Roundtable for Foreign Companies in China on Engaging with Chinese Media Held in Beijing

On the afternoon of April 25, the “Roundtable for Foreign Companies in China on Engaging with Chinese Media”, a regular forum event under the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), was held in Beijing. Jointly organized by the China Federation of Economic Media, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC), and Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events, the event was themed “Converging Consensus, Creating Value—Building a Win-Win Ecosystem between Foreign Companies and Chinese Media”.

Representatives from major national-level media outlets such as People's Daily Online, Xinhuanet, CCTV.com, International Business Daily, and China Times, as well as representatives from 48 foreign companies operating in China — including thyssenkrupp, Daimler Trucks and Buses, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Siemens Energy, Rio Tinto Trading, Medtronic, Intel, EDF Energies Nouvelles, Safran, Danfoss, Starbucks, Novo Nordisk, and Mead Johnson — participated in discussions on how to better engage with Chinese media.

Topics included how foreign businessescan understand editorial priorities and preferred communication channels to more effectively sharetheir development joumeys in China, and how Chinese media can futher uncover valuablecontent, highlight the positive contributions of foreign investment in China, and foster moreeffective communication and cooperation between the two sides.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, signifying five decades of fruitful cooperation and win-win outcomes. In this milestone year 2025, China and the EU aim to build a stronger foundation for and open a new chapter of future ties. 

At the event, Adam Dunnett, Secretary General of the EUCCC, emphasized the Chamber’s commitment to supporting sustainable communication systems for member companies. He expressed hope that the roundtable would help foster closer ties with Chinese media and promote regular, effective exchanges to draw on more useful experience.

Jiang Shangyuan, Secretary General of the China Federation of Economic Media, noted in her speech that over the past 47 years of China's reform and opening-up, foreign companies have deeply participated in areas such as technology introduction, local innovation, market expansion, and integration of supply and production chains. She emphasized that telling the stories of foreign companies well is an integral part of better telling China's stories. 

The roundtable aims to support the implementation of the 2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment, leverage the Federation's function as a central financial media organization, build an efficient communication platform between foreign enterprises and Chinese media, amplify the value of authoritative communication, and help foreign enterprises transition from "storytellers" to "co-creators of value."

During the roundtable, representatives from national-level media shared and interacted on topics such as media strategy layouts, key editorial focuses, and outstanding cases of reporting on foreign companies’ development in China. 

Wu Chengliang, Deputy Director of the Global Communication Department of People's Daily Online, stated that as "the online version of People's Daily," People's Daily Online will leverage its multilingual and multi-platform strengths to help foreign companies tell their stories in China. 

Yang Dingdu, Director of the Global Communication Center at Xinhuanet, suggested that materials showcasing foreign companies’ adaptation to China, sharing opportunities, and reflecting business growth are key to effective communication. He recommended that foreign companies participate in national-level platforms such as CIFTIS and the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to gain greater media exposure and coverage. 

Zhang Lei, Chief Editor of the Finance Channel of CCTV.com, noted that CCTV.com would leverage its resource advantages to highlight foreign enterprises’ innovation and corporate social responsibility initiatives. 

Jin Ou, Director of the International Department of the International Business Daily, said that the newspaper would continue to focus on the development of foreign companies in China and actively build communication and cooperation bridges.

Representatives from EUCCC member companies, including FSG Global, Unilever, and Moët Hennessy Diageo, engaged in active discussions with Chinese media representatives on how to better establish media relations and strengthen association between brand and corporate.

Liu Yunxue, General Manager of the CIFTIS Center at Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events, introduced the highlights of the plan on 2025 CIFTIS, focusing on "Deepening International Cooperation and Building a New Global Ecosystem for Trade in Services." She mentioned that this year, CIFTIS would adopt a new "One Conference, One Address" model, incorporating the concept of "town-like" exhibition zones to create a new "Park-Expo" ecosystem featuring a "one core area, one zone, but multiple points". This new layout will showcase new global trends, technologies, and achievements in services trade. Compared with previous editions, a larger number of international organizations, overseas chambers of commerce, and leading multinational companies will be invited, providing foreign companies operating in China with a comprehensive platform for exhibition, communication, and cooperation, and presenting even more compelling stories of foreign businesses in China.

As one of the global new economy theme forum series events organized by the China Federation of Economic Media and a regular forum event under CIFTIS, “Roundtable for Foreign Companies in China on Engaging with Chinese Media” concluded with a joint announcement. Participating parties will collaborate to launch a tripartite platform initiative featuring mutual empowerment — focusing on "Information Hub Sharing, Production-Media Capability Co-Creation, and Long-Term Communication Matrix". 

The goal is to optimize the cooperation ecosystem between foreign companies and Chinese media, ensuring that "China’s voice" resonates with "market needs," conveying the real development stories of foreign companies in China to their global headquarters, enhancing strategic focus on the Chinese market among decision-makers, and making foreign enterprises' development journeys a window for the world to understand China's commitment to openness, thus strengthening investment confidence and fostering cooperation for shared success between China and the world.