Echoes from afar: Global Chinese media gather to chronicle modern China

As the summer haze lifts over the red soil and green hills of Hunan, voices from across the world begin to arrive. Delegates from 84 Chinese-language media outlets spanning 37 countries and regions have gathered in Changsha, answering the call of the 15th Annual Conference of the Overseas Chinese Media Cooperation Organization (OCMCO). The gathering, co-hosted by OCMCO and Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, will officially open on August 26. The conference will explore the challenges and strategies of cross-cultural communication, opportunities in global media innovation, and new ways to tell China's story to the world.

From August 26 to 30, delegates will embark on a five-day journey through Changsha, Yueyang, Zhangjiajie, and more — visiting innovation zones, cultural landmarks, and historical sites to witness firsthand the pulse of modern China on this storied land.
 

This is the largest and most high-level international Chinese-language media visit to Hunan in recent years, signaling the province's growing global outreach.

A Province with a Vision

In 2024, the Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary of Hunan, Shen Xiaoming, extended a heartfelt invitation to global university students to come to Hunan to innovate and start businesses. Since then, the province has launched a series of "Seven-in-One" initiatives to build a supportive ecosystem for youth entrepreneurship — including a ¥505 million startup investment fund, the "Golden Seed Cup" innovation competition, and practical policy support to help turn dreams into reality.

As one slogan suggests: "All a young entrepreneur needs is a backpack — and they can start in Hunan."

About the Organization

Founded in 2009, the Overseas Chinese Media Cooperation Organization has grown into a global alliance of over 120 media outlets, ranging from traditional newspapers to digital-first platforms. Its members span the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, as well as Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, covering nearly every major overseas Chinese community.

Over the years, OCMCO has hosted conferences and forums across the world — from Beijing and Toronto to Manila, Jakarta, Penang, Macao, Dongguan, and beyond. Through its network, more than 30 overseas editions of Chinese-language publications are jointly produced, with a combined global circulation of over 2 million copies — a powerful channel connecting China with the Chinese diaspora and international readers alike.

As camera shutters click and microphones rise, a new chapter of storytelling begins — one that blends tradition with technology, memory with modernity. In the days ahead, these 84 media voices will write not only about what they see in Hunan, but also what it means to be Chinese, to be global, and to be heard.