Media

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There was a high wave of exchange programs between Taiwan and China since 2008 due to the strong cooperation of between the national and local Taiwan Affairs Offices of PRC and the Taiwanese sectors. After the political transition in 2016, the exchange programs coordinated with public sectors in Taiwan have declined, but there are still much cooperation of Taiwan Affairs Offices and private organizations. There's a decrease in programs in the beginning of COVID-19, but after the epidemic in China was in control, the trend rises again. In May 10th to 12th 2019, the Want Want China Times Media Group held the 2019 Cross-Straits Media Summit in Beijing. The participants met Wang Yang, the chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He called for the media to work for the realization of "peaceful unification" and "one country two systems", and taunted the Taiwanese government "can't even secure the things in two years" and it's unwise to stake on the support of United States. The Taiwanese participants were from a wide range of all media, therefore, it caused huge controversy. Although the Taiwanese government called for media's self-discipline on assisting the political propaganda for China, there were still 7 Taiwanese media joining “the First Media Summit of Guangdong-HK-Macau Great Bay Area" and listening to the lecture of Huang Kunming, the head of the Propaganda Department of CCP. There were series of cross-straits programs in late 2020 to 2021. The conventional forms are media exchange and joint interview on the local scenery and specialties, and requesting the media to recommend it after they return to Taiwan. There's no open data to clearly show that the programs are all covered by the Chinese hosts, but it is an open secret for the Taiwan Affairs Offices to pay for everything beside the flight and insurance. There were other media exchange and joint interview programs happened in late 2020, such as the interview tour to Ankang on Slikroad, the media tour on Winter Olympics, joint interview program on poverty reduction program in Gansu and Yunnan, the cultural exchange program in Shanxi, youth media exchange program in Gansu, and joint interview program in Jiangsu.

1. https://hackmd.io/@billy3321/BJepntX3N
2. https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/paper/1290386
3. https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20180530000095-260301?chdtv
4. http://www.taiwan.cn/local/dfkx/202011/t20201127_12308530.htm
5. https://autos.yahoo.com.tw/news/北京市臺聯第四屆兩岸媒體參訪團-助燃冬奧-123932085.html
6. http://www.gstb.gov.cn/ltkx/202012/t20201201_12308979.html
7. http://www.yntb.gov.cn/html/2020/shetaixinwen_1222/8010.html
8. http://tw.people.com.cn/n1/2021/0526/c14657-32113213.html
9. http://www.taihainet.com/news/twnews/bilateral/2021-06-01/2515684.html
10. http://www.jsstb.gov.cn/stkx/202106/t20210601_12356274.htm

Answered by Lee Penghsuan, and has been reviewed by Pu Lin

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://archive.ph/wip/W79Oj

Answered by Nathan Attrill, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

not only Indonesia but also many other countries has been invited to the PRC’s all expenses paid tour to china. Most recently, Indonesian journalist were invited as part of ASEAN Elites China Tour in 2019 to explore Xinjiang and to discover the regions development

1. https://theprint.in/opinion/china-is-paying-foreign-journalists-including-from-india-to-report-from-beijing/154013/
2. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-china-persuaded-one-muslim-nation-to-keep-silent-on-xinjiang-camps-11576090976
3. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-02/28/c_137858202.htm

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

In Georgia, GBTimes was in charge of organizing media trips to China covering the purposes of tourism, art, sports, lifestyle, health, business, new technologies and society. These fully financed two-three week-long visits, called “Discover China,” serve the goal of discovering China as presented by the hosts and tour organizers as progressive, technologically advanced, fast-growing and even “capable of building a whole new city out of the needs of the local population in seven months” as was mentioned by one of the Georgian journalist participants of the program in a 2019 in an interview with Civic IDEA. The program brings together dozens of journalists (each year) representing print and online media, TV broadcasters and radio. More available here Link

1. https://civicidea.ge/en/2-report-on-georgian-chinese-affair/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili and Tinatin Khidasheli

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://www.thedialogue.org/analysis/chinas-state-media-in-latin-america-profile-and-prospects/
2. https://andina.pe/agencia/noticia-cooperacion-entre-china-y-america-latina-avanza-a-un-ritmo-vertiginoso-710820.aspx

Supplementary Notes

Many Peruvian journalists have been visited Beijing invited by the PRC in order to attend short seminars about China and also for sightseeing. For many of them, this trip was the best trip of their whole life due to the luxury facilities and special attention that they received during the trip.

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

The South Korean government has occasionally helped organize these tours itself, such as a 2019 tour of Huawei’s campus for Korean journalists and officials cosponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Other examples are numerous.

1. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-usa-samsung-analysis-idUSKCN1SZ0AG

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by PSA Team

Answer

Supporting Evidence

See below link.

1. https://ipolitics.ca/2020/12/22/pay-for-play-journalism-threatens-a-free-press/
2. https://www.macleans.ca/politics/worldpolitics/canadas-media-is-in-thrall-to-china/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by PSA Team

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://rtcg.me/vijesti/drustvo/256615/kroz-price-i-priloge-crnogorcima-priblizili-kinu.html
2. https://www.antenam.net/index.php/drustvo/102568-antena-m-u-posjeti-kini-ekonomska-sila-vrijednog-i-ljubaznog-naroda
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_Pzpf24Eug
4. https://www.pobjeda.me/clanak/pobjeda-u-posjeti-kini-zemlja-cuda-koju-su-gradili-upornost-i-tradicija

Supplementary Notes

During 2021 there were no media tours, but media tours were organized in 2018 and 2019, i.e. prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 25 Montenegrin journalist attended those tours, including journalists from the public service, all four daily newspapers (Dan, Pobjeda, Vijesti, Dnevne Novine) and news portals CDM, RTCG, Vijesti and Analitika.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

I found that local journalists were in china mostly for training and not media tours. The reference however mentions that the major activities of the training included lecturers, workshops, study tour and excursions

1. http://www.faapa.info/en/2018/09/24/ghana-and-china-media-professionals-urged-to-collaborate/
2. https://ghanaguardian.com/ghanaian-journalists-sharpen-their-skills-in-china

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/seminar-on-news-media-for-african-countries-and-au-opens-in-china-1
2. https://standard.gm/gambia-news/african-editors-forum-ends-in-china/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

En el 2017 un grupo importante de periodistas panameños realizó una visita- pagada por el gobierno de la RPC- por varias ciudades de China. De igual manera, los comunicadores istmeños se reunieron con autoridades del Estado chino, así como funcionarios del PCCh.

1. https://www.laestrella.com.pa/economia/170721/reune-china-prensa-panamena-autoridades

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://www.radiosvoboda.org/amp/information-influence-media-prc-china-ukraine/31073783.html

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. Pakistan Federation of Union of Journalists
2. http://cpecinfo.com/delegation-of-pakistani-journalists-visits-power-china-headquarters-in-beijing/
3. https://www.radio.gov.pk/16-04-2018/pakistani-media-delegation-visiting-china-from-today

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://archive.ph/DmWUW

Answered by Nathan Attrill, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

The Straits Times is Singapore's newspaper of record and closely affiliated with the Singapore state and ruling party, the People's Action Party. Lianhe Zaobao 聯合早報 plays a similar role for readers who prefer Mandarin-language news. The management and editorial for both are closely controlled by the state. Both papers belong to Singapore Press Holdings, whose chairperson is someone close to the People's Action Party, often a former minister.

1. https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/inside-those-uighur-re-education-camps
2. https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2019/07/08/st-journalist-finds-it-hard-to-fault-china-for-running-uighur-re-education-camps/
3. https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20190425-951289
4. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZQ0P9PGMqwDKBGg1RZyE069NdvgR7rU6eG9rhvIK43Y/edit#gid=1892747668
5. https://www.sohu.com/a/463564514_115865
6. http://www.chinaxinjiang.cn/zhuanti/2019/002/27/2701/201904/t20190424_576102.htm
7. https://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/zaodian/bei-jing-yi-ye-2/story20190422-950457
8. https://youwuqiong.com/junshi/联合早报游润恬：有记者质疑学员在作秀，如真这/
9. https://twitter.com/mahbubani_k/status/1188038663860408320?s=21
10. https://t.co/lPw9UDLbh0?amp=1

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There have been at least one group of Kyrgyz journalists who went on all-expenses paid media tours in Xinjiang specifically on Xinjiang issues. The same goes with online influencers.

1. http://kabar.kg/news/zhurnalisty-iz-kyrgyzstana-posetili-suar-i-vstretilis-s-mestnymi-zhiteliami/

Supplementary Notes

Significance somewhat high because most that go are from state, pro government media and they are quite dominant amongst rural population which is about 80% in Kyrgyzstan. But amongst educated urban population they are known as propagandist

Answered by Niva Yau, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili and Mariam Usenashvili

Answer

Supporting Evidence

"The program of the Asian media press tour to Hunan Province was organized by the famous Chinese newspaper China Daily, which is published in English. The tour to industrial and innovative enterprises turned out to be very informative. In general, Hunan is a mostly agricultural region in China. But besides this, factories for the production of transport equipment, food products are operating in the region. The province has over 80 industrial zones and parks." Russian source: Link After these tours, Kazakh journalists also write promotional articles about China and their visit Link

1. https://web.archive.org/web/20200208180810/http://kz.chineseembassy.org/rus/zhgx/t1099414.htm
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20200208083343/http://kz.chineseembassy.org:80/rus/zhgx/t1073072.htm

Supplementary Notes

[Second respondent]: It would be more representative if the answer was more factual. For example, it would be more relevant to list journalists who took part in the press tours or media resources they are affiliated to and briefly describing the main focus of the event. This would allow us to have a better understanding of the “significance” of the exposure.

Answered by Tatiana Sedova, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili and another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Here is the article about the tours in China for Central Asia, including Tajik journalists. Upon their arrival back to their country, these journalists promote China through reports and blogs. Link

1. http://sogdiana.tj/main/12370-kitay-glazami-tadzhikskogo-zhurnalista.html

Answered by Umedjon Majidi, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Research from the IFJ in 2020 indicates this: Many Kenyan journalists have been on trips to China, sometimes for as long as six months. It was noted that there had been a recent emphasis on taking journalists from Islamic media to China for training. In-house technical staff were also reported to have been to China for training and purchase of equipment for Kenyan infrastructure.

1. https://www.ifj.org/fileadmin/user_upload/IFJ_Report_2020_-_The_China_Story.pdf

Answered by Mary Mutisya, and has been reviewed by Allan Cheboi

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Paid media tours have been ongoing since 2017.

1. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/nge-delegation-departs-china-tour-media-outfits/

Answered by Eromosele John Aitokhuehi, and has been reviewed by Lekan Otufodunrin

Answer

Supporting Evidence

The Independent is the third-largest media house in South Africa.

1. https://www.iol.co.za/weekend-argus/news/china-welcomes-african-asian-reporters-for-media-co-operation-programme-19542948

Answered by Amanda Strydom, and has been reviewed by Chris Roper and Joyce Lin

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Nestor Restivo, a very recognized and influential journalist and specialist in Chinese studies, received one of this grants.

1. http://www.chinaja.org.cn/2019-06/17/c_138149295_2.htm
2. https://dangdai.com.ar/2012/08/22/los-ganadores-del-concurso-de-radio-china-internacional-viajaran-a-china/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 2 anonymous experts.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

As for this methodology in the case of Chile, it is difficult to confirm this with documents as media outlets do not share financial information about trips and budget for them. One could check the yearly reports to check if there is any information about travel costs, but they wouldn’t specify who those expenses were paid to. Having worked in one of Chile’s main newspapers I can ensure that sometimes, when a company, organization or government invites a journalist to an event, they share expenses with the media company, such as accommodation or airfares. Nevertheless, this happens not only with China but with every country that wishes have a spot on the news. This es less common with authorities because they have to publish all their financial movements.

1. https://www.latercera.com/revista-que-pasa/17-9307-9-consorcio-chino-financio-viaje-de-periodistas-con-golborne-a-asia

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://clubprimeraplana.com.mx/periodistas-mexicanos-del-club-primera-plana-visitan-china-e3Te35OTe33e3A.html
2. https://www.e1debatecolima.com/posts/fapermex-en-china

Supplementary Notes

In Mexico, there are groups of journalists (Club Primera Plana (CPP), Federación Nacional de Periodistas Mexicanos (FAPERMEX)), working to be a bridge to increase the journalist visits and exchanges with China. All the known visits were for those organizations, and their journalists. Those organizations have collaborated with China under an agreement for the cultural exchange between Mexico and China. The FAPERMEX is working so the CONALIPE (Colegio Nacional de Licenciados en Periodismo) be included by the Asociación de Periodistas de la República Popular de China under the initiative for the creation of the International Federation of Journalist of the Road and Belt.

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

the “3” level answer stems not only from the support links but also from my personal exchanges with Venezuelan journalists who have been invited by Beijing to attend media tours and undertake training courses. These types of invitations go back more than a decade.

1. http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/zw2018/zgysj/201805/t20180522_800130433.html
2. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjbxw/t1682455.shtml

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

• …Similar trips have been arranged in Cambodia, with one participating journalist, who declined to be named out of concern that his employer would disapprove, saying his two trips, in 2017 and 2018, were about writing travel articles about China. Link • …For Sopheap – whose association is funded by a Chinese organization he would not reveal – the work is simply about bringing balance to US-led “attacks.” Link • …Several of his employees have been treated to reporting trips on Beijing's dime, he said, and he travelled there in early June. In February, he launched a Mandarin-language version of the site, which brims with articles hailing the Cambodian government's achievements and Chinese state media coverage. … "We stayed always in at least four-star hotels in any city that we went to," the reporter said, adding that interviews were lined up with officials and trying to speak with people not on the itinerary was difficult…. Link • Journalist from Cambodia: Beijing, a City Committed to Green and Sustainable Development Link

1. https://vodenglish.news/china-makes-inroads-amid-press-freedom-frays-in-cambodia-philippines/
2. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/philippines-cambodia-struggle-press-freedom-china-amps-influence
3. https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/1478013/with-cambodias-free-press-under-fire-china-model-makes-inroads
4. http://news.cri.cn/20190826/47ec2c24-e5d9-811c-3b75-fe4346e13cc8.html

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

One of the examples is Media Forum China – Germany. (Link) This is an annual event organized by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Global Times, started from 2010. For example, in 2016, they had a three-day tour in Xian, participants including Andreas Cichowicz (editor in chief of NDR Fernsehen,) Wolfgang Krach (editor in chief of Süddeutsche Zeitung,) Philipp Fleischmann (managing director of Handelsblatt Global Edition,) Hu Xijin (editor in chief of the Global Times,) Bai Yansong (anchor at CCTV,) and Dai Xiaojing (deputy editor in chief of Caijing Magazine.) A report published in 2018 by think tanks MERICS and GPPi concluded that China used these forums "to push its idea of 'constructive journalism' as an alternative to watchdog journalism. (Link) In practice, this means that China is trying to bolster support for the idea that media should not challenge those in power, but rather work with them. In an international setting, according to this logic, media should serve as a tool for fostering friendships between different countries." (pp. 24)

1. https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/en/story/media-forum-china-germany
2. https://merics.org/sites/default/files/2020-04/GPPi_MERICS_Authoritarian_Advance_2018_1.pdf

Answered by Didi Kirsten Tatlow and Yu-Fen Lai, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

"Amman, May 28 (Petra) -- A two-week training programme for Arab Journalists concluded in Beijing with the aim of boosting China's relations with the Arab world in the media field. Some 39 journalists from ten Arab countries, including 3 from Jordan, participated in the program, which started on May 10, and included seminars, discussions and field tours to acquaint the participants with China's development experiment."

1. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/China-organised+training+programme+for+Arab+Journalists+concludes-a0494820110

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://www.sabah.com.tr/dunya/turk-gazeteci-heyeti-cine-ziyaret-gerceklestirdi-4699610
2. https://www.habererk.com/gundem/cin-gazetecileri-dogu-turkistana-goturdu-atv-muhabirinden-skandal-ifadeler-ne-kadar-hata-yaptigimizi-gorduk-h85830.html
3. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/ce/cetur/tur/xwdt/t214580.htm
4. https://www.ytb.gov.tr/haberler/cin-halk-cumhuriyeti-gazeteciler-heyetinden-ytbye-ziyaret

Supplementary Notes

China organised a few trips for Turkish journalists, especially related to its policies towards its Uyghur minority, but also regarding China’s economy and development model. Journalists are mainly from Turkish pro-government media and based on their visits the journalists published reports on how well China treats its Uyghur minority. In addition to this, Chinese media representatives often visit Turkish authorities and Turkish media houses.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. http://serbian.cri.cn/1401/2017/10/27/181s178850.htm
2. https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/sr/story/125/drustvo/2541188/srpski-novinari-u-poseti-kini.html

Supplementary Notes

While funding specifics are usually not disclosed, stating that media workers went on visits “at the invitation” of the Chinese hosts suggests that all expenses have been covered.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://allafrica.com/stories/201710190153.html
2. https://www.ippmedia.com/en/features/media-stand-better-chance-promoting-tanzania-china-economic-ties

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Some Bulgarian journalists attended BRI World Journalism Forum

1. https://sbj-bg.eu/index.php?t=39723

Answered by Rumena Filipova and Mirela Petkova, and has been reviewed by Matej Šimalčík

Answer

Supporting Evidence

As the report "Congratulatory Letter from President Xi Jinping to the 2016 Belt and Road Media Cooperation Forum" mentioned, Turkmen medias attended forums and media tours to PRC. As Turkmenistan have amongst the worse ranked media freedoms in the world, the few state-owned medias are authoritative as Turkmen public have no access to any other alternatives. Thus ranked 3.

1. http://www.beltroadforum.com/m/p/697/detail
2. http://www.rizhao.gov.cn/art/2019/9/19/art_33119_7166765.html

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://bit.ly/3wycNjO
2. https://bit.ly/3sQ6sxS

Supplementary Notes

En este caso, debo recurrir al perfil de Facebook del periodista Manuel Estrada, de Diario Extra, que estuvo entre abril y agosto del 2019 en diversos lugares de China, en una gira pagada por el PRC. Estrada todavía labora en Diario Extra, como lo muestra el segundo enlace. Actualmente es el subdirector.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. http://en.brnn.com/n3/2019/1105/c415024-9629398.html

Supplementary Notes

The URL links to a report about a BRNN workshop for journalists, including the director of a Moldovan news agency. The participants visited different regions of the PRC. To quote: „In just two weeks, the participants were divided into two teams and visited different parts of China separately. They saw, heard and felt on their journey, recording Chinese stories and getting a taste of China's colorful culture. “Seeing is believing. We have seen a prosperous China,” noted Alexandru Tanas, Director-General of Moldova’s News Agency Infotag”. We considered this evidence of a paid media tour in PRC.

Answered by Eugen Muravschi, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://www.iai.it/sites/default/files/iaip2143.pdf
2. https://sinopsis.cz/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/it0.pdf
3. https://italian.cri.cn/1781/2018/06/26/481s322813.htm

Supplementary Notes

Few references to who paid for the trips

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Sorin Ionita

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Sakchai Pruedthipak, president of the Thai social media website www.salika.co, said the performances demonstrated the Chinese government's efforts in conserving ethnic tradition and cultures. (Link) (Link) CLOSER NEIGHBORS Thai new media delegation visits China Thai-Chinese Journalists Association reps has frequent visits and interactions with Chinese authorities. (Link, Link)

1. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/author/teeranai/
2. https://xueshu.baidu.com/usercenter/paper/show?paperid=182708x0xa700ej0vb1f0rb0f2111868
3. http://www.chinaembassy.or.th/eng/sgxw/t1545775.htm
4. http://www.tcjapress.com/tcja-about-us/

Supplementary Notes

It is difficult to find the posts/news to get information on this. As there are formal registered organisations like TCJA are there, this type of visits are more likely. ASEAN-China Centre also aims to extend cooperation in media sector in addition to trade, tourism etc. which makes easier in providing trainings etc. to the selected

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

….The visit by 11 journalists, as part of the ASEAN Elites China Tour 2019, followed a series of tours by overseas media and foreign diplomats to Xinjiang… Link … A group of journalists from Indonesia and Malaysia visited the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from Feb. 22 to 27 to interview the local people and find out about the region's development and how it implements policies on de-extremism…. Link Premier Wen Jiabao Gives a Joint Interview to Journalists from Malaysia and Indonesia Link Foreign journalists visit exhibition on China's achievements (name of the participating countries are not disclosed.) Link …Beijing has also used subsidized trips or “trainings” in China to cultivate foreign journalists directly. According to some past participants from Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the visiting journalists are made to understand that their hosts expect them to reciprocate for the well-funded events by producing content that promotes the CCP’s preferred narratives…. Link

1. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201903/02/WS5c79c54fa3106c65c34ec4a0.html
2. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-02/28/c_137858202_2.htm
3. http://my.china-embassy.org/eng/zt/pwjbvm/t818968.htm
4. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-10/18/c_136687373.htm
5. https://freedomhouse.org/report/special-report/2020/beijings-global-megaphone

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

In 2021 the BBC uncovered a network of British vloggers who were either paid to produce content favourable to the PRC, or received privileged access to PRC government events in exchange for their content. ASPI also notes that UK-based social media influencers, alongside influencers from Canada, Germany and Ghana, partook in a ‘A Date with China’ (中国有约) media tour of Xinjiang in May 2021. This tour was organised by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). However, there is little evidence of UK significant media organisations or journalists engaging in this behaviour.

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-57780023
2. https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ad-aspi/2021-12/Borrowing mouths to speak on Xinjiang-2.pdf

Answered by Hannah Bailey, and has been reviewed by Martin Thorley and Sam Hogg

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. http://albanian.cri.cn/interchange/more/3107/20210511/661461.html
2. http://albanian.cri.cn/interchange/pic/3105/20210316/635696.html
3. http://albanian.cri.cn/1560/2016/06/07/65s152634.htm
4. http://albanian.cri.cn/1559/2017/06/27/28s162298.htm
5. http://albanian.cri.cn/1552/2017/06/19/22s162117.htm
6. http://albanian.cri.cn/1552/2017/05/12/23s161261.htm
7. http://albanian.cri.cn/381/2014/01/22/302s129351.htm

Supplementary Notes

While the linked stories do not explicitly state that all expenses have been paid, this is indirectly confirmed when the journalist mentions recieving invites visit trips being organized from the PRC Embassy or PRC counterpart insitutions. We have confirmed directly with participants in at least two trips that media tours were all paid by the PRC Embassy in Tirana - flights and hotel stay, and touring in PRC.

Answered by Edval Zoto, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There is no open source on this matter. An expert told in an interview conducted by the researcher that for several years, China has offered journalists all-expenses-paid trips. The expert did not give me any further details on how exactly these tours were conducted.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Alfred Gerstl

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/societe-africaine/la-chine-veut-briser-lhegemonie-mediatique-occidentale-en-afrique_3057271.html
2. https://www.voaafrique.com/a/chine-cajole-journalistes-africains-face-occident/3204558.html

Answered by Christian Ngnie, and has been reviewed by Fadel Thior

Answer

Supporting Evidence

I know personally of at least one instance in 2019 in which expenses were paid for one Colombian journalist to travel to San Jose (Costa Rica) to attend a meeting of the China-CELAC Forum on financial cooperation. There is no other public information on this subject.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

The focus of such trips has mostly been for journalists and media organizations and the numbers are not that high basesd on the huge media landscape in India with multiple regional languages. The reason for it being insignificant is that such stories haven't changed the perception of China that much in the India community.

1. https://theprint.in/opinion/china-is-paying-foreign-journalists-including-from-india-to-report-from-beijing/154013/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Lhakpa Kyizom

Answer

Supporting Evidence

“Local journalists are asked to publish articles that favor China or maintain blogs and social media pages that propagate cooperation with Beijing. In some cases, the propaganda articles are prepared with the help of the embassy or the news agency Xinhua, and all the recruited journalist is required to do is to “lend” the Chinese his name and status. The keenest of readers will have already noticed that pro-China articles have appeared in Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze and Diena, and occasionally in some pro-Kremlin media outlets as well.” Link "It should be noted that trips to China is the most common way Latvians get recruited to work for Chinese intelligence services. This is usually done according to the same pattern Soviet chekists used to recruit naïve Western travelers – the local Beijing embassy carefully selects the potential “tourists” and offers them to go on a trip to the “misunderstood” and exotic Celestial Empire. These “tourists” are most often asked to participate in an international event, a forum or conference, where Chinese intelligence services then select the most suitable agents of influence from around the world."- the same link.

1. https://www.eureporter.co/world/latvia/2021/03/25/its-about-time-we-started-discussing-chinas-influence-in-latvia/

Answered by Una Berzina-Cherenkova, and has been reviewed by Salome Svanidze

Answer

Supporting Evidence

A delegation of high-level media representatives from Uzbekistan visited China- Link

1. http://uz.chineseembassy.org/rus/zwgxzxdt/201712/t20171206_1827313.htm

Supplementary Notes

According to expert's knowledge, such kind of accidents have taken place, but the evidence is not publicly available.

Answered by Farkhad Tolipov, and has been reviewed by Salome Svanidze

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00ZHWQ.pdf

Supplementary Notes

There are varied opinions about the benefits of Chinese media exchanges for journalists in Sierra Leona. Some journalists who had gone to the shorter programs-3 weeks- see them as 'media tours', but others label them as 'seminars' , 'training' and 'workshop.'

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Journalists such as Chibale Silwizya who works for the state-owned Daily Mail was invited to China by the China Africa Press Centre programme. Her story can be verified from her own writing in the below URL.

1. http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/zambian-journalists-journey-to-china/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Direct knowledge of such media tours, with very little apparent result. (see below URL)

1. https://www.liberation.fr/planete/2019/07/09/propagande-comment-la-chine-s-infiltre-a-l-ouest_1739055/

Answered by Filip Noubel, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

We have seen the start of media tours since 2016. Added a few examples. (see below URLs) However, during the Covid-19 pandemic the tours came to a halt. This has not resumed yet.

1. https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2016/10/11/china-seeks-bangladesh-medias-cooperation-to-bolster-political-economic-ties
2. https://theprint.in/opinion/china-is-paying-foreign-journalists-including-from-india-to-report-from-beijing/154013/
3. https://www.daily-sun.com/post/341351/Huawei-keen-to-support-Bangladesh%E2%80%99s-ICT-sector-with-innovative-solutions

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Although the experts are aware of such instances occurring before the pandemic, no publicly available data confirming this has been found.

Answered by Konstantinas Andrijauskas, and has been reviewed by Vida Macikenaite and Linas Didvalis

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. http://chinaandgreece.com/dr-tzogopoulos-a-delegate-in-the-second-brf/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China arranged the 20-day media management seminar in Beijing, all expenses paid by the PRC. This is a program involving both training and tour to different parts of the PRC. The 30 member group came from former Afghan government medias and independent medias supported by the former Afghan government. This shows that the PRC was attempting to engage with the former Afghan government. But rated insignificant because since Taliban took over Afghanistan, the former Afghan government lost power entirely and by extension all entities that was associated/ created by the former Afghan government such as those medias. Thus PRC engagement with those medias now have little significance.

1. https://bakhtarnews.af/en/training-seminar-held-for-afghan-journalists-in-beijing/

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://www.forbes.ro/articles/reportaj-cum-se-vede-business-ul-huawei-de-la-sediul-gigant-din-china-131790
2. https://dantomozei.ro/2014/04/17/jurnalisti-romani-in-vizita-la-radio-china-international/
3. https://economie.hotnews.ro/stiri-telecom-23518535-video-salutul-militaresc-modul-inedit-care-esti-intampinat-intrarea-sediul-central-huawei-din-china.htm

Supplementary Notes

There were several instances when Romanian journalists went to China on tours paid by a Chinese company. For instance, in 2018, a Forbes Romania team of journalists went on a field trip to Shenzhen, China, to visit Huawei's headquarters

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Sorin Ionita

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2386673-dit-is-wat-we-niet-mogen-zien-in-tibet

Supplementary Notes

Last year the Dutch correspondent for the main national news broadcaster NOS went on a PRC organized tour called "中外记者新疆采风行" to Xinjiang. The story he made was very open about what it meant to go on a tour like this. In general, it would not be accepted as independent journalism if not accounted for. The same national broadcaster journalist also visited Xinjiang after an invitation, but his reporting was extremely critical. The title of the article is in the same spirit: 'Filming is allowed at the Uyghurs, but the message seems to be: 'go away'.' Link

1. https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2353006-filmen-bij-de-oeigoeren-mag-maar-de-boodschap-lijkt-opsodemieteren

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Sorin Ionita

Answer

Supporting Evidence

The official ceremony of concluding the Agreement "On the exchange of delegations and cooperation in the field of journalism" was held on April 26 simultaneously in Minsk and Beijing. The document was signed between the Belarusian Union of Journalists (BUJ) and the All-China Association of Journalists (VJA). The agreement provides for the exchange of journalistic experience, organization of press tours and interviews, internships for Belarusian journalists in China and Chinese journalists in Belarus to study and implement the best practices in media development, participation in media forums and seminars. (see below URL)

1. http://www.dompressy.by/2022/04/26/belorusskie-i-kitajskie-zhurnalisty-podpisali-soglashenie-o-sotrudnichestve/

Answered by Salome Svanidze, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

No direct evidence found

Supplementary Notes

Since December 2014 “Rostelecom” holds the international competition “Technologies for life-Internet at the speed of light” in Armenia organized for journalists covering the IT sphere. Every year hundreds of journalists from Russia and Armenia participate in the competition and the winners visit leading technological companies: Ericsson (Stockholm, Sweden), Huawei (Shenzhen, China), ZTE (Shenzhen, China). Link Rostelecom organized the project in cooperation with Huawei and with the informational support of leading regional media. Link

1. https://www.rtarmenia.am/en/news/view/journalists-rostelecom-competition-it-china-zte
2. https://arminfo.info/index.cfm?objectid=F2C68F10-8931-11E5-9EFB0EB7C0D21663&__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=80ad9a47a8185abbfc83744580d04ea9f3a91ba0-1626099050-0-AYNdn-I-baW65kkLwXykWqKulRC5luX1mEgFTQVKOPxD56VPoGiZyjYGoaa-sjoYtEeMEmdDoI6GjKtb9GSjzZ2IO2OUFyjM7cN4-l__uNM2dS1sa7U0PnNFZaNxoub6qRE6VbTnC20fB92mDhVqf8pRSJcE16RyvaRLI2c-2pQaBaH6U1LaRcaK2ttJXDqsIkCeJbjURhr63rcRylkroNujjww1H-a76nWaUaAHlpaP8dZGSlLPIW3T3c5L8ebCieQLjoYrNqcaDSxn8RxCm_eGGebKLldBX7uJPXrtFlTlL0xWC2B0tI0JoLD0VZMDCX6JNDduUECgihR74crjiSy_abb1w-rCW5D_wWZVbllG3hrCgJGTMMRv5s1sMqnkLwMXCWyfvI4KcbxSJx-S0WBWlCOxRgIUNr1wyJBB_ORDJNtSTAVm5wV-297YmlbB9RFZ1GZVmE2TqE-f69Z3WTEwel9ZtMacVJxJd4odIjET4Ey10ti3YKCbONUVUBFgKhvS7z31CtDkq4l-DAbYwyI

Answered by Artak Kyurumyan, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili and Mariam Usenashvili

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There is no evidence of media tours in the PRC for the research period.

Answered by Jean Githae, and has been reviewed by Tolera Gemta

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There is no record that Uruguayan journalists have been invited to China for media tours.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 2 anonymous experts.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Interviews with a journalist of an important media holding and with an independent journalist. Both asked for source confidentiality. The people consulted stated that there is no reference to this.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 2 anonymous experts.

Answer

Not Found

Answered by Maiko Ichihara, and has been reviewed by PSA Team

Answer

Not Found

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by PSA Team

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Research indicates that these all-expenses paid media tours are geared towards journalists from developing countries.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by PSA Team

Answer

Supporting Evidence

No evidence available.

Answered by Frank Jüris, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

No evidence of that available.

Answered by Tobiáš Lipold and 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Martin Hála

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There isn’t any available online data which could support the claim, so several different organizations and institutions were contacted, including the Chinese embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The only organisation which responded to our inquiries is Mediacentar Online(Link), a local organization specialized in different journalism and media training programs. They said that they don’t have any knowledge or data about local journalists, media organizations or online influencers who have attended all-expenses paid media tours in PRC. The second answer we have received was from a local online news outlet which reports on China, Kina Danas. They said that, before the Covid-19 pandemic, journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina “were occasionally invited for a short visit to China”.

Answered by Tobiáš Lipold, Amina Celikovic, Selma Asceric, Darko Brkan, Emir Velic, Semir Dzebo, Aldin Karahasanovic and Emir Muric, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

No evidence of that.

Supplementary Notes

Basing on the publicly available sources from 2019 grading for the period Jan 2020 – March 2021 remains 0. Other values remain unchanged.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There is no public report of such a phenomenon in recent years. However, it should be mentioned that in 2013 Fred Turnheim, the president of the Austrian Journalists Club (ÖJC), participated in a visit to China, which was “organized” by Radio China International (CRI) and the press office of Guangdong provincial government.

1. https://german.cri.cn/specials/50_Jahre_diplomatische_Beziehungen/journalist/4506/20131111/604579.html

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by Alfred Gerstl

Answer

Supporting Evidence

No evidence exists to suggest otherwise.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Richard Turcsányi

Answer

Supporting Evidence

I have not found evidence of Spanish media or journalists tours paid by China though there are many schollarship opportunities. In 2019 ABC director visited China in what seems to be an all expenses paid tour (see the URL below). But it is worth noting this is hard to find proof of.

1. https://www.abc.es/sociedad/abci-director-abc-estrecha-lazos-china-201907212230_noticia.html

Answered by Hernan Alberro, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

No evidence found. Since diplomatic relationships with PRC have been restablished on December 2021, it is too soon to see these kinds of tours but we can rest sure that they will take place as soon as PRC opens its borders after COVID-19.

Answered by Hernan Alberro, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://www.uol.com.br/tilt/noticias/redacao/2019/08/11/harmonyos-1-aparelho-com-sistema-da-huawei-e-tv-para-nao-so-ver-tv.htm
2. https://canaltech.com.br/mercado/huawei-mira-em-expansao-fora-da-china-com-70-mil-lojas-de-varejo-ate-2017-40117/

Supplementary Notes

It was found the case of the reporter Helton Simões Gomes, from the UOL news portal, who, according to the report, traveled to the city of Dongguan (China) at the invitation of Huawei. The same with the reporter Rafael Romer, from the Canal Tech portal, who also traveled to Shenzhen, according to a report, at the invitation of Huawei. More evidence was looked for, first through search engines and later on Brazilian media sites, on the official press site of Brazil, Diário Oficial da União, and on the website of reporters without borders, but no concrete evidence of journalists, influencers or a media group that traveled with expenses paid by China was found. In the journalistic environment, invitations from foreign companies and governments are a common practice in Brazil. In this sense, we found examples from IBM, Apple, Samsung.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 2 anonymous experts.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Local expert believes that there are paid media tours by the PRC for Bolivian journalists as in this case (Link). However, there is no information available.

Answered by Eloisa Larrea Montaño, and has been reviewed by another 2 anonymous experts.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

Most of those who attended the China-funded training for Filipino journalists were journalists from Philippine state media. They have less reach than their counterparts in the mainstream media. There were also some journalists from regional mainstream media in the training (Cebu, Pampanga, Cavite).

1. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1026842
2. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/01/16/1985293/us-think-tank-wary-china-funded-training-filipino-journalists

Supplementary Notes

[Doublethink Lab]: We skip this indicator as no evidence that indicates they've received paid-trip or gifts so far. (落地招待)

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supplementary Notes

“Egyptian news media delegations and non-governmental diplomatic delegations visited China, which further strengthened media cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.” However, there is no indication about whether these visits were paid by the Chinese side. Link

1. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjb_663304/zzjg_663340/xybfs_663590/gjlb_663594/2813_663616/

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There are tours for Media representatives, but it is unclear who is financing them. "The media plays a fundamental role in developing and strengthening relations between the two countries, especially at the commercial level, through Intensifying training courses for Lebanese journalists and editors in order to benefit from Chinese capabilities and expertise in this field." Link

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili

Answer

Supporting Evidence

There is no proof or evidence, though some might happen in a very discreet way

Supplementary Notes

There have been some, though I am not aware of open sources to substantiate

Answered by Filip Noubel, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

NA

Supplementary Notes

Expert comment: For instance, I know from someone (working for a Chinese company operating in Hungary) that they invited journalist to travel to China, and that was not unique at all. I know that CASS (at least before Covid) organized conferences relatively regularly on China-CEE relations and paid all the costs for those researchers who they invited to attend (I was one of them till a certain point - that is when I formulated criticism/touched upon political topics in my research). I heard stories that politicians travelled to China under similar circumstances, etc. All in all, there is no media link I could add here, but we may add "personal experience”, “rumours”, etc

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by Kristína Kironská

Answer

Supplementary Notes

Only anecdotal evidence of a two cases. Journalists working for an online paper closely affiliated with the Chinese embassy. Not signficant, not widely read in Sweden.

Answered by 2 anonymous experts, and has been reviewed by Richard Turcsányi

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://znm.org.mk/pretstavniczi-na-znm-na-sredba-so-prets/

Supplementary Notes

Over the past three decades of North Macedonia’s independence there has only been one big organised visit of Macedonian journalists to China, which happened in 1996. This has happened after in 1994 and 1995, two Chinese journalistic groups had visited North Macedonia The visit of journalists from China and a subsequent visit of Macedonian journalists there had happened through a cooperation between the All-China Journalists Association and North Macedonia’s biggest Journalists Association of Macedonia, ZNM. The two maintain cooperation and sporadic visits of delegations. The last one happened in 2017 when a Chinese delegation has visited ZNM (see the URL above). It was generally hard to pinpoint whether smaller group or individual visits by Macedonian journalists to China paid by PRC have happened ever since 1996. Experts consulted told us that the Macedonian State News Agency, MIA, has a bilateral cooperation agreement with Xinhua and that as a result several MIA journalists have attended visits to China. This happened in the years before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The last trip of MIA journalists to China happened in 2019, and had been facilitated and paid for by the Chinese Embassy in North Macedonia. Since the pandemic hit, there have been no similar visits.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supporting Evidence

1. https://kknews.cc/house/y39mnaa.html
2. http://cn.brnn.com/n3/2019/0924/c414918-9617356.html

Supplementary Notes

No existen registros entre los años 2020 y 2022, a causa de la pandemia. China tampoco ha recibido a periodistas por tema de Pandemia, a excepción de aquellos que viajan a cubrir visitas oficiales. En este periodo no viajaron reporteros invitados y costeados por el Gobierno de la República Popular de China, la última comitiva estuvo integrada por el presidente de la Republica y ministros de Estado.

Answered by 1 anonymous expert, and has been reviewed by another 1 anonymous expert.

Answer

Supplementary Notes

Reviewer experts claimed that there are few all-expenses-paid tours, however, we were not able to find public evidence.

Answered by Gubad Ibadoghlu and Vusal Guliyev, and has been reviewed by Ani Kintsurashvili