Chinese newspapers and media, from Beijing to Hong Kong

The Chinese press revolves around the People's Daily, the Xinhua news agency, China Daily and the CGTN television network, published in Mandarin, English and sometimes French, and read mostly on official portals and mobile apps.

From Shenbao to the People's Daily: 150 years of newspapers

Shenbao, launched in Shanghai in 1872, is regarded as China's first major commercial daily. After 1949 the press became a tool of the Communist Party, with the People's Daily, founded in 1948, serving as its central organ and the model for provincial papers.

Which national dailies dominate the news?

The People's Daily voices the official Party line, while China Daily addresses foreign readers in English. The Global Times, published by the same group, takes a nationalist tone and comments sharply on diplomacy, especially relations with Washington and Tokyo.

Mandarin, Cantonese and minority languages

Most titles appear in Mandarin, using simplified characters. Hong Kong and Macao read in Cantonese and traditional characters, and official editions exist in Tibetan, Uyghur and Mongolian. The People's Daily also runs a website in French for francophone readers.

A powerful provincial press, from Guangzhou to Shanghai

Every province and major city has its own press group. The Guangzhou Daily and the Nanfang group in Guangzhou, the Beijing Daily in the capital and Shanghai United Media Group cover local news, urban planning, transport and regional economic life.

The Paper, WeChat and news apps

Launched in 2014 by a Shanghai press group, The Paper illustrates the shift to digital. News travels mainly on mobile, through WeChat, Weibo, Douyin and the Toutiao aggregator, where official newspaper accounts post wire stories, videos and live coverage.

Xinhua, a state agency with a global network

Founded in 1931, Xinhua is the main source of government announcements and publishes in Chinese, English, French and Arabic. China News Service, the second state agency, focuses more on the diaspora and runs ECNS, its English-language website.

CCTV, CGTN and national radio

The state-owned China Media Group brings together CCTV television, national radio and China Radio International. Its international channel CGTN, launched in 2016, broadcasts in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Russian, among other languages, backed by a comprehensive website.

Reading Chinese-language diaspora newspapers

Overseas Chinese communities have their own titles, such as Sing Tao in North America and Nouvelles d'Europe in Paris. Their coverage blends Chinese news, local community life and classified ads, with editorial lines that sit more or less close to Beijing.

Caixin, Yicai and business news

Caixin, created in 2009 by journalist Hu Shuli, is known for its investigations into finance and companies. Yicai in Shanghai and the Economic Daily round out the field. In sport, football and basketball dominate, with strong interest in the NBA.

Understanding media control in China

The Party's Propaganda Department and the Cyberspace Administration oversee content. Many foreign sites, including Google and The New York Times, are blocked on the mainland, and sensitive subjects such as Xinjiang or Tibet are heavily filtered by the authorities.

Hong Kong, a distinct media scene

Hong Kong keeps a separate landscape, with the South China Morning Post, founded in 1903 and owned by Alibaba since 2016. The closure of Apple Daily in 2021 nonetheless marked a turning point. See also the Asian press online.

Cross-checking Chinese news from Europe

Comparing Xinhua, Caixin and the South China Morning Post helps separate official announcements from analysis. French-language sites such as Le Petit Journal Pékin are a useful extra, while the Japanese press and the Vietnamese press offer a regional perspective.

How to follow news from China while abroad

1. Read China Daily or the Global Times in English every day to learn Beijing's official positions.
2. Check the French edition of Xinhua for government announcements, economic figures and diplomatic visits.
3. Add Caixin Global or the South China Morning Post for a more analytical view of the economy and politics.
4. Watch CGTN Français online for TV news bulletins and documentaries produced by the state group.
5. Follow the official accounts of Chinese media on social networks and set alerts for useful keywords.
6. Check the date and origin of every report, since some content circulates in machine translation without context.

Access to Chinese media and subscriptions

Practical pointers on the Chinese press

• Useful languages: Mandarin in simplified characters, English for international editions, Cantonese in Hong Kong
• National agency: Xinhua; second agency: China News Service
• Public broadcasting: China Media Group, with CCTV, CGTN and national radio
• Reference daily: the People's Daily; business: Caixin and Yicai
• Single time zone: UTC+8, Beijing time, across the whole country
• Currency for local subscriptions: renminbi yuan (CNY); Hong Kong dollar for the SCMP

Common mistakes when reading Chinese media

• Treating a Global Times editorial as an official government decision, when it is often a trial balloon or a deliberately provocative commentary.
• Confusing the press of Taiwan, Hong Kong and the mainland, whose status, rules and editorial leanings differ markedly.
• Sharing a screenshot of a deleted or edited Weibo post without tracing the original publication and its exact date.
• Trusting mirror sites that imitate China Daily or Xinhua in order to spread fake economic announcements.
• Using paywall-bypass sites for Caixin or the SCMP, which are often packed with dubious ads and unwanted software.

Questions about Chinese newspapers and media