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Activity Type: Media Cooperation Agreement

China Media Group and Malaysia’s RTM Sign Broadcast Partnership

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Malaysia and China signed a memorandum during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s (李強) three-day official visit to Malaysia in June 2024, establishing cooperation between Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) and China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台). Malaysian Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching (張念群) announced on Facebook that the memorandum aims to “strengthen, promote and develop” bilateral cooperation in broadcasting, media, and creative industries. She claims the agreement will diversify media resources between the countries and deepen exchanges. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, the two broadcasters have jointly produced a documentary titled “Our Story” that reportedly showcases bilateral friendship through the narrative of a giant panda’s growth between the two countries. This agreement continues China’s pattern of formalizing media partnerships with state broadcasters in strategically important nations, with China Media Group operating under direct control of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department.

Chinese State Media Signs Deal with UN Tourism Body

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On July 29, 2024, China Media Group (CMG, 中央廣播電視總台) signed a cooperation memorandum with the United Nations Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Madrid, Spain, focusing on tourism news reporting, brand promotion, and media events. CMG Vice Minister and President Shen Haixiong (慎海雄) and UNWTO Executive Director Zoritsa Urosevic attended the ceremony, with Chinese Ambassador to Spain Yao Jing also present. Shen referenced the Chinese Communist Party’s Third Plenum reforms concluded weeks earlier, claiming “unlimited potential” in media-tourism integration and positioning CMG as a “reliable partner” to UNWTO through its “multilingual advantages.” Urosevic expressed gratitude for CMG’s support, stating the Chinese state broadcaster’s programs have “effectively stimulated economic development” and created a “virtuous cycle” in global tourism recovery. The memorandum outlines resource sharing and collaboration in news production, tourism information dissemination, and program creation between the Chinese state media conglomerate and UN agency.

China Signs Media Cooperation Deals with Ukraine

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From February 8-17, 2017, Tian Jin (田進), Deputy Director of China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (國家新聞出版廣電總局), led a Chinese broadcasting delegation to Ukraine, the UK, and Romania to strengthen bilateral media cooperation. The delegation signed a cooperation memorandum with Ukraine’s National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting and a letter of intent with Ukraine’s National Broadcasting and Television Committee. The visit resulted in nine specific agreements covering joint productions, journalist exchanges, program broadcasting, content support, training, technical cooperation, and establishing permanent contact mechanisms. The delegation also donated Chinese films and TV programs to Ukrainian and Romanian broadcasters, and witnessed the strategic cooperation agreement between Zhejiang Huace Film & TV Group and Britain’s ITV.

Chinese Media Group Signs Deal with Spanish Broadcaster

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On July 27, 2024, China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台), or CMG, and Spain’s Mediapro Group (梅迪播集團) signed a cooperation memorandum in Barcelona covering media resource sharing, audiovisual program production, and innovative technology applications. CMG Director Shen Haixiong (慎海雄), who also serves as deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party, and Mediapro Chairman Tatxo Benet signed the document. The agreement was positioned alongside the Paris Olympics, where CMG had secured production responsibilities for four sports and was described as “the main broadcasting agency” by Chinese state media. Mediapro, established in 1994 and headquartered in Barcelona, operates across five continents with specialties in sports broadcasting and television and film production. The Barcelona-based company was described as having “unique advantages” in artificial intelligence and virtual reality technology and as “one of Europe’s most influential media groups” in the CCTV report.

Agence Kampuchea Presse and Xinhua Renew News Exchange Cooperation

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On June 2, 2024, Cambodia’s Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP) and China’s Xinhua News Agency (新華社) agreed to deepen their existing cooperation, with Xinhua pledging technical assistance to build AKP’s capacity. The bilateral meeting between AKP Director General Sokmom Nimul and visiting Xinhua Editor-in-Chief Lyu Yansong (吕岩松) emphasized the importance of strengthening media cooperation between the two countries. During the discussions, the AKP director general sought Xinhua’s assistance in building AKP’s capacity through experience sharing and a training programme, describing Xinhua’s support as “a model of good friendship between Cambodia and China,” according to the Khmer Times. In response, Lyu Yansong stated his agency wanted to “expand cooperation between Xinhua and AKP to practical news cooperation to build trust between the Chinese and Cambodian people,” as reported by the publication. This commitment follows the renewal of their Agreement on News Exchange Cooperation in February 2023, reflecting the broader strengthening of Cambodia-China relations across multiple sectors.

China Newsweek Cooperation Agreement with Cina in Italia

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In 2011, the bilingual magazine Cina in Italia (世界中国), based in Rome, was accredited by China News Service as a foreign edition of China Newsweek (中国新闻周刊). Founded in 2001 by Chinese journalist Hu Lanbo (胡蘭波), Cina in Italia initially served Chinese communities in Italy before becoming bilingual in 2007 to bridge Chinese and Italian cultures. China News Service (CNS), which publishes China Newsweek, became part of the United Front Work Department (UFWD) in 2018 when its former host organization, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, was absorbed into the UFWD. The UFWD coordinates China’s overseas influence operations, particularly targeting Chinese diaspora communities. CNS operates under the United Front Work Department and has editorial guidelines “designed to facilitate the production of propaganda that is tailored to the interests of Chinese individuals who are not residing in mainland China.”

Sichuan Daily and Radio Cooperativa Make Media Deal

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The Sichuan International Communication Center (四川國際傳播中心), operated by the Sichuan Daily Press Group (四川日報報業集團), hosted the signing of a news exchange agreement with Chile’s Radio Cooperativa on August 29, 2024, during the 2024 “Belt and Road” Media Cooperation Forum in Chengdu. The center, which claimed to reach “more than 20 million overseas users,” describes itself as a “key provincial professional institution” under Sichuan’s five-year plan for international communications. Radio Cooperativa, broadcasting since 1935, covers major Chilean cities and provides online content globally. The agencies said they would cooperate on “content interchange, personnel exchange, and activity planning” to promote what they called “people-to-people exchanges” and enhance the “Sino-Chilean Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” which Chile and China established in 2016. The Sichuan center is part of China’s broader network of International Communication Centers established by provinces under central government supervision to coordinate foreign-directed media efforts.

Xinhua and China Media Group Ink Deals with Sangbad Sangstha and Bangladesh Television

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Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS),Bangladesh’s national news agency, signed cooperation agreements with Xinhua News Agency (新華社) and China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台) on July 10, 2024, during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s state visit to China. BSS Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad signed memorandums that officials said would “extend beneficial cooperation” in news and information exchange. The agencies reported they would conduct “multilevel and wide-ranging cooperation,” including “personal exchanges, training, and seminars” for journalists and technical experts. The agreements called for what was described as “technological exchanges” and “innovation and development in media technologies,” with officials noting all activities would operate “in accordance with their respective domestic laws.” The signing occurred during a high-level exchange that officials said was meant to enhance “mutual understanding” between the agencies during Hasina’s July 8-10 visit to Beijing.

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.