Mechanics behind the message: Making China's voice heard in a global world
--The latest development on China's international publicity theory and practice since the 16th National Congress of the CPC
- By Wang Chen
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China.org.cn, October 15, 2012
|
|
|
Wang Chen [Photo from SCIO.gov.cn] |
We have continuously briefed the world on China's basic reality, values, path of development, and its domestic and foreign policies. Since the 16th CPC National Congress, the Central Committee, headed by General Secretary Hu Jintao, has put forward a series of major strategic philosophies, including the formulation of the Scientific Outlook on Development and the concept of the construction of a harmonious society domestically and China's significant contribution to the building of a more peaceful and harmonious world. Through the reform and opening-up process, China's modernization drive has gained in strength and its success continues to attract considerable global attention. Through various means such as organizing news briefings, arranging group interviews for media organizations and publishing government white papers, we actively showcase China's growing overall national strength, the continuous improvement of people's living standard, and the dynamic growth which is evident in all social undertakings. We actively promote China's objectives, tasks and policies in its pursuit of building a socialist harmonious society, and we publicize to the world the concrete steps which China's takes in order to safeguard the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people, develop various social undertakings, and promote social equity and justice. We work hard to make it known that China is committed to the path of peaceful development, seeks mutual beneficial outcomes with regard to international relations and is committed to upholding world peace and promoting common development and prosperity for all countries. We also detail China's new thinking on the developing world order, general development, civilization and security. We have fully demonstrated the Party's administrative concept of working for the public and assuming power for the people; we have also illustrated the confidence and determination of Chinese people of all ethnic groups to advance along the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the past decade, the State Council Information Office (SCIO) has compiled and published 48 government White Papers, including China's Peaceful Development, Building of Political Democracy in China and China's Efforts and Achievements in Promoting the Rule of Law. These documents have elaborated on the outstanding and most pressing issues, both domestic and international, and have put forward the Party's development philosophy and detailed the progress and achievements made. In 2011, SCIO issued 9 white papers, the highest number issued in recent years. The papers included China's National Defense in 2010 and The Socialist Legal System with Chinese Characteristics. In the last decade, 28 million copies of more than 1,500 types of international publicity texts, 96 million copies of foreign languages periodicals, and 2.4 million copies of books (disks) in foreign languages have been published. In addition, more than 3,000 films (national publicity films included) have been produced to give international audiences a better understanding of China.
We have been constantly promoting the open and transparent image of both the Party and the government. The news briefing system of the Party committee and government has embarked upon a new stage of information disclosure. Since the 16th CPC National Congress, party committees and governments have made great strides in terms of their information services and spokesman systems. This outstanding progress has laid a solid institutional foundation for promoting the openness of the party and government affairs; and for protecting the people's rights with regard to information, participation, free expression and supervision. We responded positively to the concerns of the international community and carried out extensive publicity, maintaining an open image of both the Party and the government in the world. A three-level government briefing system comprising an International Communication Office of the CPC Central Committee, SCIO, relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee and ministries and commissions of the State Council, and the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, has been established and is constantly being improved and refined. To ensure that the public is promptly briefed on all relevant situations, more than 80 government agencies and national institutions, including ministries and commissions of the State Council, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress; the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and 31 governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, have appointed their own spokesperson; and all 13 party committees of departments of the CPC Central Committee, the 31 party committee of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and the Party Committee of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps have also appointed their own spokesperson.
As a result of these increased and improving efforts to effectively broadcast China's voice to the world, our international communication skills have undergone continuous improvement. In the event of sudden-breaking incidents and major happenings, by following the approach of "speedily and accurately, openly and transparently via effective management and correct guidance," we have actively addressed the concerns of the international community and released information to the world rapidly and efficiently. The success of the Beijing Olympic Games, the Beijing Paralympic Games, the Shanghai Expo and many other events have fostered an exchange of ideas and been well received by the international community. Such events have also given the world a better understanding of China and its people. Through displaying a rapidly developing China, we have presented to the world the advantages of China's socialist system. After the Wenchuan earthquake, we held nearly 90 press conferences concerning earthquake relief efforts and other topics of social relevance. Altogether, we have provided 5,300 pieces of news and background information (nearly 40 million words) to domestic and foreign reporters. Roughly 3,000 reporters from 1,800 media organizations were invited to cover the earthquake.
Additionally, through developing world-class media, China's international communication capability has improved remarkably. Since the 16th CPC National Congress, under the requirements set out by the central government, China has been working hard to improve its cultural openness, strengthen cultural exchanges with other countries, learn from other countries, and better promote Chinese culture to the world and these efforts continue to yield steady progress. Major national-level news groups have been energetic in promoting their ability to broadcast on an international scale. Their news-gathering and editing capabilities have also witnessed significant improvements. Additionally, means of communication and communication channels have also been improved and enhanced, along with marketing skills, and the market share of Chinese media in foreign countries has been growing constantly. People's Daily has constructed a news resource system and has accelerated the digital transformation of its overseas edition. Xinhua News Agency has built more than 140 overseas branches, thereby establishing a sound system for global newsgathering and release. China Radio International has more than 30 overseas stations. It has built more than 60 whole frequency radio stations outside of China, broadcasting to foreign countries in more than 60 languages. Currently, CCTV has 50 global correspondent stations, running seven International Channels in six different languages: English, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic and Chinese. Its programs reach 140 countries and regions and boast an overseas audience in excess of 200 million. China Daily has developed its European, U.S. and Asian versions along with its domestic flagship version. The overseas edition of China News Agency is distributed in more than 20 countries. And the influences of People's Daily Online, Xinhuanet and CNTV have been continuously increasing. We have been actively promoting media exchange and cooperation with other countries within the framework of the China-Arab Media Cooperation Forum, the Meeting of China-ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information, China-Japan Media Dialogue, China-ROK High-level Media Dialogue, the China-US Internet Industry Forum and China-UK Internet Roundtable. We also invited groups of foreign media executives to visit China, including the delegation of high-ranking media executives from Latin American countries and the Seminar for African Press Officials and Journalists.
With the aim of better promoting Chinese culture to the world, we have attached great importance to the implementation of the "going out" strategy with regard to Chinese culture. Along with continuous improvement of China's comprehensive national strength and its international stature, "Chinese fever", with regard to language and "China fever" in general continue to increase in many countries. In recent years, in collaboration with relevant departments, SCIO has sponsored "Experience Chinese Culture in America," "China Culture Week Paris," "Asia-Pacific Week in Berlin (with China as the guest of honor)" and other cultural publicity activities and national image campaigns in more than 30 countries and regions. These activities have fully demonstrated China's open and vibrant image after more than 30 years of reform and opening up. We have launched the China Book International Initiative and the "translating and publishing books on Chinese culture" project and have also published a number of excellent books introducing China's fascinating and vibrant culture, promoting the achievements of China's reform and opening up and showcasing China's prosperous, democratic and civilized national image. These projects have all helped to promote the effectiveness of China's books with regard to international publicity. To date, 5,938 books have been introduced to the foreign market as a result of the two projects. Both the Confucius Institute and the Chinese Cultural Center have enjoyed rapid development. They have played an active role in promoting China's language and culture. As of the end of 2011, 358 Confucius Institutes and 500 Confucius Classrooms had been established in 91 countries and regions on five continents. There are now a total of 50 million people learning Chinese globally.
We are committed to promoting the healthy and orderly development of the Internet in China, following the guidelines of actively making use of the Internet, developing the Internet in a scientific manner, administering cyberspace in a lawful manner, and ensuring universal Internet security.
During the 10 years since the 16th CPC National Congress, historic changes have taken place here in China, which have established a strong foundation and afforded a much wider scope for China's international publicity endeavors. At present, the international situation is undergoing profound changes and relations among countries are undergoing significant and profound readjustments. The influence of a country's national image on its development and international status is more important and of more direct consequence than ever before. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, headed by General Secretary Hu Jintao, we must be more enthusiastic in implementing the central policies and arrangements. We must ensure that China's voice is heard and that we show an objective image of China to the world. We must work hard to create a more favorable environment for the fostering of objective international public opinion and that we strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society at all levels. We must also ensure that we create new opportunities to advance the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics so that we can greet the opening of the 18th National Party Congress with news of the country's further outstanding achievements.
(The author is the vice minister of Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, director of International Communication Office of the CPC Central Committee, minister of the State Council Information Office, and director of State Internet Information Office.)
(This article was first published in Chinese and translated by Li Huiru.)
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)