The media center for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 officially opened at 08:00 on Thursday in Tianjin to provide a variety of services for more than 3,000 journalists from home and abroad.
Located at the Tianjin Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Center (Phase 2, S2 Exhibition Hall), the Media Center consists of multiple areas, including Media Service Area, Media Working Area, Rentable Media Booths, Press Conference Area, Television and Broadcast Services Area, Technology and Culture Interactive Display Area, Media Cafeteria and Tea Break Area.
The media center will offer comprehensive services, such as broadcasting, press releases, official photos, summit updates, technology and culture exhibitions, catering, and transportation.
Nearly 500 workstations are set up at the Media Working Area, with each of them equipped with high-speed internet connections and multilingual audio ports for public feeds. The area also features three live stand-up positions with professional lighting and cameras services, enabling reporters to conduct live broadcasts even on their own.
The Media Center also has two press conference halls, where news briefings can be held during the summit.
At the Media Service Area, volunteers in blue uniforms, mostly university students from Tianjin, are ready to assist registered journalists with multilingual support. Notably, a humanoid robot volunteer is also set up, capable of answering questions in Chinese, Russian, and English.
The Media Center also features a real-time broadcasting system, allowing journalists to create their own personalized AI-generated digital avatars, along with displays of smart robotics, and intangible cultural heritage experience activities to help journalists work more efficiently, while offering them a chance to immerse themselves in the charm of China's innovative development and traditional culture.
The SCO Summit 2025 will be held from August 31 to September 1, with leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations set to attend.
Media center for SCO Summit 2025 officially opens in Tianjin
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
