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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians’ Union

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The Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians’ Union is one of seven Japanese organizations that Beijing identifies as “friendship” groups for engaging with Japan. It evolved from earlier parliamentary trade promotion efforts established in the 1950s when Japan maintained diplomatic relations with the Republic of China but not the People’s Republic of China. Following the 1972 normalization of Japan-PRC relations, the union was formally established in April 1974 with approximately 400 members from multiple parties under the leadership of Aiichirō Fujiyama (藤山愛一郎). On January 31, 2025, Hiroshi Moriyama (森山裕) assumed chairmanship from Toshihiro Nikai (二階俊博), following Moriyama’s participation in the China-Japan Ruling Party Exchange Mechanism. While Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian (林簡) characterized it as a group “dedicated to Japan-China friendship” that focuses on “promoting exchanges and cooperation,” the organization’s structure differs from other parliamentary exchange groups — the Japanese side consists of elected Diet members, while Chinese counterparts are designated by the Chinese Communist Party. In his new role, Moriyama said he would seek “dialogue and consensus with China” and pledged to encourage more parliamentary visits. 

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Pakistan

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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, established in 1947, describes itself as Pakistan’s focal ministry for “projection related activities” and claims to act as a bridge between the government, media, and citizens while providing policy guidelines to state electronic media. According to the ministry, it offers professional support to federal organizations for effective promotion of government policies domestically and internationally, and says it is responsible for formulating and implementing policies, laws, and regulatory frameworks governing print and electronic media as well as news agencies. The ministry also states that it works to promote and project what it characterizes as Pakistan’s “soft, progressive, and democratic image” both within the country and abroad. The ministry operates under a federal minister and oversees the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), which was established in 2002 to regulate private electronic media. The ministry has actively participated with China, a close and longstanding ally, on media-related activities.

Ministry of Rural Development of the Solomon Islands

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The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is one of 24 ministries within the Solomon Islands Government, established on September 28, 2007. The Ministry oversees the effective planning and implementation of the Government’s Rural Development Policy under Legal Notice 164 of the Solomon Islands Constitution. Its vision focuses on ensuring rural Solomon Islanders meaningfully participate in development activities to improve their socio-economic livelihoods. MRD coordinates work across 50 constituencies through two main divisions: Corporate Support Services Division and Rural Development Division. Core functions include managing Constituency Development Funds, rural development coordination, indigenous affairs, and constituency development planning. The ministry operates under the Constituency Development Funds Act 2013, managing fund disbursement with integrity while safeguarding recipient interests.

3rd BRICS Media Summit Held in South Africa

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On July 19, 2018, Xinhua News Agency (新华通讯社) and South Africa’s Independent Media co-hosted the 3rd BRICS Media Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. According to Xinhua sources, the event reportedly attracted attendance from 48 mainstream media organizations from the five BRICS countries and African nations, though Independent Online confirmed “38 mainstream media organisations from the BRICS bloc as well as African countries” attended. Xinhua reported that African media representatives expressed “expectations for strengthening cooperation with BRICS countries’ media” (期待与金砖国家媒体加强合作). A representative from Kenya’s The Standard (旗帜报) was quoted as saying that “Africa has its own stories to tell the world” (非洲有自己的故事要向世人讲述), echoing narratives promoted by Chinese media about African storytelling. The forum adopted the Cape Town Declaration 2018, which established commitments for content sharing and creating “a united news service between the various BRICS news services.”

China News Delegation Visits Papua New Guinea

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In late April 2018, a five-member Chinese news delegation organized by the All-China Journalists Association (中華全國新聞工作者協會) conducted the first-ever visit by Chinese media representatives to Papua New Guinea (巴布亞新幾內亞), led by Wang Dongmei (王冬梅), secretary of the association’s secretariat. The delegation included members from China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台), Shanghai Broadcasting Network (上海廣播電視台), and Communication University of China (中國傳媒大學). The visit aimed to prepare for coverage of the upcoming APEC summit scheduled for November 2018 in Port Moresby and to establish media cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework. The delegation met with local mainstream media, including The Post-Courier (信使郵報) and The National (國民報), as well as the National Broadcasting Corporation (國家廣播公司). Papua New Guinea officials described their preparations for the summit, with “the government providing 800 million kina (approximately 1.6 billion yuan)” for the event, according to local organizers. However, this figure appears questionable when compared to other reported summit costs of approximately $300 million USD. Local media representatives expressed interest in collaborating with Chinese counterparts and covering China-related stories in Papua New Guinea.

China and UK Discuss Media Collaboration

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National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) Deputy Director Dong Xin (董昕) met with Douglas Alexander, UK Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security, on April 11 to discuss deepening Sino-British audiovisual cooperation. The officials exchanged views on implementing the “China-UK Cultural Industry Policy Dialogue” during Alexander’s visit to China. According to the NRTA, Dong expressed China’s willingness to “further deepen policy communication, content cooperation, and personnel exchanges” in the broadcasting sector. Alexander agreed with China’s proposals and stated that the UK “highly values strengthening cooperation with China in broadcasting and television.” During his visit, Alexander raised concerns with senior Chinese and Hong Kong officials about Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse being denied entry to Hong Kong. Hobhouse was refused entry at Hong Kong International Airport on April 10 without explanation, marking the first time a British MP has faced such treatment since 1997.

Chinese State TV Signs Deal with Saudi Broadcaster

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China Media Group (中央廣播電視總臺) and the Saudi Broadcasting Authority signed a memorandum of understanding in December 2022 during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Saudi Arabia, which coincided with the first China-Arab States Summit (首屆中國—阿拉伯國家峰會) and China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit (中國—海灣阿拉伯國家合作委員會峰會). According to Chinese state media, the agreement was listed among the “important bilateral cooperation achievements” of Xi’s visit. The two broadcasters plan to establish what officials describe as a “regular cooperation mechanism” for program exchanges, personnel visits, and experience sharing, which they claim will “consolidate the friendly public opinion foundation” between the two nations. The Saudi Broadcasting Authority is the kingdom’s state broadcaster, operating multiple television and radio channels with signals covering Saudi Arabia and several Arab countries. This cooperation reflects expanding ties between the broadcasters in recent years.

China-Bangladesh Media Cooperation Seminar 2018

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The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh hosted a China-Bangladesh media cooperation seminar on July 8, 2018, with Chinese Ambassador Zhang Zuo (張佐) delivering remarks and Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu serving as chief guest. The seminar brought together executives from major Bangladeshi media outlets including United News of Bangladesh, Daily Naya Diganta, The Independent, The Financial Express, NTV, RTV, and ATN, with over 30 local media organizations and Press Trust of India reporters covering the event. Also participating was Aaj Kaal, an Indian newspaper based in Kolkata. Ambassador Zhang proposed four recommendations for strengthening bilateral media cooperation, encouraging Bangladeshi media to serve as “amplifiers” for China-Bangladesh relations, “seeders” of friendship, and “promoters” of cooperation. Minister Inu praised the strategic partnership’s development and expressed government support for enhanced media collaboration. Prior to the seminar, Zhang met privately with Inu to discuss bilateral relations and media cooperation.

CMG Signs MOU with Malaysian National News Agency

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On November 5, 2024, China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s four-day working visit to China. Both countries’ prime ministers witnessed the document exchange ceremony. The agreement establishes a routine cooperation mechanism between the two mainstream media organizations, focusing on content sharing, joint program production, and personnel exchanges. This partnership aims to expand cultural communication channels and contribute to the development of China-Malaysia relations. Bernama, Malaysia’s official news agency, was established by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and began operations in May 1968.