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All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum 2025

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China hosted the 2025 China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum on September 28, 2025, in Xiamen, bringing together approximately 400 representatives from government agencies, universities, think tanks and news media from China and 32 African countries. The forum, themed “Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace and Writing a New Chapter in China-Africa Digital Cooperation” — drawing on Xi Jinping’s foreign policy notion of “shared destiny” as applied to the internet — was organized by the Cyberspace Administration of China (國家互聯網信息辦公室) and the Fujian Provincial People’s Government (福建省人民政府). Chinese officials unveiled the 2025-2026 Action Plan for Building a China-Africa Cyberspace Community with a Shared Future (携手构建中非网络空间命运共同体行动计划) and established the “China-Africa Internet Enterprise Cooperation Network” (中国在非洲互联网企业合作网络), while announcing continued training programs on cybersecurity and digital economy. The forum featured four sub-forums addressing digital divide reduction and digital transformation, artificial intelligence development and governance, cybersecurity and data governance, and online media cooperation. State media coverage reported that African representatives “endorsed” China’s proposed cooperation initiatives, and said that the forum aligned with African countries’ digital transformation needs and expressing willingness to deepen collaboration with China in digital economy, cybersecurity, data protection, artificial intelligence governance and online media sectors. Such initiatives are generally organized, announced and hosted in a unilateral manner by Chinese government entities, even as the discourse stresses them as bilateral or multilateral in nature. The Xiamen meeting also presented 7 participants from African countries (called “friends”) with certificates under “China Storytelling Partnerships” ( 中国故事共创会), which media said recognized those who work “to tell China’s stories, spread Chinese culture, and show the world a real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China.” The language echoes China’s official policy on external propaganda.

Chinese Consulate in Kuching and Malaysia’s Sin Chew Daily Launch Reading Initiative

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On October 12, 2018, the Chinese Consulate General in Kuching launched the “Love Chinese Language” reading program with Sin Chew Daily (星洲日報). The initiative targeted 222 Chinese primary schools in Sarawak, featuring newspaper reading promotion, language competitions, and wall newspaper design contests. Chinese Consul General Cheng Guangzhong (程廣中) said he hoped the program would help children develop Chinese reading habits and that Malaysian Chinese were “upholding the fine tradition of respecting teachers and valuing education” and “inheriting and developing Chinese language education.” Malaysian Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching (張念群) stated the federal government would take a “more open and enlightened attitude” toward Chinese education. State official Sim Kui Hian (沈桂賢) expressed hope that Chinese universities would establish branch campuses in Sarawak. About 200 people attended the launch at Kuching Chinese Primary School No. 1. The program was reported by Xinhua News Agency as part of efforts to promote Chinese language education development in Malaysia.

Yunnan Hosts China-Cambodia Mid-Autumn Gala

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China and Cambodia held a Mid-Autumn Festival cultural gala on September 28, 2025, in Phnom Penh, featuring performances by artists from both countries. The event, drawing on Chinese Communist Party frame of “friendship” (友谊), was titled “Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon: Deep Neighborly Affection.” It was organized by Cambodia’s Ministry of Information, Ministry of Tourism, China’s embassy in Cambodia, and Yunnan province’s propaganda office (中共雲南省委宣傳部), as part of the China-Cambodia Tourism Year. Chinese performers presented classical dance works a Yunnan Yi ethnic dance called “Stepping on Clouds,” while Cambodian artists performed traditional pieces such as the “Apsara Dance” and a selection from the historical drama “Zhou Daguan Meets Zhenla” (周达观遇见真腊) called titled “Moon Over Angkor.” Zhou Daguan was a Chinese official during the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty who visited the kingdom of Angkor in the 13th century and stayed for a time at the court of King Indrvarman III. Zhou is often cited in Chinese official accounts as an early example of “friendly” foreign relations with Cambodia and Southeast Asia more broadly. The involvement of the Yunnan provincial propaganda office in the event underscored the province’s continued role as a platform for China’s cultural and economic engagement in Southeast Asia.

Yunnan Hosts China-Vietnam Moon Festival Gala

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China and Vietnam held a Mid-Autumn Festival cultural gala on September 25, 2025, at the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Hanoi, featuring performances by artists from both countries. The event, titled “Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon: Deep Neighborly Affection” — emphasizing longstanding Communist Party notions of “friendship” — was organized by China’s embassy in Vietnam, Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Yunnan province’s propaganda office (中共雲南省委宣傳部), marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Vietnamese performers presented traditional pieces while Chinese artists performed works featuring traditional instruments alongside dance and tai chi. The event highlighted Yunnan’s role as a key platform in China’s regional engagement strategy toward Southeast Asia.

National Television of Cambodia

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National Television of Cambodia (ទូរទស្សន៍ជាតិកម្ពុជា, ទទក), or TVK, serves as Cambodia’s state television broadcaster, operating under the government’s Ministry of Information in Phnom Penh alongside National Radio of Cambodia (RNK). Television broadcasting in Cambodia began on February 2, 1966, as [Télévision Royale Khmère](https://watermark02.silverchair.com/c0012009780262374095.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhWErcy7Dm3ZL9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAA1AwggNMBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggM9MIIDOQIBADCCAzIGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMD3eEAly8vFyiYJV8AgEQgIIDAz4VcLWyjSmLsQjbUEO8HRmV7FDPocZOCBQOq4GTLUe1rKEppK6LiGr2uNIXLUpGjTTcrIO-R-AkxsVpFoeKGiCvjXuNRMIMR3CNasTXGbqhinqbUQg56Vj5-RNDMF3ir4GoX8ytJA9fd2M7vfykNfx9-Yzk2xBdX7iomHVnta-qU0Kuy1KIGrqmTs4pWpP-eIygB9l4c6aNzQ8AirIioVLfJ0kAHXKQ2-PtvJqenK7pHmOan7jxSW6OPex5gncBFu6M8eWGw4CyNk2184ndzUYdGy34efmnXGQ1DPXynGgxLjK7GWmAvGxyUUgDvVczWm2pFcx81OPIp82mmK2gCD7TA6ijiFAPGJvMCoXGtVOfO7-Gq9gY9O6d0CFzKpfeSUSRwu0xYYrZFWPnxJzvI2Z-36EMZ6m3lUT0J6-Lwre4Y73W1ozyyv7JbpPPrtxYVu8Jb9FcjWOO4AtgZuYdYj-NU71rp73gIAjP-2xB19FwRjbxsydGRQHjRzlRFHNqFFxRSJd09bpK379eVUvWKaIUULWYMJisXLyINzKXy2XIxKLs8cAReALX8mUCTHQWidK4l9SsI5Ga9LZwzZ7psJQf2TXsA9FFa1qacSzMpKpm5HMhU562WbcY0O2CC4VxqSug-DtCFyGD4oQYRHk2XArFfP-IHkDl0cBRzIDX-gIQUbpZarJTybXVLbslqWMnGJOvzr9EGQ1mSTu5RWludr0200-m9mMt3VqjXN7XlZEK5GoCV4F9dRCOnMjJ-LiOOdMGBqV9D0gRcyd-Bc7KkxCgx8RZD7UbgnmnDYCylWJgCEhwYEZg82B7bg1PrupdMWWCzGi7n3IbXu4wSsH0P3agIcYCtRT9mdxz-BmCvr1P5GL-v1cCLWHCrTzRaq0iMHsZ3GXZfjA7ENaENVbDBl-xpnkzSycV8YYRfEgj4B1-oJUzMk9SRXiuEjt015FT7MoJmZI0rbOupIGyTCr24NX4VPIfJoPox0bOi0FAwZm93IaEHRIEfFCtg) (TVRK) during the Sihanouk era, though operations were completely destroyed during the Khmer Rouge period when professional staff were expelled or killed and technical equipment was demolished. The service was restored in the early 1980s as Radio Television Cambodge, initially broadcasting three nights per week before expanding to daily transmissions. TVK operates two channels, including TVK2 (an educational channel launched April 20, 2020), and maintains regional stations in provinces including Battambang, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville. The network is a member of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union and broadcasts in HDTV format with programming primarily in Khmer.

China Cultural Center in Hanoi

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The China Cultural Center in Hanoi serves as an official cultural institution established by the Chinese government to promote cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Vietnam. Inaugurated on November 12, 2017, by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the center operates under the motto of “Excellence, Promotion, Friendship and Cooperation.” The facility hosts art performances, cultural exhibitions, academic seminars, and cultural experiences designed to showcase Chinese culture while fostering mutual understanding between the two peoples. Located at F2, Zone B, No. 188 Le Quang Dao Street, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, the center functions as part of China’s broader network of cultural centers promoting people-to-people exchanges across Southeast Asia.

Chinese Embassy in Cambodia

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The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Cambodia serves as China’s principal diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Cambodia, located in Phnom Penh. Diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Cambodia were established on July 19, 1958, making Cambodia one of the first Southeast Asian nations to recognize the People’s Republic of China. The embassy operates under China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部) and maintains an active public presence through social media and cultural programming, including events such as annual National Day receptions and participation in initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (一帶一路). Embassy activities have included humanitarian assistance, such as a $100,000 donation to Preah Vihear province in September 2025 for refugees affected by border tensions, promotion of the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, jointly constructed by Chinese and Cambodian enterprises, and cultural exchanges. China has become Cambodia’s largest source of foreign investment and development assistance, with the relationship deepening significantly since the early 1990s as China expanded its economic and diplomatic engagement across mainland Southeast Asia.

Ministry of Tourism Cambodia

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The Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia oversees the development and promotion of the kingdom’s tourism sector, managing everything from cultural heritage sites like Angkor Wat to community-based ecotourism initiatives and coastal destinations. The ministry regulates tourism operations, coordinates with provincial authorities, and works to balance conservation with visitor access at Cambodia’s archaeological and natural sites. It maintains the official tourism portal at tourismcambodia.org and operates tourist information centers nationwide. The ministry also facilitates international cooperation on tourism development, manages filming permits for heritage sites, and promotes Cambodia as a tourism destination.

Yunnan Media Group (YMG)

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Yunnan Media Group (雲南廣播電視台), or YMG, serves as the provincial state broadcaster of southwestern China’s Yunnan province under the leadership of the provincial Chinese Communist Party committee. Established on August 29, 2012, through the merger of Yunnan Television Station and Yunnan People’s Radio Station, YMG operates nine television channels and eight radio frequencies. The organization functions as a directly administered institution under the Yunnan provincial government while receiving guidance from the provincial party propaganda office. YMG plays a strategic role in China’s media and cultural outreach to Southeast Asia, working closely with the provincial government and Yunnan’s South and Southeast Asia Regional International Communication Center (雲南省南亞東南亞區域國際傳播中心) to promote cross-border exchanges with neighboring countries.