The various newspaper layouts are scattered across the desk of Li Huadong, the founder of Papua New Guinea (PNG) China Press. When picking up the latest edition of PNG China Press, one can see that the front page features friendly exchanges between China and PNG in both Chinese and English.
The other pages are interspersed with news from either China or PNG, some of which focus on China's cultural tourism information and entry-exit policies, while others provide in-depth reports on PNG's political dynamics, community development, and people's livelihood.
Is starting a Chinese media outlet in PNG about making money? Li Huadong, a Hakka from Meizhou in Guangdong, gives a negative answer to GDToday. "All our content is free. Doing charity cannot be about making money. I just hope that this newspaper can allow more PNG citizens to feel the charm of Chinese culture and understand the rapid changes in China. At the same time, it can also provide a sense of belonging and the warmth of home for Chinese overseas in PNG."
Promote mutual understanding between China and PNG
Currently, the number of Chinese overseas in PNG has exceeded 20,000. It is worth mentioning that some of the biggest employers in the region are Chinese investors. As the Chinese overseas have gradually become an important force in promoting local social progress, how to tell the stories of China in this diverse society and how to enhance friendship and understanding between the peoples of the two countries have become important issues facing the Chinese overseas community.
"When I returned to China earlier this year to attend the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, I suddenly realized that while PNG has newspapers such as Post-Courier founded by Australians and The National founded by Malaysian Chinese, there is not a single media outlet belonging to the Chinese." Li recalled the original intention behind founding PNG China Press.
"Therefore, I thought of doing something for the local Chinese community. We translate some local news into Chinese, and also provide translations for some local laws, regulations, and policies. In this way, Chinese people can access these first-hand materials and gain a better understanding of policy changes in PNG, which is also beneficial for their businesses," Li added.
Li also pointed out that many PNG locals have never traveled overseas and therefore know little about the changes taking place in China. They mainly rely on the media as a source of information, which is often constrained by various factors and fails to fully and deeply reveal the true face of China. "This is another original intention behind me starting PNG China Press, to enable more locals to understand Chinese culture."
Currently, PNG China Press has entered a weekly publication schedule, publishing in both Chinese and English and distributing free of charge to readers, aiming to reach a wider audience. Its communication matrix not only covers traditional newspaper media and widely used WeChat official accounts in the Chinese community, but also opens a Facebook account for the local PNG community, enabling them to easily access current news about China.
When it comes to the future plans of PNG China Press, Li has a clear goal. "I want to create a distinct newspaper." He revealed that once conditions and funds are favorable, the circulation of the print edition will be significantly increased, and efforts will be made to distribute it free of charge to Chinese shops in all provinces of PNG.
"We are committed not only to helping overseas Chinese quickly grasp PNG's policies and legal developments, but also assisting them in better integrating into the local society and reducing misunderstandings. Additionally, as PNG is an important island country in the South Pacific that is rarely known, we also hope that our platform can help more Chinese citizens truly understand the landscape of this country."
"I'm happy to help Chinese overseas"
In addition to founding PNG China Press, Li also serves as the Secretary-General of the China-PNG Friendship Association and the PNG Overseas Chinese Service Center.
According to Li, their main responsibility is to assist Chinese overseas in PNG in resolving various problems and difficulties. Whether they are facing legal disputes, encountering life challenges, or seeking to understand the latest policies and cultural changes in Papua New Guinea, they will strive to provide assistance and support.
"The Friendship Association has established branches in every major provincial capital city. Whenever emergencies occur among the local Chinese population, such as robberies or casualties, they will quickly contact us," Li Huadong added.
Li recalled a time when an overseas Chinese was seriously injured by a local knife attack. They immediately contacted a local airline in PNG and coordinated the transportation of the injured overseas Chinese from an outer island back to the capital for medical treatment.
When necessary, they also helped to contact the Chinese Embassy in PNG and the Chinese medical assistance team in PNG, ensuring timely treatment for overseas Chinese. "There were times when we visited injured overseas Chinese in the hospital late at night," Li said.
"I'm happy to be able to help Chinese overseas." What touches Li the most is the high degree of solidarity displayed by PNG Chinese. Whenever such incidents occur, they can always quickly gather and work together to rescue injured overseas Chinese. This selfless and fearless spirit of unity has always been the source of motivation for him to continue working hard in PNG.
Hope to enhance exchange and cooperation between PNG and hometown
Li's last trip back to China was in September of this year. He accompanied the PNG Tourism Board to participate in the China (Guangdong) International Tourism Industry Expo (CITIE), held in Guangzhou, and promoted PNG, a scenic tourist destination, to the local people.
At CITIE, Li noticed that the domestic tourism market is experiencing strong growth momentum and has immense consumer market potential. However, PNG, as a beautiful island country, remains relatively unknown. Many people even mistakenly believe that PNG is located in Africa, which he finds deeply regrettable. Therefore, he is determined to utilize this Expo to raise awareness about this picturesque island nation in the South Pacific and promote bilateral cooperation in various sectors including tourism and culture.
Regarding how to further promote friendly cooperation between PNG and China, especially Guangdong, Li has even more profound ideas. He eagerly wishes to serve as a bridge, leveraging his unique identity as a member of the media and the Chinese community.
By collaborating with domestic governmental bodies and media outlets, he aims to lead more PNG media professionals and cultural ambassadors to China, enabling them to personally experience and gain a deep understanding of China's rapid changes and development. "I hope that more PNG journalists can visit China for study and understand China. Upon their return, they can also share some stories about China with the local community."
Reporter | Chen Jinxia
Video | Guo Hongda
Poster | Cai Junru
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
