Guangdong Xin Wenhua
Guangdong Xin Wenhua operates as a commercial arm of the Liaison Office, the Chinese Communist Party’s political bureau in Hong Kong, with a broad portfolio spanning printing, retail, wholesale, and publishing. The group holds substantial media assets, including the long-standing newspapers Ta Kung Pao (est. 1902) and Wen Wei Po (est. 1948), magazines like Bauhinia and Knowledge Magazine, as well as the online platform Orange News. Local journalists and analysts in mid‑2023 have also identified Hong Kong Commercial Daily as part of its media holdings.
Through its subsidiary operations, Guangdong Xin Wenhua also controls Sino United Publishing, which dominates around 80% of Hong Kong’s Chinese-language book market via major retail chains like Joint Publishing, Chung Hwa Book Co., and Commercial Press.
Media assets
Publishing: Newspapers- Ta Kung Pao, Wen Wei Po, Hong Kong Commercial Daily (HKCD); Magazines- Bauhinia, Knowledge Magazine
News portal: Orange News
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Investigative reports have established that Guangdong Xin Wenhua is fully owned by the Liaison Office, although this ownership was downplayed or hidden for years. . This structure places the company squarely under the central political apparatus, blurring the lines between commercial enterprise and state-directed media control.
In early June 2025, Beijing unexpectedly replaced Zheng Yanxiong—the hardline director of the Liaison Office in Hong Kong—with Zhou Ji. Local officials and observers described the shift as a routine personnel change, though it occurred amid political turbulence and was reportedly linked in part to disagreements over the CK Hutchison ports deal. . While not directly tied to Guangdong Xin Wenhua, leadership reshuffles at the Liaison Office could presage broader strategic reorientations affecting affiliated media operations under its control.
Source of funding and budget
The firm does not publicly disclose financial performance figures. While its outlets generate some revenue from advertising, industry insiders interviewed in mid‑2023 and mid‑2024 suggest that substantial state funds flow through the Liaison Office to these media entities. However, there is no evidence indicating that such funding exceeds 50% of the outlets’ annual budgets.
Editorial independence
Journalists and independent observers widely regard the group’s media as vehicles for promoting Beijing’s viewpoints. These outlets are seen as reshaping public discourse in alignment with central messaging, frequently targeting independent press and dissenting voices, and spreading narratives aimed at discrediting critics of the Chinese government.
There is no known domestic legislation or independent oversight mechanism that protects the editorial independence of these media entities. Governance remains firmly under the direction of the Liaison Office, with no apparent checks and balances in place.
August 2025