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Gonggong News Agency

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Gonggong News Agency (共工新聞社), also known as Gong Gong News, is a privately operated news service that provides a range of China-related news, often drawn from PRC state sources such as Xinhua, as well as domestic news from the African continent — but whose primary purpose seems to be facilitating business connections between China and Africa, and in particular between China and Uganda. Though the news service reportedly began operations in 2015, founded by Chinese national Gong Jianguang (龔建光), it was not registered under the “Gong Gong” name in Hong Kong until December 2020 with the registration of “Gong Gong News Agency Limited,” also “Gonggong Newspaper Limited.” Prior to that time, the chief entity was Hong Kong’s Fanzhou International Group Limited (泛洲國際集團有限公司), previously “Africa International Limited” (泛非国际有限公司), which remains the top shareholder in Gong Gong News (51 percent) and has been fully held by Gong Jiangguang since a series of share transfers in 2011. Although Gong’s history with Uganda and Africa are unclear, his involvement with Fanzhou, formerly “Africa International,” since 2011 hints at involvement in related business. Gong, whose hometown according to Hong Kong records is the village of Xiwanzhou (西湾洲) in Hunan, north of the city of Yuanjiang, appears in numerous online sources, including as late as November 2024, as the “Chief Commercial Liaison Officer, Embassy of the Republic of Uganda to China” — a position he has reportedly held since at least 2013, two years before the full operation of the news agency. A 2017 article from Phoenix News reports that the Ugandan Embassy in China had officially appointed Gong Gong as its “foreign publicity unit” (外宣单位) in China, while a more recent report in 2024, from Gong Gong News itself — announced that Charles Madipo Wakiduso, the director of the Commercial Center of the Ugandan Embassy, had been appointed as “Honorary President” (名誉社长) of the Gonggong News Agency. Gong has an active website at cn.kgongcn.com as well as a currently inactive website at gonggong.hk. Gong Gong News also has active YouTube, Facebook and X accounts. The outlet claims to have international desks and departments in Uganda, the United States, Indonesia, and Taiwan — though this could not be confirmed. Gong Gong News describes itself — somewhat speciously — as a member of multiple international Chinese-language media associations. These include the International Union of Chinese Media and Journalists (國際華文媒體與記者聯盟), of which no credible record can be found outside of Gong Gong’s own claims, and the International Communication Organization (國際傳播組織), an organization started by an individual called Chen Xuegang (陈学刚) that claims registration in the United States but now has only an active .cn domain Chinese-language site. Until the end of 2024, the organization had another URL, now inactive, that displayed only dummy content archived by the Internet Archive. Born in 1971, Gong graduated from the University of International Business and Economics (外經濟貿易大學). In 2016, he also launched Guangdong Fanzhou Culture Communication (廣東泛洲文化傳播有限公司), which operates across media, news and cultural promotion, while maintaining diverse holdings in real estate development, logistics, technology services, and food trade. Gong is also listed as having been appointed in 2020 as a researcher for the Beijing-based China Academy of Management Science (中國管理科學研究院), or CAMS, a research institution originally under the sponsorship of the China Tourism and Culture Resources Development Association that was revoked in June 2024 for numerous violations. The CAMS website had previously featured a section called “caring guidance” (親切關懷) that displayed photographs of Gong meeting with various officials, including Ugandan Vice President Edward Sekandi and Chinese provincial leaders.

Hong Kong Gonggong News Agency International Communication Center

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The Gonggong News Agency International Communication Center (共工新聞社國際傳播中心), founded in 2025 under the mysterious Hong Kong-based Gonggong News Agency, describes itself as a media organization established to promote Chinese culture internationally and “tell China’s story well” (講好中國的故事) through overseas Chinese-language media networks. The center positions itself as inheriting the “Gonggong spirit” (共工精神) of “courage and responsibility to the people” (勇毅卓絕、為民擔當). The center has strategic cooperation agreements with multiple Chinese language outlets in South Korea and Canada, focusing on content sharing and joint platform development to enhance its “international communication capacity” and facilitate cultural exchange between China and other countries. The center appears to have been launched by Gonggong News Agency following the broader trend of creation of international communication centers (國際傳播中心), or ICCs, across China as part of a central policy outlined by Xi Jinping from 2018 onward. 

Bridge Alliance

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BRIDGE Alliance is a UAE-headquartered, mission-driven organization bringing together policymakers, creative leaders, and industry innovators to advance media, entertainment, and content globally. Launched in 2025 and chaired by H.E. Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamed, its founding board includes global figures such as HRH Princess Lamia bint Majed Al Saud, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, and Jessica Sibley, CEO of TIME. The Alliance reinvests operational surpluses into research, capacity building, and innovation, aiming to enhance cross-sector cooperation. Its first major initiative, BRIDGE Summit 2025, was held in Abu Dhabi from December 8–10, convening tens of thousands of participants across media, technology, gaming, and creative industries.

Dassault Group

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Dassault Group, formally known as Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault, is a French defense and aerospace conglomerate and one of the country’s largest family-owned enterprises. Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Paris, the group manufactures military and business aircraft through its subsidiary Dassault Aviation, and owns the conservative newspaper Le Figaro, acquired in 2004. The name derives from founder Marcel Bloch, who changed his name to Marcel Dassault after World War II. One of Dassault Systèmes’ main products includes the Rafale and Mirage fighter aircraft series, with the Mirage 2000, which serves as one of Taiwan’s primary air-defense aircraft.

iQiYI

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iQIYI (愛奇藝), founded on January 6, 2010, by Gong Yu and headquartered in Beijing, China, is a subscription-based over-the-top (OTT) streaming service owned by Baidu. The platform produces and distributes films, television series, and digital content, serving global audiences with over 100 million paid subscribers. iQIYI operates regional offices, including Southeast Asia, and has expanded into co-productions and original content across China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The company has faced regulatory and market scrutiny, including U.S. investor investigations and a Taiwan ban due to political concerns. Its services include streaming, film production, distribution, and television content.

Presidential Court UAE

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The Presidential Court (Arabic: وزارة شؤون الرئاسة) is a federal government body in the United Arab Emirates, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, responsible for providing administrative, advisory, and executive support to the President. Established in 1971 as the Diwan (Presidential Court) and reorganized in 2004 as the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, it was renamed the Presidential Court in 2022 to streamline government functions. The Court implements presidential directives, coordinates national policies, and oversees state-level engagements. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Presidential Court, leads the institution, ensuring continuity in governance and executive support at the highest federal level.

National Media Office

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The National Media Office (NMO) is a federal media authority in the United Arab Emirates, established by decree of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in January 2023 and affiliated with the Chairman of the Presidential Court. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the NMO develops the UAE’s national media ecosystem, coordinates among media agencies, and enhances the country’s regional and international media presence. Its functions include training Emirati media leaders, managing strategic communications, representing the UAE at media events, conducting media research, and promoting the nation’s values, culture, and official stances. The Emirates News Agency (WAM) reports to the head of NMO.

Free State of Bavaria

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The Free State of Bavaria (Freistaat Bayern) is Germany’s largest federal state by area and a constituent state of the Federal Republic of Germany, which it joined in 1949. Bavaria’s Constitution, adopted on October 26, 1946, and coming into effect on December 8, 1946, establishes it as a democratic, cultural, and social state governed by the rule of law. The state is headed by a Minister-President elected by the Landtag. Bavaria’s parliamentary system centers on the Landtag, one of Europe’s oldest parliaments with roots dating to 1818. The current Landtag comprises 203 representatives from five parties elected through mixed-member proportional representation. At the federal level, Bavaria holds six votes in the Bundesrat (Federal Council) and elects representatives to the Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament, alongside other German states.