Established in 1981, China Daily has grown into the most circulated English-language newspaper in China. It now has offices in most large Chinese cities and several cities in the U.S. and Europe.
Media assets
Publishing: China Daily (Zhōngguó Qīngnián Bào), China Daily Hong Kong, China Daily Asia Weekly, China Daily US Edition, China Daily European Weekly, China Daily Africa
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
China Daily is run by the Chinese Communist Party, which appoints its management and dictates the editorial line of the paper. It is accountable to the Central Propaganda Department of the party.
Source of funding and budget
China Daily does not release information about its financial performance. Although the daily carries ads, it also receives large state subsidies, according to local journalists and experts. The daily spent significant amounts of money in the U.S., buying space in major American publications to publish its content. In October 2023, China Daily announced that it would invest some US$ 390,000 into creating its own metaverse and nonfungible token (NFT) platform.
Editorial independence
China Daily is a propaganda tool used by the Chinese government to promote its views and policies. The publication is known for its pro-government editorial bias and for inaccuracies in its stories as well as for disseminating untrue information.
There is no statute and no independent assessment/oversight mechanism to validate the independence of China Daily.
October 2023