In July, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has significantly reduced operations of its two major overseas propaganda outlets in the United States – “Qiao Bao” and “SinoVision”. “Qiao Bao” has changed from a 7-day publication to a 5-day publication, with only 12 remaining sections. “SinoVision” will end its television channels on August 31 of this year.
Chartered by the CCP Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, “Qiao Bao” has reduced its sections to 12 and changed from a 7-day to a 5-day publication schedule, not publishing on weekends. According to insiders, the chief editor Zheng Yide and deputy chief editor Lu Zhongwei of the newspaper were “retired”.
New York’s “Qiao Bao” official WeChat account was also “self-cancelled”. On June 26, the account suddenly announced its cancellation, only to retract the decision after 7 hours. However, it remained inactive for two days before announcing a self-cancellation once again on July 24, entering a “self-cancellation freeze period, with functions disabled”.
Insiders from “Qiao Bao” revealed that the WeChat account had employed five staff members for maintenance and management. The proactive closure of the account signifies business contraction and personnel reduction.
Around the same time, the sister media of “Qiao Bao” – “SinoVision” – announced the closure of its television channels starting from September this year. On July 9, the company informed advertising clients that channel 63.4 would cease broadcasting on August 31, along with all television advertising.
The “Mei Xi Qiao Bao” based in Los Angeles had already ceased publication in 2021.
On November 16, 2018, the Chairman of “Qiao Bao”, Xie Yining, was fatally shot by an employee, Chen Zhongqi, at the Los Angeles office of “Mei Xi Qiao Bao”. Xie Yining, a former chief White House correspondent for China News Service, was one of the founders of “Qiao Bao” in New York. He later began the publication of the Mei Xi version of “Qiao Bao” in San Francisco in 1991.
The day after Xie Yining’s death, the Consulate General in Los Angeles issued a statement of mourning and expressed sincere condolences to all “Qiao Bao” staff. Xie Yining’s tragic death revealed internal chaos within the Mei Xi “Qiao Bao”, with discontent among some staff members towards leadership, leading to the publication’s eventual demise, including the shutdown of the “Weekend” edition.
Why are “Qiao Bao” and “SinoVision” cutting down on sections and closing parts of their operations simultaneously? Experts believe this is due to the worsening economic situation within the CCP, facing financial difficulties, even struggling to pay public servants’ salaries on time. The internal issues take precedence, leaving little room for overseas propaganda efforts. With a dry-up of resources and lack of funding, sustaining these overseas propaganda outlets becomes increasingly challenging.
China affairs expert and current affairs commentator Heng He, in an interview with New Tang Dynasty Television, highlighted that “Qiao Bao” and “SinoVision” are sister media entities directly under the control of the CCP’s United Front Work Department – the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. The CCP’s United Front Work system has its own propaganda tools, including the China News Service under the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office.
Heng He explained that overseas Chinese media classified under the broad overseas propaganda efforts fall into two categories – those operated by the CCP itself, disguised as independent media, and those bought over by the CCP from existing Chinese-language media outlets.
According to a 213-page weighty report titled “Chinese Influence and US Utilization” released by the Hoover Institute in 2018, China News Service and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office directly dispatched editorial staff to establish Chinese media, including “Qiao Bao” and “SinoVision”, in the United States since the 1990s.
Heng He suggested, “With China’s deteriorating economy finding it difficult to sustain extensive overseas propaganda efforts, this is just one of the manifestations of the CCP’s decline. Moreover, with increasing awareness among the public and Western governments, the market for CCP’s foreign propaganda will only shrink further.”
Wang He, China affairs expert and political commentator, mentioned in an interview that the CCP’s overseas propaganda efforts in the United States have had few viewers and little advertising revenue attraction. If not for CCP’s continuous financial support, these outlets would likely have faced multiple closures. However, given the current economic struggles faced by the CCP, they are unable to support such outlets like before.
In 2024, many local Chinese governments in China are facing severe financial difficulties, leading to stringent budget cuts within government departments. Public servants, once deemed to have secure jobs, are experiencing delays, cuts, or even non-payment of salaries. This financial strain is evident even in prosperous regions like Guangdong, where public servants have faced significant salary reductions.
The real estate market in China, once a major driving force of the economy, is experiencing a significant downturn, with unsold properties. Local governments heavily relied on land sales for revenue, but with the real estate crisis, they are unable to generate revenue from land sales, resulting in a sharp decline in income. Furthermore, heavy investments in infrastructure projects have led to high debts for local governments.
The extensive funding required for CCP’s international propaganda machinery is substantial. China News Service serves as the CCP’s primary overseas propaganda platform targeted at the global Chinese population and international communities. With multiple branches and journalist stations worldwide, including substantial funds dedicated to salaries, office rentals, equipment purchases, translations, editing, and technical support, the operational costs are enormous.
An individual who claimed to have worked within the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office for many years once wrote a letter to a newspaper, revealing some insider information regarding how certain overseas Chinese media outlets are controlled by the CCP. Through administrative relationships, funding sources, and staff appointments, he unveiled that “Qiao Bao” and SinoVision are party media controlled by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, with funding directly allotted by the CCP, and leadership appointed by the party.
This individual, signing as “an old comrade from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office”, stated, “‘Qiao Bao’ is not a pro-CCP media but a party media.” He further explained, “Many years ago, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council founded several party media under the name of the ‘Asia Cultural Center’ in locations like Hong Kong, Europe, North and South America, resulting in the establishment of papers such as ‘Wen Hui Bao’, ‘Europe Times’, the American ‘Qiao Bao’ (including SinoVision), and ‘South American Qiao Bao’. These four main party media outlets receive direct funding from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office through secretive channels. The directors, chief editors, and deputy chiefs are largely dispatched from China, some having prior roles within departments of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office or affiliated units like the Asia Cultural Center, or the editors and technical staff of the China News Service (under the authority of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office). These individuals previously served as directors or deputy directors at the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office or were stationed overseas under roles as consular officials representing Chinese overseas affairs. A few were recruited by screening pro-CCP overseas Chinese individuals, serving merely to maintain a façade.”
However, these overseas CCP party media have limited readership and viewership, relying heavily on annual funding from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office that ultimately draws from Chinese taxpayers. The multimillion-dollar budget allocated to these outlets serves little purpose as they are hardly viewed or read by the intended audience, resulting in a constant reliance on taxpayer funds to sustain such media efforts.
“Qiao Bao” was founded in New York on January 5, 1990. The establishment of “Qiao Bao” was associated with the tarnished reputation of the CCP post-Tiananmen Square massacre, prompting a desire to reconstruct the party’s image. One of the founders, Zheng Yide, former interim editor for the CCP-sponsored left-wing media “American Chinese Overseas Daily”, began “Qiao Bao” under CCP orders after the cessation of funding for the “American Chinese Overseas Daily” due to its sympathetic coverage towards the Tiananmen Square protesters. The closure of the “American Chinese Overseas Daily” left many of its employees conflicted, with Zheng Yide unemployed at the time. Although he tried to retain the original newspaper name, the differences led to the establishment of “Qiao Bao” instead.
Regarding the administrative aspect of SinoVision, former host Wang Aibing reported in 2011 by alleging to Li Haifeng, the then-director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, about the administrative structure of SinoVision. The headquarters of SinoVision, known as the “Asian Cultural Enterprise Limited,” serves as an “Overseas Chinese Office of the State Council.”
Wang Aibing mentioned that starting from December 2006, she repeatedly reported to the office about her role as a news anchor, reporter, and salesperson at the Asian Cultural Enterprise Limited operating SinoVision. According to her claims, SinoVision, along with “Qiao Bao,” are state-owned companies where the leaders exploit them to serve their personal interests. She mentioned instances where individuals high up in the hierarchy leveraged the company for political tasks originating from Beijing, ensuring compliance with state directives. Moreover, top executives disclosed that the financial backing for SinoVision originates from the party and that their tasks involve fulfilling Beijing’s requirements and maintaining good relations with higher-ups. Additionally, she highlighted, “I know that the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office allocates over $200,000 annually to the Asian Cultural Enterprise Limited. Our goal is always set at $200,000…”
As per reports, “Qiao Bao’s” celebrations and events are attended by officials from the Chinese Consulate and receive congratulatory messages from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office.
In 2015, “Qiao Bao”‘s editions spanned 60 pages, with many sections directly provided by China News Service, produced in mainland China and shipped for printing. In essence, the newspaper served as an “export” of mainland Chinese news, often featuring content similar to domestic Chinese newspapers, with the exception of being registered in New York and projecting an overseas media feel.
“A Qiao Bao” created local editions starting in 1994, including regional focuses such as “Today in Fujian,” “Today in Guangdong,” “Today in Zhejiang,” and “Today in Jiangsu,” totaling nearly ten local editions forming the “Today Series.” These local sections directly rely on content from provincial Communist Party propaganda bureaus and have been running for over 30 years.
As mentioned in the report on the “Jiangsu Story,” the Jiangsu province established a section in “Qiao Bao” in January 1996, focusing on significant topics like the opening of the Shanghai-Nanjing high-speed railway. Over the following 20 years, the section has continued to highlight provincial administrative priorities and key themes, including stories showcasing prominent individuals and successful entrepreneurs from Jiangsu.
Therefore, despite being advertised as a newspaper established in America, “Qiao Bao” effectively spotlights daily updates from provincial propaganda bureaus for three decades. It serves as a testimony to the CCP’s strong grip on the publication.
In terms of content, SinoVision directly broadcasts news, current affairs programs, variety shows, TV dramas, documentaries, culinary, travel shows, music and entertainment, and local TV programs from various mainland Chinese TV channels. This includes programs from CCTV’s “Xinwen Lianbo,” Dongfang TV’s “Dongfang News,” as well as content from Fenghuang TV, Hunan TV, Shenzhen TV, among others.
China News Service alone costs how much annually? A former CCP central party journalist living abroad revealed to Dajiyuan that China News Service is entirely a special service agency with many holding multiple roles – journalists, party security, etc. Many employees hold roles as journalists, security personnel, and editors. China News Service falls under the category of a “burning entity,” operating worldwide by burning through resources, disseminating false information, and exporting news to domestic sources.
This former journalist claimed that during a dinner discussion around 2014 to 2015, he was shocked by a former vice president of China News Service when he divulged the yearly expenditures of China News Service. The official shared that China News Service annually spends over $60 billion. This figure does not include the expenses of Xinhua News Agency’s international branches, China Daily, and People’s Daily international editions, as they operate under the Central Propaganda Department.
Insiders further revealed that CCP inflow of resources into overseas media occurs primarily through advertising fees. Advertisements, like those in the “Today Series” (e.g., “Today in Beijing,” “Today in Shanghai,” etc.) in “Qiao Bao,” are presented in full-page formats, serving as conduits for the deposition of CCP funds, channeled via advertisements, events, and collaborative endeavors.
According to these informants, the official responsible for “Qiao Bao” and SinoVision must be appointed by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. While some individuals are directly assigned, others may have their identities “transferred,” or they are “recruited” abroad – identifying individuals who are already compliant with CCP initiatives and possess legal status in the US. The recruitment of individuals with preexisting legal status abroad helps maintain a facade and ensures smoother operations.
A seasoned member of a New York-based Chinese language media outlet disclosed to the paper that the general manager of “Qiao Bao” once stated, “I am sent here; when I will return, I’m not sure.” This experienced media personnel added that the general manager of “Qiao Bao” likely also holds a security position.
As highlighted by the former CCP central party journalist, China’s extensive international ambitions and lavish spending have drained the country’s resources, contributing to the ongoing external spending. Whether it be supporting Russian conflicts, aiding the Maduro government in Venezuela, or backing the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance army, these foreign interventions are fueled by Chinese taxpayers’ contributions, depleting China’s foreign exchange holdings.
He elaborated, “Without money, nothing can function. The maintenance of autocratic regimes and stability come at a high cost, necessitating financial resources to manage all aspects. Without the finances, everything becomes untenable, making it difficult even for authoritarian regimes to persist, let alone sustain extensive propaganda efforts.”
Amidst China’s severe economic downturn and internal struggles, aggravated by financial constraints and a depreciating local currency, these challenges further reflect on the CCP’s declining strength and global aspirations.
The discussions underscore how CCP’s continuous financial resource draining, lavish international interventions, and inflated global ambitions contribute to the depletion of China’s foreign exchange reserves, shedding light on the economic and strategic weaknesses faced by the CCP.