CMG launches special screenings of premium films, TV programs in Kyrgyzstan ahead of Xi's visit

China

CMG launches special screenings of premium films, TV programs in Kyrgyzstan ahead of Xi's visit

2026-08-27 12:45 Last Updated At：15:17

China Media Group (CMG) launched a special screening event in Bishkek on Wednesday, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming trip to Kyrgyzstan for the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and a state visit.

A new series of Chinese documentaries, dramas and cultural programs will present stories of Chinese craftsmanship, intangible heritage, traditional medicine and daily life to Central Asian viewers, according to a report from China Media Group (CMG) on Wednesday.

The programs on offer range from short-form cultural features to full-length series. Among them is a CMG production built around President Xi's written replies to overseas sinologists, artists and young people. It highlights his efforts to promote people-to-people friendship and strengthen bonds between societies, while presenting China as a responsible major country committed to openness, inclusiveness and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Chinese and Kyrgyz guests at the launch ceremony said the programs help local audiences better understand Xi's vision for people-to-people exchanges and offer insights into Chinese culture, wisdom and spirit.

They called on media organizations from both countries to serve as bridges, share stories of China-Kyrgyzstan friendship and SCO cooperation, and contribute to mutually beneficial development and exchanges between civilizations.

The event was inaugurated with a video address by CMG President Shen Haixiong.

Kyrgyzstan's National Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation (NTRK) Director General Ulanbek Satiev and Li Hua, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, attended the event and delivered speeches.

The event was covered by major media outlets across SCO countries, including the news channel of NTRK, Birinchi Radio, Kabar National News Agency, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper and Uzbekistan's Ipaknews.

Nearly 10 CMG productions will also be broadcast on Kyrgyzstan's national broadcaster and other regional media outlets.

Participants said the lineup will help Kyrgyz audiences understand China in the new era through its social development, cultural continuity, everyday life and scientific innovation, while gaining a deeper sense of the vitality of Chinese modernization and the enduring appeal of traditional Chinese culture.

The showcase is scheduled to run through the end of October.

The initiative builds on a media cooperation agreement signed between CMG and NTRK last year duFring the Kyrgyz president's visit to Beijing.

From Aug. 30 to Sept. 3, Xi will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2026 in Bishkek, and pay state visits to Kyrgyzstan and Egypt upon the invitation of President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Wednesday.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO, with Kyrgyzstan hosting the SCO summit as this year's rotating chair.

China consolidates poverty alleviation gains as rural incomes climb steadily

China has made substantial progress in consolidating its poverty elimination achievements and advancing comprehensive rural revitalization, according to a State Council report submitted to the country's top legislative body.

The report was presented for review at the 24th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, which is ongoing in Beijing from August 25 to 28.

The report highlights significant improvements in rural infrastructure and public services over five consecutive years of sustained assistance. The development gap between former poverty-stricken areas and other regions continues to narrow, authorities said.

According to the report, per capita disposable income for rural residents in the counties that have been lifted out of poverty increased from 12,588 yuan (about 1872.5 U.S. dollars) in 2020 to 18,627 yuan in 2025, achieving an average annual growth rate of 8.2 percent. This figure outpaced the national rural average by 0.8 percentage points during the same period.

"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), central fiscal funding for rural revitalization increased by 320 billion yuan compared to the 13th Five-Year Plan period. For households facing sudden risks of returning to poverty or falling into poverty due to disasters and other causes, assistance measures are implemented first, with supplementary procedures and paperwork completed afterward," said Maierdan Mugaiti, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In the healthcare sector, a national dynamic monitoring system have been established to prevent impoverishment caused by medical expenses. The basic medical insurance participation rate among the formerly impoverished population and monitored households at risk of returning to poverty has remained stable at over 99 percent annually. Policies such as "treatment first, payment later" and "one-stop" settlement have been implemented to effectively guard against the risk of medical impoverishment.

Regarding social security, the government has improved subsistence allowances and special hardship support systems. All eligible rural residents facing difficulties will receive necessary social insurance and emergency assistance without exception.