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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

The Wall Street Journal Runs China Daily Supplement

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Beginning in November 2016, The Wall Street Journal regularly ran the “China Watch” printed insert of China’s government-run China Daily in the pages of its newspaper, accepting advertising payments from China Daily USA in return. The paid supplements were designed to look like news articles, but were vehicles for pro-China propaganda. According to filings by China Daily with the US Justice Department, the The Wall Street Journal accepted 6 million dollars for the inserts between 2016 and April 2020.

Guangxi Radio and Television Does Deal with RTHK

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On September 18, 2025, the state-run Guangxi Radio and Television (廣西廣播電視台) and Hong Kong public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (香港電台) signed a strategic memorandum of understanding regarding “program resources and talent exchange.” Held at the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center (南寧國際會展中心) during the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (中國—東盟博覽會), the deal aimed to “tell China’s story well” to ASEAN nations, according to state media reports. This move directly echoed official external propaganda policies of the Chinese Communist Party leadership. The signing was witnessed by the National Radio and Television Administration (國家廣播電視總局), an agency under the Central Propaganda Department. This partnership sought to bolster media synergy between Guangxi and the Greater Bay Area, leveraging regional advantages to enhance cross-border cooperation and drive high-quality media development across the Southeast Asian region.

China-Iraq Short Video Competition Held

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On January 19, the third annual China-Iraq Short Video Competition held its awards ceremony online. The competition was organized by China National Petroleum Corporation (中國石油天然氣集團公司) Middle East Company alongside Dubai’s China-Arab TV and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Iraq. Reports from official state media said the competition, now in its third year, received 389 entries from “Chinese enterprises, young students, and university scholars” in Iraq under the theme “Light of Two Rivers: Seeing Each Other, Illuminating the World.” Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Cui Wei (崔巍), who was appointed in 2022, attended. The grand prize reportedly went to “I Study Chinese in Iraq,” documenting Iraqi students learning Chinese at Salahaddin University’s Chinese language department, which opened in 2019, and their emotional farewell to departing teacher Hu Zhiwei (胡志偉).

Zhejiang Province and Portugal’s RTP Sign Film Cooperation Agreement

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On October 11, 2024, officials from Zhejiang Province and Portugal’s public broadcaster Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) reported signing a cooperation agreement on film and television at RTP headquarters in Lisbon. Zhao Cheng (趙承), a member of the Standing Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and head of the province’s propaganda office, attended alongside Nicolau Santos, who was appointed as RTP’s president in 2021. The agreement was characterized as strengthening cultural ties and expanding the international reach of content to European audiences, according to promotional material. Chen Guangsheng, director of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, also attended the ceremony.

Ningbo Photography Exhibition Held in Spain

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On September 26, 2025, the “Ningbo Through the Lens” (光影裡的寧波) photography exhibition opened at the China Cultural Center in Madrid, Spain. The photo exhibition was organized by the Ningbo International Communication Center (寧波市對外傳播中心) and China International Publishing Group’s Central and Eastern Europe and Central and South Asia Communication Center (中東歐與中南亞傳播中心). The Ningbo ICC is a city-level body under the local propaganda office and state-run media groups charged with shaping international narratives about Ningbo and China. CICG is a publishing and communication group directly under the Central Propaganda Department. Marcel Leijzer, deputy director of the UN World Tourism Organization’s International Development and Cooperation Department, attended alongside Chinese and Spanish officials. According to Chinese media reports, the exhibition is part of efforts to implement the Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Spain (2025-2028), which was signed during Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s visit to Beijing in April 2025. The plan outlines cooperation in areas including trade, agriculture, technology, and cultural exchanges. The photo exhibition focused on Ningbo’s maritime history and cultural exchanges, and was organized into four themed sections, each with bilingual captions.

CMG Signs Broadcasting Agreement with La Liga

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On September 12, 2024, China Media Group (CMG) and La Liga, the Spanish football league, signed a media cooperation agreement in Beijing. The agreement, signed by CMG President Shen Haixiong (沈海雄) and La Liga President Javier Tebas, granted CMG broadcasting rights for the 2024-25 La Liga season across television and digital platforms. According to CMG, the parties also agreed to cooperate on commercial exchanges and youth football development. Tebas said La Liga wanted to share its operational experience to help “promote the development of the football industry in China.”The signing coincided with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s visit to China, during which he met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). 

Ningbo Radio and Television Group (NBGD)

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The Ningbo Radio and Television Group (寧波廣播電視集團) was established on March 28, 2003, as a directly affiliated unit of the Ningbo Municipal Government. The media group operates radio and television stations, manages program transmission and coverage networks, and conducts advertising and other business operations. The group produces news, cultural programming, and service content across traditional broadcasting platforms and digital media channels. According to its official website, the organization’s stated mission is to “publicize the Party’s line, principles, and policies” and “serve the overall work of the Party and government” (宣傳黨的路線、方針、政策;為黨和政府工作大局服務), reflecting its role as a state media outlet responsible for propagating official messaging.

Ningbo Daily Press Group

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The Ningbo Daily Press Group (寧波日報報業集團) was established in June 2002 with approval from the State Press and Publication Administration, becoming one of China’s first 39 authorized newspaper groups in a wave of industry restructuring of the media. As a bureau-level institution directly subordinate to the Ningbo Municipal CCP Committee, the group emphasizes that it operates under “enterprise management” — meaning that it runs as a profit-making business — while remaining firmly under Party control and “guidance.” The group owns three newspapers, including the Ningbo Daily (寧波日報), the official mouthpiece of the local Party leadership, as well as three periodicals and magazines. Beyond print media, it operates China Ningbo Net (中國寧波網), a government news portal. The group also operates businesses in printing, advertising, AI, big data, and publishing.  

Iraqi-Chinese Business Council

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The Iraqi-Chinese Business Council (伊拉克中國商務理事會) was established on November 25, 2023, in Baghdad during a ceremony attended by Iraqi Minister of Trade Atheer al-Ghurairi and Chinese Embassy counselor Xu Haifeng (許海峰). The council serves as a platform for facilitating trade and investment between Iraqi and Chinese companies, with 150 Iraqi and 55 Chinese companies reportedly participating in its launch. According to the Iraq Business News, council president Haider al-Rubaie described it as a platform for “enhancing trade and investment between Iraqi and Chinese companies, fostering economic cooperation between the two nations.”