Global Times (環球時報) is a tabloid newspaper founded on January 13, 1993, under the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party. Under its previous editor-in-chief, Hu Xijin (胡錫進), who led the tabloid from 2005 until December 2021, the Global Times became known for its often inflammatory commentaries on global affairs, which The Guardian at the time of Hu’s exit referred to as an “endless stream of quotable insults and invective.” Hu’s departure in December 2021 came amid speculation that the central leadership sought to impose stronger “political guidance” (政治導向) on the publication. The outlet remains more bellicose and nationalistic in its tone than most other “mainstream” CCP media, and sometimes seems to have more latitude to serve this attack dog role. Originally styled as a weekly titled Global Digest (環球文萃), the Global Times was given its present name in 1997, gradually increasing frequency until it became a daily in 2006. In 2009, it officially launched its English-language website. In its 2012 “About Us” page, the newspaper claimed to have over 500 correspondents in more than 120 countries and a circulation exceeding 2.4 million copies per issue.