China Daily senior editor to helm publicity efforts at Hong Kong liaison office

Beijing has appointed a senior editor from its official English-language media as the chief publicity officer at its liaison office in Hong Kong, in a bid to improve the central government’s narratives for the international audience, the Post has learned.

Official sources said Sun Shangwu, 56, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily, would move to the city to take up the role of deputy director at Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, and take charge of publicity work.

“Sun will greatly enhance the liaison office’s footing in the English media world, as Beijing seeks to improve China’s narrative in Hong Kong and the world,” said one source who is familiar with the arrangement.

The source said Sun was expected to work with all news platforms “regardless of their language” to “tell the Hong Kong story well”.

A second source also confirmed Sun’s appointment, saying his arrival would help the office engage better with the English-speaking world.

“Beijing knows the importance of improving its narratives to the international audience. Hong Kong is a very critical part of winning the narrative battle,” the second source said.

Sun will fill in a position left vacant for over a year, after his predecessor Lu Xinning was transferred back to the mainland to serve as a member of the Chinese Communist Party Standing Committee of Guangxi, an autonomous region in southwest mainland China, in August 2024.