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Activity Type: Media Partnership or Co-Production

Chinese Ambassador Publishes Article in the Nordic Times

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On June 19, 2025, Cui Aimin (崔愛民), China’s ambassador to Sweden, published a signed article titled “Strengthening the Dialogue Among Civilizations, Creating a Better Future Together” in the Swedish media outlet The Nordic Times. In the article, Cui noted recent celebrations for the International Day for the Dialogue Among Civilizations, a UN initiative jointly proposed by China, with eventual support by more than 80 countries. The notion of civilizational exchange is a political concept dating back in its contemporary CCP sense (“Xivilization”) to the 20th National Congress in 2022, when Xi Jinping and the top leadership used it to trumpet the supposed success of the CCP-led development model and argue that China has created “a new form of human civilization” (人類文明新型態). Cui called on China and Sweden to uphold the spirit of civilizational exchange and to move forward together toward the vision of building a “community with a shared future for mankind,” as proposed by Xi Jinping.

China and Iran Host Film Cooperation Seminar

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On December 2, 2021, the Embassy of China in Iran and Iran’s Art Research Institute co-hosted a seminar in Tehran to mark the 50th anniversary of China–Iran diplomatic relations, focusing on film cooperation. Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua (常華) said that the memorandum of understanding the two countries signed the same year on film exchanges had laid a solid foundation for bilateral collaboration. Iranian participants included director Majid Majidi and representatives from Iran’s film sector. According to the same report, speakers pointed to the festival screenings in Shanghai and Beijing, as well as the presence of Chinese films at Iran’s Fajr International Film Festival, as signs of strengthening connections within the film industry.

China Today Turkey Edition Launches

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On November 16, 2010, the Turkish edition of China Today magazine was officially launched in Ankara. According to the publisher, Turkey’s Dijitek Grup, approximately 70 percent of the Turkish edition’s content would be sourced from three Chinese state media outlets — Beijing Review (北京週報), China Today (今日中國), and China Pictorial (人民畫報) — while Turkish journalists and analysts would produce the remaining 30 percent. The stated aim was to provide Turkish business readers with information about China’s economy and investment opportunities.  According to a report of the Turkish communication magazine MediaCat, China Today was initially published through a partnership (possibly a printing deal) between Dijitek Grup, a Turkish company, and China International Publishing Group (中國外文局) — a state-owned publishing group operating under the Central Propaganda Department. Chinese officials described the edition as the sixth international print version of the longstanding external propaganda outlet, and claimed it was “the only magazine introducing China in Turkish.” By 2012, Turkuvaz Media Group — a pro-government conglomerate with close ties to President Erdoğan’s administration — had assumed publishing responsibilities. Zhou Mingwei (周明偉), then director of China International Publishing Group, led the delegation and met with Turkish ministers Nihat Ergün and Ertuğrul Günay.

Sino-Spanish Cultural Exchange Event Held in Madrid

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On July 29, 2024, the China Media Group (CMG) hosted a cultural exchange event in Madrid titled “China’s deepening reform in the new era” as part of Beijing’s broader effort to shape international media narratives following the Third Plenum – a gathering of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party traditionally focused on economic policy. Speakers included Shen Haixiong (慎海雄), CMG president; José Luis Centella, president of the Communist Party of Spain; and Yao Jing (姚敬), Chinese ambassador to Spain. Shen said that China’s reforms would bring “more opportunities” to the world, echoing standard CCP messaging on Chinese modernization. During the event, CMG also announced several cooperation projects, including “A Look at China: Spanish Journalists’ China Tour” (一起看中國:西班牙記者中國), which would bring Spanish reporters to China for media reports on Chinese development; a CGTN digital exhibition on paintings from the Song dynasty; and an invitation for Spanish museums to participate in CMG’s National Treasure (國家寶藏) program, broadcast on CCTV-3 channel, which regularly showcases Chinese cultural highlights. Ten CMG-produced programs promoting Chinese modernization and Sino-Spanish cooperation were scheduled for broadcast across Spanish outlets, including Mediaset, EFE News Agency, and Barcelona Television

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. 

CMG and Nepal TV Sign Agreement

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On December 3, 2024, the vice president of China Media Group (CMG), Xing Bo (邢博), and a representative from Nepal’s Foreign Ministry signed a cooperation memorandum between CMG and Nepal Television in Beijing during Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s official visit to China. The agreement covers content exchange, joint production, personnel exchanges, and technical cooperation, according to Chinese state media. Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強) and Prime Minister Oli witnessed the signing. The deal was one of nine agreements signed during Oli’s December visit.

Chinese Ambassador Publishes Anti-U.S. Tariff Op-Ed

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On April 30, 2025, Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Zhao Bentang (趙本堂) published a signed article in the Portuguese newspaper Diário de Notícias promoting Beijing’s position against US trade policy. The op-ed characterized American reciprocal tariffs as “hegemonic bullying”  (強權霸凌) following Trump’s April 2 announcement of sweeping global tariffs. Trump initially imposed a 34 percent rate on Chinese goods, which later escalated to 145 percent through tit-for-tat retaliation. Citing Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel’s March visit to Beijing and quoting Xi Jinping, Zhao argued China was defending its rights and international fairness while casting the US as the aggressor.

Chinese Ambassador Pens Article on China-EU Relations

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On July 22, 2025, Ambassador Zhao Bentang published a signed article in Portugal’s Diário de Notícias to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties established on May 6, 1975, between China and the European Economic Community (EEC). Although the EU was formally established in 1993, both sides recognize 1975 as the official start of their diplomatic history. The article emphasized growing bilateral trade and criticized “unilateralism and bullying behavior” (單邊主義，霸凌行徑), an apparent criticism of the United States and the imposition of tariffs. Ambassador Zhao also noted the 20th anniversary of China-Portugal’s comprehensive strategic partnership, established in 2005. Zhao called on Europe to “respect China’s core interests with practical actions” (以實際行動尊重中方核心利益) and to follow the “One China Principle” (一個中國原則) — an assertion of China’s claimed sovereignty over Taiwan. This demand is at odds with the Taiwan positions upheld by many members of the European Union, who adhere to their own understandings of “one China” that do not endorse the PRC’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan. Most EU states use strategic language in their diplomatic communiqués. Instead of “recognizing” that Taiwan is part of China, they often “acknowledge,” “take note of,” or “understand and respect” Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China. This allows them to avoid taking a formal legal stance on Taiwan’s sovereignty.