A new multilingual media platform under China's Nanfang Media Group was officially launched on July 3, aiming to enhance the country's international communication efforts from its southern province of Guangdong.
The platform, called South, is the successor to GDToday, a media outlet focused on English-language news and global outreach. The rebranded platform includes a multilingual news website, an English-language mobile app, social media operations targeting overseas audiences, and partnerships with international media. Together, these channels reach over 20 million users worldwide.
Since 2021, South has published more than 50,000 news pieces. Its content has been cited over 8,000 times by international media outlets across 19 languages, with a total global reach exceeding 2.5 billion. The platform has also launched its signature event series, "South Salon," hosting more than 90 events in 24 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Several former heads of state and international figures have sent congratulatory messages, expressing support for the platform's efforts to connect China's southern regions with audiences around the world.
Danilo Türk, president of the Club de Madrid and former president of Slovenia
Rooted in south China, voicing the Global South
Danilo Türk, president of the Club de Madrid and former president of Slovenia, called South "a vital channel for communication" between China and the world. A long-time media partner, Türk highlighted south China's openness, innovation, and dynamism, expressing hope that South will help international audiences better understand this rapidly developing region.
Yves Leterme, former prime minister of Belgium
Yves Leterme, former prime minister of Belgium, stated that South's new identity could make it a key platform for cross-cultural dialogue and global development.
South has unveiled a new logo, with its core design concept centered on "connection."
Andrei Chevelev, former head of Asia and the Pacific Unit at the Priority Africa and External Relations Sector of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), noted that South's rebranding positions it for broader international engagement.
Zheng Yongnian, director of the Institute for International Affairs, Qianhai, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
Zheng Yongnian, president of the Institute for International Affairs, Qianhai, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, hopes South will become a platform for amplifying voices from the Global South and sharing its collective wisdom.
Shumete Gizaw, under-secretary-general of the Organization of Southern Cooperation
Other well-wishers included several political figures and representatives from international organizations across the Global South. Shumete Gizaw, under-secretary-general of the Organization of Southern Cooperation; Henrique Couto Nóbrega, president of the Brazil-China Friendship Association; and Indrananda Abeysekera, president of the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation, all expressed hopes that South will serve as a new gateway for understanding Chinese modernization and help advance mutual learning and the building of a shared future for the Global South.
Roberto Zapata, former ambassador of Mexico to the World Trade Organization
Roberto Zapata, former ambassador of Mexico to the World Trade Organization (WTO), remarked that South will not only showcase China's progress but also serve as a "loudspeaker" for voices across the Global South.
Expanding global reach and media cooperation
South is rapidly expanding its global presence, with new reporting hubs in Europe and Southeast Asia, newly launched Arabic and Portuguese content partnerships with media outlets in Egypt, Portugal, and beyond, and a growing network of international correspondents.
Juan Carlos Isaza, managing director of Alianza Informativa Latinoamericana (AIL)
Juan Carlos Isaza, managing director of the Alianza Informativa Latinoamericana (AIL), along with senior media figures from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea—including Irfan Junaidi, editor-in-chief of ANTARA News Agency; Lee Hin-Chan, general manager of Kwong Wah Yit Poh Press BHD; and Ward Lee, founder of MEET PNG—expressed their support through heartfelt video messages.
Isaza said South's relaunch will empower media from the Global South with greater visibility and collaboration opportunities.
Lee added that the new South website and app will be "an important window for international audiences to understand Guangdong and China—and a valuable news source globally."
Bridging Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao for global audiences
As a leading international media outlet based in Guangdong, South plays a key role in covering major local developments and serves as a trusted source for foreign consulates and business chambers in the region.
South operates "Info Guangdong," a service hub integrating authoritative information and practical resources from across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, designed to help international residents live, work, and study in south China's Guangdong Province.
Harley Seyedin, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China, and Fabian Blake, vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and chairman of its South China Board, praised South for its evolving role in bridging China with the world. Seyedin stated that the platform is "shaping tomorrow's media landscape."
Looking ahead, South plans to build dedicated channels for all 21 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong, further strengthen its Hong Kong and Macao bureaus, and deepen its connection across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Kwong Mei-wan, deputy to the National People's Congress from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Kwong Mei-wan, deputy to the National People's Congress from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, expressed her anticipation for South to become a vital platform for the world to understand both the GBA and south China as a whole.
Reporter | Liu Xiaodi, Yuan Zixiang, Zhang Ruijun, Guo Zedong, Chen Chen, Chen Jinxia, Guo Chuhua, Li Fangwang
Text | Liu Xiaodi
Video Editor | Ou Xiaoming
Video Script | Yuan Zixiang, Liu Xiaodi, Guo Zedong, Zhang Ruijun, Xie Hongzhou, Guo Chuhua
Cameraman | Qin Shaolong, Guo Hongda, Xu Xiaoxin, Liang Zijian
Poster Designer | Cai Junru
Editor | James, Shen He
