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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

Hong Kong CE Meets Chief of China Media Group

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On September 29, 2025, in Hong Kong, Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) met China Media Group (CMG) President and Editor-in-Chief Shen Haixiong (慎海雄) at Government House to discuss strengthening cooperation in communications, with Director of Information Services Apollonia Liu (劉李可頤) also attending. Mr Shen was leading a delegation to Hong Kong for a ceremony marking deepened cooperation between CMG and various sectors in the city. Lee expressed gratitude to CMG for “supporting the work” of the Hong Kong SAR Government and said the state broadcaster’s programming helps Hong Kong citizens “better understand the country’s history and development, enhancing their sense of national identity.” The Chief Executive said Hong Kong would “deepen co-operation with CMG by leveraging its international communication network to jointly tell the world good stories of China and Hong Kong,” language invoking Xi’s 2013 policy on external propaganda.

Bashundhara Group LTD

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Bashundhara Group is a Bangladeshi conglomerate founded in 1987 by Ahmed Akbar Sobhan as East West Property Development Ltd. Originally focused on real estate development in Dhaka, the company expanded into manufacturing, cement production, paper mills, and steel during the 1990s. The group reports in the “About Us” section of its website that it operates more than 50 businesses across sectors including LPG distribution and food processing. Its media business centers on the subsidiary East West Media Group. With more than 700,000 employees according to its corporate profile, Bashundhara is one of Bangladesh’s largest private enterprises.

Hungarian Media Services and Support Trust Fund (MTVA)

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The Hungarian Media Services and Support Trust Fund (MTVA), established on January 1, 2011, is Hungary’s state-owned fund company under the National Media and Infocommunications Authority. Parliament passed the law creating MTVA in December 2010, consolidating four public broadcasters—Magyar Rádió, Magyar Televízió, Duna Televízió, and Magyar Távirati Iroda—under its management. In July 2015, these entities were merged into a single organization called Duna Médiaszolgáltató, with MTVA maintaining control over funding and operations. Based in Budapest, MTVA holds membership in the European Broadcasting Union. However, a 2019 European Federation of Journalists report concluded that “public service media have been deformed into state media” and found “no transparency around the funding or work of the public broadcaster.”

All-China Journalists Association

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The All-China Journalists Association (中華全國新聞工作者協會) was established on November 8, 1937, originally as the Chinese Young Journalists Association (中國青年記者協會), founded by wartime reporter Fan Changjiang (范長江) in Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Operating as “a national people’s organization of the Chinese press under the leadership of the Communist Party of China,” the organization claims to represent over one million journalism professionals through 217 member organizations. The ACJA primarily serves to implement party media policies rather than protect press freedom, as its constitution explicitly states that it “serves as a bridge between the Party, the Chinese government and the press.” The organization plays a central role in China’s media diplomacy through initiatives like the Belt and Road News Network, launched in 2017 to cultivate relationships with journalists from Global South countries, with the ACJA working closely with the CCP’s United Front Work Department to manage outreach to international journalists. While presenting itself as a professional association that “safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of journalists,” independent analysis notes that the ACJA’s primary function remains ensuring media compliance with party directives through mechanisms including mandatory training in “Marxist View of Journalism” rather than defending journalistic independence.

Agence Kampuchea Presse

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Agence Kampuchea Presse (ទីភ្នាក់ងារសារព័ត៌មានកម្ពុជា) is Cambodia’s state-owned national news agency, established in 1978. The agency operates under the Ministry of Information as the “sole official State-owned and non-profit news agency” of Cambodia. Local journalists interviewed in March 2024 confirmed that AKP is fully government-funded and does not publish financial reports. The agency’s editorial strategy is subject to close government control, with research showing there are no statutes safeguarding journalist autonomy or independent editorial oversight processes for AKP staff.

Solomon Telekom Company Limited

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Solomon Telekom Company Limited operates as the Solomon Islands’ primary telecommunications provider through a joint venture between the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF), which holds 97.32% of the shares, and the Investment Corporation of the Solomon Islands (ICSI), which owns 2.68% of the shares. The company was founded in 1989 and has developed into a full-service telecommunications provider offering mobile, internet, fixed lines, and television services. Our Telekom maintains offices in all nine provincial centers and operates the nation’s only television network, TTV, as a wholly owned subsidiary. The company actively engages in community sponsorship across sports, music, health, education, and religious organizations throughout the Solomon Islands, positioning itself as a leader in community support while advancing digital connectivity across the archipelago.

Fana Media Corporation SC

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Fana Media Corporation S.C. (FMC) is a state-owned Ethiopian media organization formed through the merger of Fana Broadcasting Corporate and Walta Media and Communication Corporate. Launched in 1994, FBC has generally supported Ethiopia’s federal government and ruling Prosperity Party since 2020, and has signed content exchange agreements with Russian state news agency Sputnik. The company operates extensive broadcasting infrastructure including Fana Television, Fana Plus TV, National Radio, and twelve FM stations across Ethiopia, claiming to reach millions of viewers domestically and internationally. FMC broadcasts in nine languages including Amharic, Afan Oromo, Afar, Somali, Tigrigna, Wolaita, Sidamo, Arabic, and English, and describes itself as committed to Ethiopia’s “economic, social, and political development.” Beyond traditional broadcasting, the corporation provides media training and consultancy services while maintaining a digital presence. Operating under the slogan “We Reveal Ethiopia,” FMC has participated in China’s international communication initiatives targeting African audiences through programs like the China-Africa International Communication Alliance.

Belarusian Union of Journalists

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The Belarusian Union of Journalists (白俄羅斯記者聯盟) is a professional media organization headquartered in Belarus, claiming to represent journalists and media workers across the country. The organization positions itself as facilitating media cooperation and professional development within Belarus’s media landscape. According to organizational listings, key figures have included Andrew Krivosheev, who describes himself as a political and social observer, author and presenter of television projects for Belorussian State TV and Radio Company, and serves as a prominent figure within the union. The organization is a member of the China-led Belt and Road Journalists Network, and has engaged in international partnerships, including hosting offices for foreign communication centers such as Gansu Province’s international communication center (甘肅省國際傳播中心) since 2023, and participating in media exchanges with Chinese provincial media organizations. Krivosheev has been included on international sanctions lists, while the union continues to operate cooperative agreements with state media organizations in multiple countries including partnership frameworks with Chinese media entities.

News Agency of Nigeria

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News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is Nigeria’s state-owned news agency, established on May 10, 1976, and became operational on October 2, 1978. Created by the Nigerian government through Decree 19, NAN was formed in part to disseminate news easily across the country and to the international community, and also as a means to counter negative stories about Nigeria. The agency serves as the primary news content provider for Nigeria’s newspapers, electronic media, and bloggers, operating with 501 editorial staff nationwide and a correspondent in New York. NAN produces more than 200 stories per day and introduced satellite technology in 1998 to transmit content simultaneously to subscribers.