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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

News Ghana

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News Ghana is an independent digital news platform delivering coverage of national, regional, and continental issues across Africa. Founded in 2012 by Roger A. Agana and owned by M’ideas Group, the site publishes around the clock, specializing in business, politics, governance, economics, energy, infrastructure, education, health, transportation, and sports with a focus on developmental reporting and African investment opportunities. News Ghana serves readers in Ghana and the diaspora, providing analysis and feature content aimed at driving national dialogue and regional development. The platform positions itself as committed to advancing democratic governance, public accountability, and inclusive development through investigative reporting.

Gui Congyou Interviewed by Swedish Television

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On January 8, 2020, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou (桂從友) was interviewed at the embassy by Swedish Television (SVT) regarding media roles and Swedish coverage of China. The interview, published on January 17, 2020, covered media responsibilities, press freedom, journalist visa policies, and the case of detained Swedish citizen Gui Minhai (桂敏海). Gui outlined three media principles: basing reporting on “objective facts,” promoting “friendship” rather than inciting hostility, and assuming social responsibility. In CCP official discourse, which assumes political control of media for the Party’s needs, “objectivity” refers to coverage aligned with the CCP’s vision rather than criticism of China and its leaders. “Friendship” implies a conditional relationship where criticism is set aside for mutual interests. Gui criticized Swedish journalists for “groundlessly attacking” the Chinese Communist Party and government while refusing to visit China, comparing them to Chekhov’s short story “The Man in a Case” (裝在套子裡的人) — understood as a cautionary tale about voluntary isolation. He confirmed rejecting visa applications from Swedish journalists, stating Sweden lacked “the qualifications and ability to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.”

Sveriges Television

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Sveriges Television, SVT, also known as “Swedish Television,” is Sweden’s national public broadcasting service, operating as a tax-funded, independent public service broadcaster without commercial advertising. Established in 1956, SVT runs multiple channels including SVT1, SVT2, and SVT24, along with digital platforms. The organization maintains editorial independence under Swedish constitutional protections for press freedom and operates according to public service principles. SVT employs correspondents worldwide, including in Beijing, covering international news and affairs. The broadcaster has been a frequent target of Chinese diplomatic criticism for its China coverage. In January 2020, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou (桂從友) gave a confrontational interview to SVT in which he criticized Swedish media coverage of China.

Xinhua Reports on Icelandic Times Chinese Edition Launch

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On December 24, 2014, Xinhua News Agency reported on the launch of the Chinese-language edition of Icelandic Times magazine. The coverage featured an interview with then-Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, who described China as “a country creating the future” and emphasized Iceland’s interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in tourism. Tourism Minister Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir also appeared in the coverage, welcoming Chinese tourists. The Xinhua report promoted the magazine’s first Chinese edition and announced plans for a second edition to be printed and distributed in China in February 2015, along with the launch of the Chinese-language website www.icelandictimes.cn. This coverage established Icelandic Times as a platform for Chinese state media engagement and narrative framing with Icelandic audiences, as well as promotion of Iceland to Chinese tourists.

Icelandic Times Runs Interview with Chinese Ambassador

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On July 23, 2024, Icelandic Times magazine published an interview with Ambassador He Rulong (何儒龍) titled “Different Countries, Connected Hearts” (《國不同,心相通》). The interview highlighted cooperation between China and Iceland in cultural tourism, Arctic affairs, geothermal energy, and mutual learning between civilizations (文明互鑒). The piece was published in three languages—Icelandic, English, and Chinese. Icelandic Times has maintained longstanding cooperation with Chinese state entities, including Xinhua News Agency, and regularly features content from Chinese diplomatic missions. The interview represents continued use of the publication as a platform for Chinese diplomatic messaging in Iceland.

Chinese Ambassador Runs Article in Icelandic Times

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On July 25, 2019, the Chinese Embassy in Iceland published a signed article by Ambassador Jin Zhijian (金智健) in Icelandic Times magazine titled “The Time is Right to Advance China-Iceland Bilateral Cooperation” (《推動中冰雙邊合作正當其時》). The embassy-provided article (駐冰島使館供稿) appeared in the magazine’s seventh issue, which has had longstanding cooperation with Chinese state entities, including Xinhua News Agency. Jin’s piece emphasized bilateral achievements including trade exceeding $700 million in 2018, high-level exchanges, cultural initiatives like the “Happy Chinese New Year” (歡樂春節) celebrations, and cooperation on Arctic affairs and climate change.

Chinese Embassy Places Content in Two Icelandic Media

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On October 1, 2019, the Chinese Embassy in Iceland collaborated with two Icelandic publications — the daily newspaper Morgunblaðið and the Icelandic Times — to mark the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The embassy produced an eight-page Icelandic supplement and a 38-page English special edition containing data on China’s development and articles on bilateral relations. Ambassador Jin Zhijian (金智健) used these platforms to state China’s positions on the “Belt and Road” initiative, Arctic policy, and trade friction. The publications included interviews and articles from Icelandic figures, including the former president and the Minister of Education, Science, and Culture. This cooperation serves as a regional example of the “borrowed boat” (借船出海) strategy, where the Chinese Communist Party utilizes established foreign media outlets to disseminate its official narratives and policy perspectives to a local audience.

Chinese Ambassador Visits Icelandic Times Office

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On June 13, 2019, Chinese Ambassador Jin Zhijian (金智健) visited Icelandic Times and met with Editor-in-Chief Einar Thorsteinsson and senior staff to discuss future cooperation. Jin introduced China’s economic and social development and bilateral relations with Iceland, praising the magazine’s Chinese edition for providing tourism information that enhanced Chinese tourists’ understanding of Icelandic society, economy, and culture. The ambassador stated that “the Chinese Embassy was willing to strengthen cooperation with Icelandic Times and work together to promote further development of China-Iceland relations.” Thorsteinsson welcomed the ambassador and “expressed his satisfaction with the current cooperation with the Chinese Embassy, and expected more cooperation for the future.” Icelandic Times publishes in English, Icelandic, Chinese, German, and other languages, focusing on Icelandic tourism, culture, trade, and economy.

Morgunblaðið

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Founded in 1913, Morgunblaðið is a leading Icelandic daily newspaper headquartered in Reykjavík. Traditionally aligned with the center-right Independence Party, it has long championed individual liberty, private enterprise, and Western alignment. Though it historically functioned as an unofficial party organ, the paper asserted editorial independence by the 1980s. In 2009, following the financial crisis, the appointment of former Prime Minister Davíð Oddsson as co-editor shifted its stance further right, drawing criticism for prioritizing political interests. Despite digital competition, its online platform, mbl.is, remains a primary news source, maintaining the publication’s influential role in Icelandic civic discourse.