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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

RTP and Zhejiang ICC Sign Agreement

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On October 11, 2024, representatives from the Zhejiang International Communication Center (ZICC) and Portugal’s public broadcaster Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) signed a memorandum of understanding to broadcast the Chinese television drama “Just in Time” (時光正好), which follows three women navigating challenges in their personal and professional lives. Established in May 2024 under the guidance of the Zhejiang Provincial Propaganda Office, ZICC has described itself as a “provincial-level ‘central kitchen’ for international communication,” meaning it produces multimedia content intended to serve Xi Jinping’s external propaganda policy of “telling China’s story well.” The ICC is part of a nationwide strategy pushed by the central leadership since 2019, and accelerating since 2022, to enhance the country’s external propaganda and “discourse power” by leveraging the resources of provincial, city and even county-level media and propaganda offices. 

Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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Founded in Lisbon in 1978, the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry works to strengthen economic and trade ties between the two nations. The chamber facilitates cooperation across diverse sectors, from electronics and banking to power infrastructure and beyond. According to the chamber’s “About Us” page, it opened a Macau branch in 1992 “in recognition of the deep historical connection between Portugal and Macau.” The Articles of the Association of the organization uphold its primary bilateral business purposes, and do not contain overt political language. They read: “The Association aims to promote and strengthen economic and commercial relations between the Portuguese Republic and the People’s Republic of China, and the integration of companies and institutions from both countries, on a basis of mutual interest.” However, the chamber routinely runs official coverage from state media, including Xinhua, which presents an optimistic and favorable perspective on trade and business developments.

Zhejiang International Communication Center

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The Zhejiang International Communication Center (浙江省國際傳播中心) was established in Hangzhou on May 31, 2024, as the province’s response to a national strategy by Xi Jinping to enhance the country’s external propaganda and “discourse power” by leveraging the resources of provincial, city and even county-level media and propaganda offices. The center, which is under the guidance of the Zhejiang Provincial Propaganda Office, said during its launch ceremony that it aims to “full-heartedly tell the story of General Secretary Xi Jinping” (用心講好習近平總書記的故事) and showcase “China’s governance” (中國之治) through a “Zhejiang window” (浙江之窗). The center operates the “In Zhejiang” English-language news website covering news from the Zhejiang province, alongside television channels that organizers claim reach more than 50 million viewers across 200 countries and regions, and social media accounts totaling more than 8 million followers. The center is directly overseen by Zhejiang Daily Press Group (浙江日報報業集團) and has signed cooperation agreements with central state media, including the People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, and China Daily, as well as Hong Kong and overseas outlets. Zhejiang has become home to 16 municipal-level international communication centers, five times the national average.  

Myanmar Radio and Television

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Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) evolved from the Burma Broadcasting Service, which began radio operations in 1936 during British colonial rule. The organization, which broadcasts television from Kamayut, Yangon, and radio primarily from Naypyidaw, claims its TV signals reach 92.7 percent of Myanmar’s population and its radio coverage reaches 100 percent. The military government that took power in 1988 renamed the service Myanmar Radio and Television in 1997. The network launched a television service in June 1980 and switched to digital terrestrial broadcasting with DVB-T2 in October 2013. MRTV expanded its multiplex system to include additional channels in February 2015 and March 2018, and as of 2014, Myanmar Radio broadcasts 18 hours daily on FM stations nationwide.

Leading Group for Promoting the Belt and Road Initiative

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The Leading Group for Promoting the Belt and Road Initiative (推进”一带一路”建设工作领导小组) is a high-level Chinese government coordinating body that oversees Belt and Road Initiative implementation and policy. Chaired by senior Party leadership, the Leading Group directs strategic planning, coordinates across ministries including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Commerce, and State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), and issues major policy guidance on BRI development. Its office (推进”一带一路”建设工作领导小组办公室) handles day-to-day coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of BRI activities. The Leading Group directs China’s official Belt and Road portal (中国一带一路网) in close coordination with Xinhua Silk Road, under the official Xinhua News Agency.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta

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Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Российская газета) was established on November 11, 1990, by the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR during the glasnost reforms, shortly before the Soviet Union’s dissolution. The newspaper serves as the official publication of the Russian Federation’s government, replacing Izvestia and Sovetskaya Rossiya after their privatization. Its role is legally mandated by Federal Law N 5-FZ from June 14, 1994, which designates it as the official venue for publishing federal laws, presidential decrees, and government acts. The publication has drawn international criticism, including controversy over its 2007 coverage of the Katyn massacre, where columnist Alexander Sabov questioned Soviet responsibility for the killings. In May 2024, the European Union suspended the newspaper’s broadcasting activities across the EU, citing its role in “supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine” and spreading propaganda. The Council of the European Union stated that Rossiyskaya Gazeta operates “under the permanent direct or indirect control of the leadership of the Russian Federation” and plays an instrumental role in Russia’s information manipulation campaigns.

Jornal de Notícias

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Jornal de Notícias was founded in Porto on June 21, 1888, making it one of Portugal’s oldest newspapers. The daily publication covers national and international news with significant emphasis on reporting from northern Portugal while maintaining nationwide reach. The newspaper launched its online edition in 1995, making it one of the first Portuguese newspapers to establish a digital presence. In July 2024, the newspaper joined the Global Media Group.

Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP)

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Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) is Portugal’s public service broadcaster, operating four nationwide television channels and three nationwide radio stations. The company has been operating in its current form since 2007, when Radiodifusão Portuguesa, the public service radio broadcaster, and Radiotelevisão Portuguesa, the public service television broadcaster, were merged. RTP’s radio operations trace back to 1935, while television transmissions began on March 7, 1957. RTP operates under an Independent General Council governance structure designed to ensure freedom from government control, and maintains regional centers throughout Portugal alongside international channels serving Portuguese diaspora communities.

CGTN Airs “China’s Agenda” Programme Across Europe

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In March 2024, the state-run Chinese international broadcaster CGTN organized a series of dialogues across Europe during China’s annual “Two Sessions” (兩會) parliamentary meetings, branded in English as “China’s Agenda” and in Chinese as “Spring in China” (春天裏的中國). The program focused on “Chinese-style modernization” and “New Quality Productive Forces” (新質生產力) — both political terminologies promoted by the Chinese leadership that emphasize innovation-driven economic growth. Hosted by CGTN Europe journalist Juliet Mann, the program aired on March 9, featuring political and business figures from the United States, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Albania, Chile, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. Participants included Bert Hofman, former China country director of the World Bank; Marsela Musabelliu, executive director of the Albanian Institute for Globalization Studies; and Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius, who discussed China as a key market for the automaker. CGTN claimed the content reached 150 million people across 176 Western media platforms. Juliet Mann is represented as an anchor-for-hire by Knight Ayton Management.