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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation

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The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) is a public service media company founded in 1953, operating four radio channels and two television stations that cover a range of topics, including politics, economics, finance, and general news. The broadcaster is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors appointed by Cyprus’s Council of Ministers. The government maintains indirect control through its authority to approve the broadcaster’s annual budget and appoint board members, thereby enabling the ruling political party, critics say, to influence the editorial direction. A 2022 report by Cyprus’s auditor-general catalogued widespread irregularities at the public broadcaster — from opaque hiring to inflated payrolls — revealing how the corporation increased costs by 28 percent over three years despite recommendations to cut staff.

Chinese Embassy in Cyprus

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The Chinese Embassy in Cyprus is the diplomatic mission of the People’s Republic of China in Nicosia, Cyprus, established following diplomatic relations on December 14, 1971. In 2021, the two countries upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership. The year before, in 2020, the Chinese embassy became the focus of diplomatic rivalry as China accused the United States of intimidating Cyprus and other allies by pressing them to join the “Clean Network” initiative, which targeted Chinese 5G technology firms over data privacy and security concerns. In August 2022, the embassy raised eyebrows by issuing a statement comparing China’s claim over Taiwan to Cyprus’ claim over its northern region, declaring that “neither China nor Cyprus is entirely reunified” and that national unity is a shared concern between the two countries. This resurfacing of the so-called “One China, One Cyprus” principle sparked dissatisfaction among Turkish Cypriots, as it rejected the sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Investigation by Lingua Sinica suggests that the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus operates the Chinese and Cypriots Friendship Promotion Association (CCFPA) and several other entities in the country as front organizations. The CCFPA’s affiliated social media accounts almost exclusively retweet content from China’s Ambassador to Cyprus — suggesting the purportedly nongovernmental organization fostering China-Cyprus business collaboration is actually an embassy-controlled entity.

China-Cyprus-Europe Media Forum

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The China-Cyprus-Europe Media Forum was held from October 21-23, 2025, in Nicosia, Cyprus. According to a report from the official China News Service, the forum was organized by the China Media Group (中央广播电视总) and the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus, along with the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (塞浦路斯广播电视公司), the Cyprus Mail (塞浦路斯邮报), and the government-run Xinhua News Agency (新华社). More than 100 representatives from the media, government, diplomatic missions, universities, think tanks, and enterprises attended. The Chinese Ambassador said that he hoped participants would “deepen exchanges” and “tell stories of China-Cyprus friendship well” — language reflecting the Chinese Communist Party’s emphasis on “telling China’s story well” (講好中國故事), a core propaganda directive under Xi Jinping aimed at shaping international narratives about China. Cooperation between China and Cyprus, China-EU relations, media responsibilities, and the role of AI in media development were the main topics of the forum. The event released a declaration calling for the media to build “a community with a shared future for humanity” — this being a signature foreign policy concept introduced by Xi Jinping, and suggesting that the document was drafted by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The forum was timed ahead of the 55th anniversary of China-Cyprus diplomatic relations and Cyprus’s EU Council presidency in 2026.

Cyprus Media Ethics Committee

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Established in May 1997 by Cypriot media organizations and the journalist union, the Cyprus Media Ethics Committee, also known as the Cyprus Media Complaints Commission, is an independent press council that monitors and enforces the ethical standards and guidelines of the media industry. The Commission states it operates without government interference, addressing public complaints while maintaining press freedom standards. The organization is a member of the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe.

Wuhan College of Communications

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Wuhan College of Communications (武汉传媒学院), also known as WHMC, is a university located in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei province. Initially established in 2004 as the Wuhan Film and Television Engineering College of Central China Normal University (华中师范大学武汉影视工程学院), it was renamed in 2007 and became its own distinct institution in 2016. The university has eight academic colleges offering 32 undergraduate programs across disciplines, including journalism and communication, broadcasting and hosting arts, film and television, design, and digital media technology.

Beijing Foreign Studies University

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The Beijing Foreign Studies University (北京外國語大學 ),or BFSU, is a higher education institution located in China’s capital city. Established in 1941, the university is regarded as one of China’s most prestigious language universities and — like all universities — a key national institution under the Ministry of Education. The university offers 101 foreign language programs and 122 undergraduate specialties, including programs in international journalism, global communication, and diplomatic studies. BFSU claims to have established academic exchanges with over 300 institutions in more than 80 countries and regions globally, including partnerships in South Korea, the United States, Japan, and across Europe. BFSU has stated that one of its missions is to train “multimedia international communication strategic talent” (全媒体国际传播战略人才).

L’Action

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L’Action is the official newspaper of Cameroon’s ruling party, the Rassemblement Démocratique du Peuple Camerounais (RDPC), also known as the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). It is published by the Direction of Press Organs, Information and Propaganda (DOPIP) of the RDPC Central Committee. L’Action is published in Yaoundé and began publication in the 1990s, initially as a weekly publication. The Library of Congress notes some publishing irregularities, including periods when only one issue was published between July 1998 and January 1999. As the official party newspaper, L’Action serves as a vehicle for promoting RDPC/CPDM policies and activities, covering political developments, party meetings, and government initiatives from the ruling party’s perspective.

Acacia Communications Co Ltd

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Based in Osaka,  Acacia Communications Co., Ltd (阿卡西亞通訊有限公司), or Akashia Komyunikēshonzu, is a Japanese media company founded on May 29, 2002, by Michiko Kurose (黑瀨道子), who serves as its representative director and publisher. The company specializes in publishing foreign-language media and providing translation services. The company is best known for publishing the Kansai Chinese Times (關西華文時報), a Chinese-language newspaper launched in August 2002 that serves the Chinese community in Japan’s southern prefectures.

Telefe

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Telefe is a Buenos Aires-based broadcast network founded in 1961 that is owned by the American media conglomerate Paramount Global. The channel produces Spanish-language programming, including telenovelas, news, and entertainment shows. Telefe also operates Telefe Internacional, a pay TV channel distributed to more than eight million subscribers in more than 20 countries. The network also offers streaming content through its digital platform, Mi Telefe.