Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

Icelandic Times

Written by Editors on February 9, 2026.

Established in 2009 by editor Einar Th. Thorsteinsson, Icelandic Times (冰岛时代) is a multi-lingual magazine covering tourism, culture, and business that maintains distinct institutional ties to Chinese state media. Since 2014, the magazine has produced a Chinese-language edition printed in China and distributed through thousands of Chinese travel agencies, with editorial content frequently amplifying PRC official narratives including features on the “Belt and Road” initiative and exclusive interviews with Chinese ambassadors. The outlet has collaborated directly with Xinhua News Agency on the publishing of Xinhua content, and on documentary projects. Describing itself as a “prominent magazine” on its Facebook account (though its website appears offline), the publication positions itself in Chinese as “the first Chinese-language periodical published in Iceland” covering “all information about Icelandic culture, history, and tourism.” Thorsteinsson’s personal writings on the website, viewed through archived pages, is largely about tourism and culture in Iceland. On June 13, 2019, the Icelandic Times received a visit from Chinese Ambassador Jin Zhijian “to discuss about future cooperation.” During the meeting, Thorsteinsson reportedly “expressed his satisfaction with the current cooperation with the Chinese Embassy, and expected more cooperation for the future.”

Chinese Embassy in Iceland

Written by Editors on February 9, 2026.

The Chinese Embassy in Iceland, located in Reykjavik, manages diplomatic relations between China and Iceland. Iceland established diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China on December 8, 1971, becoming one of the early Nordic countries to recognize the PRC. The embassy’s functions include promoting bilateral political dialogue, economic and trade cooperation, cultural exchanges, and consular services. In recent years, China-Iceland relations have maintained cooperation in areas including Arctic affairs, clean energy, and fisheries. The embassy disseminates diplomatic information through its official website and social media platforms, advancing mutually beneficial cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework.

CMG Rolls Out Promotional Film Ads in 28 Countries

Written by Editors on February 9, 2026.

China Media Group’s “Thousand Overseas Screens” (海外千屏) program will deploy promotional content for the “China Travel with Chinese Films” (跟著電影遊中國) campaign across more than 600 public screens in 28 countries during 2026, according to a February 4 announcement at a special promotion event in Shenzhen. The initiative, co-hosted by the China Film Administration (CFA) and CMG, places content in high-visibility locations including cinema chains in seven major US cities, shopping centers, and diplomatic venues. Promotional materials feature 2026 Spring Festival films alongside tourism content about filming locations, supporting China’s international communication strategy to present a “credible, lovable, respectable China” (可信、可愛、可敬的中國). The campaign integrates with CMG’s Spring Festival Gala global viewing events and Chinese embassy receptions, demonstrating coordinated party-state soft power deployment through commercial-cultural channels.

Chinese Ambassador Meets with Senegal National Broadcasting Director

Written by Editors on February 8, 2026.

Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang (李志剛) met with Senegal National Broadcasting Director Pape Alé Niang on January 7, 2026 to discuss China-Senegal media exchange and cooperation. Ambassador Li emphasized that China “highly values promoting China-Senegal and China-Africa civilizational exchange and mutual learning” ahead of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges — an initiative between China and the African Union kicked off in January 2026 — and expressed willingness to cooperate with Senegal National Broadcasting on media coverage of major events including the Dakar Youth Olympic Games. Director Niang praised China’s contributions to Senegal’s development and stated willingness to “learn from China’s development experience” and “actively promote Senegal-China friendly cooperation.” The meeting represents China’s efforts to build media coordination with African state broadcasters as part of broader people-to-people exchange initiatives designed to strengthen “hearts connecting, emotions blending, and forces gathering.” The language of “civilizational exchange” reflects official CCP terminology positioning China as creator of “a new form of human civilization” that other countries should emulate, while “friendship” is a term the CCP uses to condition relationships on accommodating China’s core interests.

Italy and China Renew Film Co-Production Agreement

Written by Editors on February 8, 2026.

On February 2, 2026, Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli signed a film co-production agreement in Beijing with Shen Haixiong (慎海雄), president of China Media Group and a deputy director of the Central Propaganda Department. The agreement aims to facilitate joint film productions between Italian and Chinese companies, allowing co-produced works to qualify as domestic content in both countries, which might allow Italian co-productions to bypass China’s foreign film quota system. The agreement followed the June 2025 broadcast of the CMG-produced series “Il Guardiano del Patrimonio” across more than 30 Italian media outlets, a production promoting Xi Jinping’s cultural philosophy that was launched at a ceremony in Rome attended by Shen and Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara.

Italian Ministry of Culture

Written by Editors on February 8, 2026.

The Italian Ministry of Culture (Ministero della Cultura), or MIC, is the government ministry responsible for national museums, historical monuments, cultural heritage protection, and promotion of cultural activities including landscape preservation, entertainment, cinema, and audiovisual production. Established in 1974 and headquartered in Rome’s historic Collegio Romano Palace, MiC operates through a national network of museums, libraries, and archives. The ministry’s Directorate-General for Education, Research and Cultural Institutes (DG-ERIC) coordinates education, training and research programs, including supervision of specialized restoration institutes. On February 2, 2026, Minister Alessandro Giuli signed a film co-production agreement in Beijing with China Media Group president Shen Haixiong, allowing joint productions to qualify as domestic content in both countries. MiC defines methodologies for cataloguing, conservation and restoration while promoting cultural heritage knowledge through publications, exhibitions, conferences and international collaboration.

China Film Administration

Written by Editors on February 8, 2026.

The China Film Administration (國家電影局) was officially established on April 16, 2018, as part of institutional reforms that transferred film regulation from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) to direct control of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department. It is responsible for reviewing and approving all films for release in China, dictating “whether, when, and how a movie gets released.” China’s official Xinhua New Agency reported in 2018 that the restructuring would “strengthen the Party’s overall leadership” in ideological sectors and advance “cultural confidence.”

All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese

Written by Editors on February 8, 2026.

The All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (中華全國歸國華僑聯合會), or ACFROC, established October 12, 1956, operates as a “people’s organization” — or a state-sanctioned, mass-membership group under the CCP — within the united front system to influence overseas Chinese communities worldwide. Tracing its roots to Yan’an-era associations, ACFROC gained expanded authority in 2018 when the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee transferred responsibilities for “friendship with overseas Chinese associations” from the State Council’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office to ACFROC. The organization maintains ties with diaspora communities through cultural exchanges, business networks, and friendship associations, working to mobilize overseas Chinese support for Beijing’s economic development and geopolitical objectives. Through its network of affiliated organizations and direct engagement programs, ACFROC serves as a primary channel for the party-state to extend influence among Chinese communities abroad while facilitating technology transfer and advancing China’s vision of national rejuvenation.