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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

Thansettakij

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Thansettakij is a leading Thai economic newspaper that operates as a bi-weekly publication in traditional bulletin journal format, covering business news, politics, and economic analysis for diverse demographics across Thailand. The publication is part of Nation Multimedia Group (NMG), which confirmed that Thansettakij joined their media portfolio alongside other major Thai publications including Nation Thailand, Kom Chad Luek, and Krungthep Turakij. According to NMG’s 2019 business strategy announcement, Thansettakij was identified as a “soon-to-join family member” that would provide “in-depth data and analysis in their respective fields to specific groups of readers” as part of the group’s offline data strategy. The newspaper maintains both print and digital operations, with its website serving as what industry analysts describe as having “a very large online following.” Thansettakij has established itself as a credible source for Thai political and economic reporting, frequently cited by international news agencies including Bloomberg for its coverage of Thai government developments and business affairs. The publication focuses on comprehensive coverage including business editorial sections, social issues, HR topics, and international politics.

Sing Sian Yer Pao

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The Sing Sian Yer Pao, also known as The Sing Sian Yer Pao Daily News, is a Chinese-language newspaper based in Bangkok, Thailand, founded on June 23, 1950. Originally published in traditional Chinese characters, it switched to simplified Chinese after 2010. In November 2013, the newspaper formed a partnership with China’s Southern Media Group. As of February 2016, the paper was priced at 5 baht in Bangkok and 6 baht elsewhere in Thailand. The newspaper operates from its headquarters on Silom Road in Bangkok’s Samphanthawong district, continuing its long tradition of serving Thailand’s Chinese-language readers.

Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group

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Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao Wen Wei Po Media Group (香港大公文汇传媒集团) was established in January 2016, operating Ta Kung Pao (大公报), Hong Kong Wen Wei Po (香港文汇报), and multiple digital platforms as a Hong Kong-based, state-owned Chinese-language media conglomerate. Under the leadership of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the group upholds strong pro-China positions and often serves to attack critics in the territory, including scholars and democracy figures. Ta Kung Pao, founded June 17, 1902, in Tianjin, claims to be “the oldest existing Chinese newspaper.” Wen Wei Po was established in Shanghai in 1938 and resumed publication in Hong Kong on September 9, 1948, positioning itself as a “main channel” for Hong Kong residents to understand central government policies. The group operates news centers across mainland China and correspondent bureaus in multiple countries, describing its mission as “transmitting China’s voice” and supporting “One Country, Two Systems” implementation.

Africa Chinese Media Group

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Africa Chinese Media Group, based in Botswana, southern Africa, is a subsidiary of Global Max Media Group (Pty) Ltd (環球廣域傳媒集團), a conglomerate with close links to the Chinese state. The group claims, alongside its parent, to be Africa’s media company with the “most platforms, languages, and broadest coverage” (媒體平台最多、語種最全、覆蓋面最廣的媒體公司), headquartered in Gaborone with three operational centers across the continent covering most African countries. The company positions itself as building “regional mainstream media” (區域性強力主流媒體) to “spread Chinese culture and enhance China’s overseas image” (傳播中國文化、提升中國在海外形象). Its operations span multilingual broadcasting, video production, digital media, print publications, advertising, public relations, and organizing large-scale cultural and charitable events, serving as a vehicle for Chinese soft power projection across Africa. Led by chairman Nan Gengxu (南庚戌), who advocates transitioning from serving Chinese communities to influencing African mainstream society and policymakers, the group publishes The Oriental Post (非洲華僑週報), a paper that was launched in July 2013 as the African weekly edition of the overseas edition of the CCP’s official People’s Daily newspaper.

TNAOT

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TNAOT, which literally translates “Cambodia Headlines App,” was developed by Guangdong Mengxun Technology Co. (广东盟讯科技有限公司) through the local Cambodian company Koh Thmey Technology Co. Ltd. TNAOT is described as a media platform serving Chinese residents and local users in Cambodia. The app claimed to offer “news aggregation, lifestyle information, and business services” in Chinese, English, and Khmer languages. Features reportedly included utility services like “mobile top-up and real-time Khmer translation,” real estate listings, job postings, and news about “China-Cambodia trends.” The platform said it functioned as a “self-media creation platform” with what it called “big data recommendation technology” to provide personalized content to users. While it is unclear whether Guangdong Mengxun has links government entities in the PRC, it should be noted that Chinese-language content on the TNAOT app skews heavily toward state-run media content, including from the CCP’s official People’s Daily, from Chinese enterprises promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, from the Global Times, and so on. The TNAOT app is available on Google Play. Its Telegram channel is here. The outlet has accounts on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Telegram.

Mehr Media Group

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Mehr Media Group, comprising Mehr News Agency and The Tehran Times, represents one of Iran’s prominent state-affiliated media organizations. The Tehran Times was established in 1979, coinciding with the Islamic Revolution, while the broader media group operates under the Islamic Development Organization’s umbrella. The organization maintains offices across Iran’s 31 provinces and select neighboring countries, positioning itself as what its materials describe as “the voice of the oppressed all around the world.” According to their self-description, the group aims to “spread the ideals of the Islamic revolution” and serve as “the loud voice of the Islamic Revolution and the supporter of the oppressed people worldwide,” quoting the founder Martyr Beheshti. The organization claims direct access to government sources through its institutional affiliations, operating from its headquarters on Nejatollahi Street in Tehran.

Chinese Embassy in Japan

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The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Japan is China’s chief diplomatic mission to Japan, located in Moto-Azabu, Minato, Tokyo. The mission’s origins trace to the 1964 establishment of the China-Japan Memorandum of Understanding Trade Office Liaison Office, initially named the “Liao Chengzhi Liaison Office in Tokyo.” Following the 1972 normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, marked by Premier Zhou Enlai and Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka’s joint statement in Beijing, the embassy officially opened on February 1, 1973. It initially operated from temporary offices in the Hotel New Otani Tokyo before moving to its current Moto-Azabu location after construction was completed. The current ambassador is Wu Jianghao (吴江浩).

Merdeka

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Merdeka.com is an Indonesian news website founded in 2012 by Indonesian-born entrepreneur Steve Christian. According to its company profile, the platform was created through “collaboration between technology developers and journalists,” with the aim of delivering news content that is both accurate and accessible to Indonesian audiences. The website covers a range of topics, including national and international news, politics, business, entertainment, and lifestyle, for readers across Indonesia. “Merdeka” is the Malay word for “independence.