Entity Type: PRC Media Outlet

The China Daily (中國日報) is an English-language newspaper operated by the Information Office of China’s State Council, which is essentially the same office as the Central Propaganda Department (中共中央宣傳部) of the Chinese Communist Party. Published in multiple languages, the newspaper and its associated outlets are a key aspect of China’s official communication strategy toward the world. It claims to have “the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in China” — a misleading claim as all such publications are closely regulated and controlled. The U.S. State Department designated China Daily as a “foreign mission” in 2020, while scholars describe it as “an instrument of China’s public diplomacy.” The newspaper produces sponsored content called “China Watch” for Western publications and has faced accusations of spreading disinformation about Hong Kong protests, COVID-19, and Uyghur issues. Former staff have described working there as prioritizing making “the Chinese government look good” over journalism.

Contemporary World magazine is published by the Contemporary World Publishing House (當代世界出版社), established in September 1993, a Beijing-based publishing house under the management and operation of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (中共中央對外聯絡部). Under Contemporary World Publishing House Co., Ltd (當代世界出版社有限公司) since February 2011, its current legal representative is Li Shuangwu (李雙伍). The company is listed as 100 percent owned by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Contemporary World (當代世界), now the company’s flagship journal, first launched in 1981 as “Selected Translations of Communist Movement Materials” (共運資料選譯), and underwent name changes in 1989 and 1995. The publication claims to “analyze international relations and world party politics” while delivering information on global political, economic, military, social, and cultural developments. The journal’s main sections include situation commentary, special focus, interviews, expert forums, and global perspectives.

Shaanxi Satellite TV, commonly known as SXTV, is a provincial-level satellite television network based in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Established in 1997 when the former Shaanxi Television’s fourth channel went satellite, it serves as the flagship channel of Shaanxi Radio and Television Group. The network is recognizable by its distinctive orange logo featuring an “S” shape that resembles lightning, earning it the nickname “Lightning TV” among viewers. In 2012, SXTV underwent a major rebranding with a new focus on cultural programming, adopting the slogan “China Fusion, Fusion World” (中国融，融世界). The channel broadcasts in both standard and high-definition formats since 2014, with the transition to full digital broadcasting completed on March 31, 2021, when analog transmission officially ended. Programming includes a mix of news, entertainment, cultural shows, and locally produced content highlighting Shaanxi’s rich historical heritage. In December 2024, the network partnered with the Propaganda Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CCP to establish an international communication center, hoping to expand its global reach.

The Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party serves as the local leadership organ for the Communist Party in Shanghai. The committee wields significant political influence, with its secretary traditionally being a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Political Bureau. The municipality has historically produced numerous high-ranking national leaders — including two General Secretaries, Jiang Zemin (江泽民) and Xi Jinping (习近平), and two premiers, Zhu Rongji (朱镕基) and Li Qiang (李强) — and other top national officials.

China Radio International (中國國際廣播電台), founded on December 3, 1941, as Radio Peking, is the state-owned international broadcaster headquartered in Beijing. The organization started its English service on September 11, 1947, broadcasting from a cave in Shahe in the Taihang Mountains during China’s civil war. Now part of China Media Group under the Central Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party, CRI claims it “endeavors to promote favorable relations” between China and the world while “playing a significant role” in China’s soft power strategy. A 2015 Reuters investigation identified at least 33 radio stations in 14 countries that are part of a global radio web structured to obscure CRI as its majority shareholder. The US State Department designated CRI as a “foreign mission” in February 2020.