Liu Xin, China Global Television Network (CGTN)
Thank you, everyone. I was planning to sit down, but since you’re all standing, I’ll stand too. I must apologize for being underprepared. I didn’t have the time to prepare like my fellow panelists because I took a last-minute trip to Tibet for a few days. I went there to investigate the recent reports circulating in mainstream international media about so-called “forced vocational training” in Tibet. In China, we have a saying: “To tell a lie, you just open your mouth; to refute a lie, you run your legs off.” And that’s exactly what I did—I really gave it my all. (Thank you so much.) My knees are injured now, but I believe it was a once-in-a-lifetime journey. I discovered so much about Tibet—its culture, its people, and especially the truth about these training programs: what they are and why they are being attacked. I’d like to show you something I made—just a short clip, a minute and two seconds long. Would that be okay? I hope you’ll find it interesting. Let’s take a look.
[01:40–03:31: Short video clip of Liu Xin conducting interviews in Tibet]
I’m not sure how you perceived it—did you find it convincing? As you can see, it’s incredibly difficult. This morning, the ambassador of Nepal told me that nowadays, people don’t even believe what they see with their own eyes. And that’s exactly the challenge we face. I ran my legs off to make this video. I truly did my best. I guarantee 200% that what you saw is real, and it truly happened. She told me how she felt. I didn’t prompt her; no one did. She simply spoke from the heart. She was satisfied with the training and said she would participate again. I believe I told a good story. If people choose not to believe it—well, as the French say, tant pis.
So, this is a special moment. I’m glad all of this is happening. It should have happened long ago, don’t you think? And I’m glad that the universities, the Chinese government, and all our friends are here with us for this visit. Even if some Western politicians might describe it as “a gathering of global pariahs grumbling together”—well, here we are.
Before coming here, I didn’t even know I would be part of this panel. They told me, “There will be people from Cuba and the DPRK joining you.” I thought—what? Why? Why are we being grouped together? What’s the point? Oh—because we are all under sanctions: the so-called “sanctioned,” “alternative” media. But I reject those labels. I am not “alternative.” I am not “Third World.” I am no different from anyone else in this world. Don’t you agree? We are not the Third World. We are part of this one world, just like everyone else. So, I’m very glad and encouraged that we’re here, talking about how we can do better and how we can make our voices heard more effectively.
But first—and this is the most important point—why do I hold this conviction? I’ve been working in this industry for 26 years. I know I may look old now, but I started very young. And I’ve always believed in the work I do. I believe we have a future, right? That we’re doing the right thing. And time is on our side.
Let me give you a good example. Just earlier, we talked about how on Facebook—and on Twitter, I suppose—CGTN is tagged as “state-affiliated media.” I personally got labeled as “state-affiliated media” too. So, what do I do? Complain? Stop doing my job? Break down in tears? Of course not. I live my life. I want to be happy, and I will continue to do what I believe is right. And guess what? A few years from now, that label will fall off on its own. Why? Because time will tell. Because we are doing the right thing. I truly believe that. With all of you here—time is on our side. One day, history will be on our side. It will take time, but history will stand with us. That’s why I believe in what I do, and I will continue doing it.
It’s not easy. Not at all. The price has been high. Because of this job, I’ve been separated from my son for several years. I have high blood pressure—because this work is hard. It’s hard to tell a story in a way that is compelling and persuasive. I think I can do better, though I’m doing my best. And I am deeply proud and happy to see that, even as the international media environment deteriorates, more people are standing in solidarity with us. More people are recognizing what we do. And I’m confident that I don’t need to give you examples. During public opinion polls from developing countries—or street interviews in Western countries—when people are asked about China or other countries in the Global South, many of them understand what’s really going on. I believe that more people will continue to understand what’s really going on. So yes, the environment is tough—but I haven’t lost hope. And we will keep doing our work.
I have a few more points I’d like to share. One thing I want to emphasize is that while we talk a lot about unity and doing a better job, I believe we need to learn more about each other. That’s something I haven’t done enough of, for various reasons. For example, on our programs, we often talk about China—China, China, China. But we don’t talk nearly enough about other developing countries. And I believe we must start doing so. Many things you shared today were new to me. So, this is something we need to work on—learning more about other countries. The world is not solely defined by China; it includes many other places as well, and we need to do better in this regard.
I also want to say—who should we unite with? Not just people among us. We should also reach out to people from the First World, the Second World, and the developed countries of the West—those who are curious about us, who are sympathetic, who want to know what’s happening in our parts of the world. We need to extend a hand to them. I don’t think this is about left or right, communism or capitalism. There are people in capitalist societies who are friendly toward China and who may agree with what we are trying to do. We need to reach out to them as well. I truly believe that this is not about ideology. It’s about shared values—what people want: peace, happiness, freedom, democracy, equality, development, and so on. These are universal values. Ideology does not apply here.
We also need to find strength among the people. I strongly agree with one of this morning’s speakers who talked about the power of the people. I believe that if we want to be heard more clearly, we need to go to the grassroots—in the streets, in the fields, in remote areas—and talk to the people and listen to what they have to say.
And I’ve discovered that this is a powerful tactic. If you want your content to gain traction on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook, try doing street interviews. The voices of ordinary people are irresistible. They are undeniable. Every time I’ve tried this approach, it has worked. So instead of sitting in a grand conference room with professors and government officials, I would much rather go out into the field—even if I must limp—because that is where our real strength lies.
Finally, let us think outside the box. We are in an intense battle, facing a harsh and ruthless form of competition. This hegemony has existed for two hundred years—at least. Can we break it in a single day? No. So what should we do? We must think ahead. We must explore new ways to innovate. The video I showed you might not seem particularly impressive, but it was the first time I used my TikTok app to shoot something. I filmed the three-minute video all by myself. And for someone who has worked in television for over twenty years, this is a breakthrough. We all need to keep doing things like this.
I am certain that one day, one of these videos will go viral again. Just like the one I made that triggered a debate with American television host Trish Regan five years ago. She lost her job. I kept mine. For exactly the reason I mentioned earlier: because I wasn’t fighting alone. I was speaking on behalf of all those who love peace and who deserve justice and respect. Time was on my side. Time is on our side. Thank you all very much.