Entity Type: PRC Party-State Agency

Established in 2014 by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China-Africa Press Center (CAPC) functions as a key component of Beijing’s media diplomacy in Africa. The center invites selected African journalists for 10-month stays in China, combining academic study at prestigious institutions with guided reporting tours of Chinese cities, factories, and government events. While officially described as helping African media “accurately report on China,” the program strategically shapes perceptions by exposing journalists to carefully curated positive aspects of Chinese development. Nigerian journalist Solomon Elusoji, who participated in 2018, noted his initial skepticism transformed after seeing China’s infrastructure, though he maintained that African countries must “make full use” of China-Africa relations. The program shows Beijing’s systematic approach to cultivating favorable media coverage in African countries through direct engagement with journalists.

The Central Propaganda Department (中共中央宣傳部) is the internal office within the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party charged with ideology dissemination, media control and the coordination of propaganda both across China and toward the outside world. The office exercises direct leadership over China’s media control system, including the issuing of “guidance” to newspapers, magazines and online outlets as well as the radio, television, publishing and film industries — ensuring that all outlets, products and initiatives align with party policies. The CPD coordinates with the propaganda offices of local party committees at the provincial, city and county levels. Since the early 1990s, the department has been officially known as the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CCP, with the use of the word “publicity” an attempt to downplay the deeply political aspect of the office’s daily work.

The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (中國共產黨中央委員會) was established on July 16, 1922, at the 2nd National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. Currently composed of 205 full members and 171 alternate members, it serves as China’s highest party decision-making body when the National Congress is not in session. The Central Committee is tasked with carrying out congress resolutions, directing all party work, and representing the Chinese Communist Party externally. Meeting annually at plenums typically held in Beijing, the Central Committee formally elects the General Secretary and Politburo, though in practice these selections are determined through private consultations by the current leadership. The body’s authority stems from its role as the institutional bridge between the broader National Congress and the party’s executive organs.

The Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation, also known as the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office, is a department within China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅遊部). The Ministry of Culture and Tourism was established in April 2018 through government restructuring that merged the former Ministry of Culture and National Tourism Administration. Headquartered at 10 Chaoyangmen North Street in Beijing’s Dongcheng District, the bureau oversees cultural and tourism exchanges with foreign countries, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. The bureau maintains 19 internal divisions including regional offices, multilateral affairs, overseas institutions, and protocol services. Current leadership includes Director Gao Zheng (高政), Party Secretary and First-Level Inspector Xu Rong (許蓉), First-Level Inspectors Zheng Hao (鄭浩), and Deputy Directors Liu Quan (劉全), Shi Zeyi (石澤毅), and Kong Lun (孔倫). The bureau manages China’s overseas cultural institutions and coordinates international cultural agreements and major exchange activities.

The State Council of the People’s Republic of China (中華人民共和國國務院 ), also known as the Central People’s Government (中央人民政府), operates as China’s chief administrative authority and national cabinet. Located in Zhongnanhai, Beijing, it functions as the executive organ of the National People’s Congress. The council consists of the premier, vice premiers, state councilors, ministers, and other senior officials. In 2024, the council’s organic law was amended to formally mandate Chinese Communist Party Central Committee leadership over its operations. The State Council oversees 26 constituent departments and provincial-level governments, though it does not control the military.

The People’s Government of Sichuan Province is the provincial administrative authority of Sichuan Province in the People’s Republic of China. The government’s current structure includes 23 departments, one special institution, eight direct agencies, and ten departmental management institutions. According to the law, its functions include implementing higher-level directives, managing local economic and social development, protecting various forms of property ownership, and “promoting extensive interaction and integration among all ethnic groups.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is China’s executive department of the State Council responsible for foreign relations. Under Xi Jinping since late 2012, the ministry has become far more vocal and active in pushing China’s agenda abroad, and is a frequent actor in overseas media diplomacy as well as disinformation campaigns. Established in September 1954, it evolved from its 1949 predecessor under Zhou Enlai’s leadership. The ministry manages China’s foreign policy, diplomatic missions, UN representation, and treaty negotiations, while operating under the Central Foreign Affairs Commission. Originally starting with 170 staff in 1949, the ministry has grown to maintain what it claims is the world’s “largest diplomatic network” with 274 posts as of 2024. The ministry underwent significant changes during the Cultural Revolution, followed by reforms under Deng Xiaoping emphasizing professionalism over ideology.

The United Front Work Department is a high-level Chinese Communist Party organization that reports directly to the Party’s Central Committee. Described by both Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping as China’s “magic weapon,” it coordinates influence operations domestically and internationally through nine specialized bureaus targeting different groups. The department aims to co-opt and neutralize potential opposition to CCP policies, shape narratives about China abroad, and influence overseas Chinese communities. Under Xi Jinping’s leadership since 2012, the UFWD has gained renewed prominence in Beijing’s foreign policy apparatus, though China denies allegations it engages in espionage through the department. The nine bureaus oversee work ranging from relations with non-communist parties to ethnic minority affairs and overseas Chinese community engagement.