Xi” Season 3 in Brasília during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Brazil. The show, which features Chinese poetry and sayings quoted in Xi’s speeches, claims to present his “political wisdom” (政治智慧) and “cultural sentiment” while promoting concepts like “community of shared future for mankind” (人類命運共同體). Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who also serves as Brazil’s Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, attended the launch, where Deputy Director of the Central Propaganda Department and CMG President Shen Haixiong (慎海雄) said the program would help Brazilians “understand President Xi’s governance philosophy” (習近平主席的治國理政思想). Brazilian officials, including Communications Secretary Paulo Pimenta and Culture Minister Margareth Menezes, praised the series, with the National Media Company pledging to cooperate with CMG in “promoting mutual understanding.” The program was set to air on major Brazilian networks and appear on outdoor screens across Brasília.

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.