Entity Type: PRC Party-State Agency

People’s Daily, first launched in 1946 and established on June 15, 1948, is the official flagship newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), operating directly under the CCP Central Committee. The paper conveys party consensus through highly regimented content and specialized party terminologies known as tifa (提法), with an estimated circulation of approximately 3 million daily copies in multiple languages. From 1966 to 1976, during the Cultural Revolution, it was part of an influential media triumvirate referred to as “two newspapers and one journal” (兩報一刊) that uniformly featured Mao Zedong’s commentaries across their front pages—a centralized control of messaging later viewed as contributing to the period’s chaos. The paper continues to serve as a primary resource for official CCP discourse, focusing on party positions rather than independent reporting, with Xi Jinping’s recent prominence in its headlines widely interpreted as reflecting his consolidation of power within the party.

The National Radio and Television Administration, or NRTA, was established in March 2018 as a ministry-level agency controlled by the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department. Headquartered in Beijing, it succeeded the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, with Director Cao Shumin (曹淑敏) appointed as its current head in May 2023. The organization maintains direct control over state broadcasters, including China Central Television, China National Radio, and China Radio International, while issuing content guidelines that have restricted everything from reality TV shows to historical dramas. The agency has expanded its international reach, signing a cooperation agreement with Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media in July 2021 on news coverage and media narratives. In June 2022, the NRTA and Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a code of conduct for online content creators that banned material that “weakens, distorts, or denies the leadership of the CCP.”

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Portugal is China’s chief diplomatic mission to Portugal. The mission was established in September 1979, following the normalization of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Portugal on February 8, 1979. The embassy attracted public attention in January 2023 when local residents raised concerns about its alleged surveillance practices. Residents expressed alarm that the three surveillance cameras installed at the facility might capture footage of surrounding residential apartments, raising questions about privacy and surveillance overreach beyond diplomatic premises. Following media coverage of the installations, local residents observed that the embassy had modified its surveillance setup, with one camera removed entirely and the remaining two repositioned away from the exterior perimeter of the embassy compound. 

The Propaganda Office of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (中共湖南省委宣傳部) serves as the chief office responsible for communicating the agendas of the provincial party leadership and overseeing state-run media in Hunan Province, including the mouthpiece newspaper Hunan Daily (湖南日報). It coordinates party ideological work throughout the province while simultaneously operating under multiple official names, allowing it to exercise comprehensive control over news, publishing, and cultural production. The department functions as the central enforcer of the party’s media discipline, ensuring all local outlets maintain proper political orientation in line with central and provincial-level directives.

The State Council Information Office (SCIO) is the external nameplate of the Central Propaganda Department (中共中央宣傳部) of the Chinese Communist Party. Established in January 1991, SCIO was created to improve China’s international image following the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Until 2014, SCIO operated under the arrangement known as “one institution with two names” (一個機構兩塊牌子) alongside the Office of External Propaganda (OEP). In May 2014, the OEP was formally absorbed into the Central Propaganda Department, transforming SCIO into an external nameplate. SCIO’s functions include holding press conferences on major national policies, providing media materials to introduce China internationally, assisting foreign journalists covering China, and encouraging Chinese media to report on international news. While SCIO’s official description claims it “promotes communication, understanding and trust between China and countries across the world,” scholars describe it as the “public face” of China’s “foreign propaganda work.”

Chongqing Publishing Group (重慶出版集團), or CPGC, is a state-owned cultural enterprise based in Chongqing, tracing its origins to the former Chongqing Publishing House, with a history of more than 50 years. Formally established in 2005, CPGC claims more than 30 branch companies and subsidiaries spanning books, newspapers, journals, digital publishing, printing, and real estate. CPGC sits beneath Chongqing Xinhua Publishing Group (重慶新華出版集團有限公司), which is 100 percent owned by Chongqing State-owned Cultural Assets Management Co. (重慶市國有文化資產經營管理有限責任公司), itself 100 percent owned by the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government. Its LinkedIn presence lists just 11–50 employees and 34 associated members.

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.