FAQ

How does your map differ from other resources tracking China’s global media and information engagement?

Our mapping resource focuses specifically on China’s global media and information activities that impact journalism and information integrity. It provides a continuously updated view that evolves alongside China’s international media partnerships, content distribution channels, training programs, and information operations. We meticulously document each media-related engagement with links to original sources (with archived versions), ensuring researchers can verify our findings even if original materials disappear. By contextualizing these relationships within their historical development and incorporating Chinese-language sources often overlooked in Western analyses, we offer unique insights into how China’s information strategy impacts journalism and public discourse globally. Importantly, we hope this more fact-based approach to PRC engagement on media and information can bring a more informed and less ideological view than typical monitoring projects on “Chinese influence.”

Why do you focus on monitoring engagement by the Chinese party-state and not other actors?

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) strictly controls media and public opinion domestically through a policy of “public opinion guidance,” supported by a sophisticated human and technical infrastructure of censorship and propaganda. Since 2013, the CCP has explicitly rejected freedom of the press and the idea that journalism should serve the public interest. On top of this robust system of domestic control and propaganda, the Chinese leadership has clearly stated its intention to exercise greater impact over international public opinion. The tactics it uses to accomplish this impact — including “external propaganda” (or “telling China’s story well”), proxy media ventures, content-sharing agreements, journalism training sessions, and so on — can have a corrosive effect on local journalism and media cultures and values.

Why do you focus on domestic Chinese-language media in countries worldwide, and not other local-language media?

The CCP has clearly indicated in policy statements and state media coverage that Chinese diaspora communities are a top priority in reaching its communication and foreign policy objectives. Though often neglected in studies on PRC engagement and media interference and manipulation, Chinese communities and media tend to be on the front line of such activities. As such, they can often provide greater clarity about PRC media tactics abroad. Such tactics may be seen first in Chinese-language communities.

What methodology do you use to collect and verify information?

Our research team regularly monitors China’s global engagement from country to country, and region to region, by following relevant keywords — such as “media cooperation” (媒体合作), “MOU” (备忘录), and so on. This allows us to identify various types of engagement. When we identify an activity, we look for multiple reports in Chinese or other languages of the event, and conduct our own analysis of the partners involved. We then produce short summaries of the engagement activities, and connect these in our database to the entities involved (creating new entries where necessary) and then linking these to any parent organizations. We cross-verify entries within our team to ensure accuracy.

How frequently is the map updated?

We update our mapping resource at least weekly, and often several times a week as activities are found.

How can I use this resource responsibly?

This map is designed as an educational tool for journalists, policymakers, researchers, and citizens. We encourage users to consult the original archived sources linked to each activity if they are interested in the source material. And if you find errors or inconsistencies, we encourage you to reach out to us.

Do you incorporate AI tools in your monitoring work?

Yes. Our team experiments with various AI tools to enhance our work. This website is built on Airtable, a database tool that helps connect entries in our growing database. We use AI to help produce summaries of entities and activities based on careful selection of multiple sources and templates for selection of key information and details. Recognizing AI’s limitations, we ensure we know the source of all information included. All contextual content — features, interviews, and flash reports — remains strictly human-created.

Can I be involved in monitoring activities on the map?

Definitely. We envision Lingua Sinica as a community resource providing context about China’s global media engagement. Whether you’re an institution or individual aware of relevant activities in your region, we welcome your input. We’re particularly interested in working with country-based and regional experts, as local voices and perspectives enrich our platform. Please reach out to us to contribute.