China Trains Over 100 Industry Media Heads on Party Ideology and Reform

More than 110 presidents and editors-in-chief representing over 100 national industry-specific media outlets attended a four-day training seminar in Beijing focused on studying Xi Jinping's thought on Party building. Organized by the All-China Journalists Association and the National Journalism Front Leading Group Office, the program addressed systemic media reform, modern online communication, and the impact of artificial intelligence on newsrooms.

The workshop highlights Beijing's ongoing drive to consolidate ideological alignment across specialized trade publications while pushing state-affiliated journalism to adapt to artificial intelligence and evolving digital distribution channels.

More than 110 publishers and editors-in-chief from over 100 national industry-specific media organizations gathered in Beijing for a specialized training seminar from August 25 to 28, state media reported. The workshop was jointly organized by the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) and the office of the National Journalism Front "Three Items of Study and Education" Activities Leading Group. The curriculum centered on studying, publicizing, and implementing Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, alongside discussions on broader structural transformations in the media sector. According to the organizers, national industry media function as a "specialized phalanx" within China's mainstream public opinion landscape. Officials emphasized that these outlets must accurately grasp the core tenets of Party building ideology and integrate that guidance throughout their ongoing institutional reforms. Organizers urged newsroom leaders to convert the Party's political and organizational assets into institutional, innovative, and competitive advantages for their publications. The four-day curriculum featured keynote lectures and specialized presentations by senior officials and academic scholars. Ouyang Song, former director of the Party History Research Center of the CCP Central Committee, delivered a lecture on comprehensive strict governance of the Party, while Li Yi, vice president of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), presented an overview of Xi's thought on Party building. Additional sessions featured representatives and researchers from the Central Propaganda Department, the Cyberspace Administration of China, China Media Group, Renmin University of China, and the China Academy of Discipline Inspection and Supervision. These presentations covered practical challenges facing modern newsrooms, including the systemic reform of mainstream media, internet communication strategies in the new era, the role of artificial intelligence in journalism, and the organizational history of Chinese journalist associations. Organizers described the seminar as a concrete step to advance the study of official ideological theory, accelerate systemic restructuring across media outlets, and enhance the overall operational capabilities of the news workforce.