China Media Group (CMG) has selected its Top 10 domestic and international stories in 2021.

With its global network, CMG provided news services for a global audience with exclusive reports, special shows, and diverse high-profile guests.

1. CPC 100th Anniversary

China held a grand ceremony on July 1 to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, announced that China has realized the first centenary goal – building a moderately prosperous society in all respects – when he delivered an important speech at the gathering.

To celebrate the anniversary, an art exhibition co-organized by CMG and the National Museum of China, showcasing Party history, went on display in July at the National Museum of China in Beijing.

CMG also released the digital series "The Art of the Party" that achieved wide engagement with 150 million views. One hundred works of modern Chinese art commemorate historic moments in the Party's history over the past century.

The series featured the latest technology, using 3D animation to make each story more vivid. Archival footage, music and subtitles are combined to create an immersive experience.

By profiling the work of individual Chinese artists, each segment covered various historical periods to illustrate for an international audience what happened in China during this time.

2. China proposes Global Development Initiative

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative in his speech to the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly via video link in September. The plan charted the course for international development.

In 2021, 50 years after the People's Republic of China restored its lawful seat at the UN, the country remains committed to promoting multilateralism and building a community with a shared future for mankind – in a time of crisis and great uncertainties.

Over the past year, President Xi attended a series of international meetings and offered Chinese solutions for key international issues, including global governance, the fight against the pandemic, economic recovery and climate change.

Hailing China's continued contributions to the UN over the past 50 years, CMG aired a special show, "China & UN 50 years." It featured top officials from the United Nations and senior officials of member countries, including Abdulla Shahid, the 76th president of the United Nations General Assembly; Julius Maada, the president of Sierra Leone; and Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

3. Global Action Initiative – Climate Change

In October, the first phase of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity convened in China's Kunming City. Participating countries adopted the "Kunming Declaration" – calling for action to slow the loss of the world's biodiversity.

In November, the UN Climate Change Summit (COP26) began in Glasgow, Scotland. The climate conference finalized detailed implementation plans for the Paris Agreement. China and the U.S. signed a joint declaration to combat climate change.

China released its white paper: "Responding to Climate Change: China's Policies and Actions", confirming its green commitments.

CMG's week-long "Global Action Initiative 2021 – Project Earth", underscored the gravity of the world's climate crisis, hearing from global leaders, scientists and young activists who explored ideas and solutions.

At the end of the show, CMG released the declaration: "Global Media Strategic Framework on Climate Action." It appealed for immediate actions to reach global targets on curbing carbon emissions.

The special show examined the impact of climate change on the global environment, the importance of biodiversity, media responsibility, and individual actions by citizens around the world. Heads of state and government, senior officials from the UN, IMF and World Bank, and climate experts, all shared their perspectives.

A significant part of our coverage included five "Zero Hour" documentaries. They analyzed the impact of extreme weather patterns and how young people across the world are finding creative ways to mitigate the climate crisis.

4. Global Pandemic

As of December 24, there were more than 276 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5.37 million deaths from the pandemic worldwide. The Omicron variant had spread to at least 110 countries and regions.

The World Health Organization estimates that around 8.6 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered globally by December 23. However, there has been a severe disparity in vaccine distribution between rich and poor countries.

China has provided more than 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine to over 120 countries and international organizations, making it the world's top vaccine donor.

Meanwhile, vaccine hoarding, and attempts to politicize the virus origins by some developed countries, have hindered the fight against the pandemic.

With the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of subsiding, CGTN Think Tank released the Analytical Report on the Global Situation of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The report analyzes the current status of pandemic prevention and control in 51 countries based on five indicators. The data shows that the United States has the worst performance for three of the five statistical indicators. The U.S. has over 52 million total confirmed cases, the highest in the world, and over 800,000 deaths, also the world's highest.

As the international fight against COVID-19 continued, it took on political overtones in some countries. CGTN America presented a feature show, "Transforming the Coronavirus into a 'Political Virus'".

5. China-U.S. Relations

- President Xi Jinping's virtual meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden

On the morning of November 16, President Xi Jinping had a virtual meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden. The two sides had thorough and in-depth exchanges on issues of strategic importance shaping the development of China-U.S. relations. They also discussed important issues of mutual interest.

CMG released exclusive footage from President Xi's virtual meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the Great Hall of the People. "The Heat" – a CGTN America talk show – aired an in-depth discussion on the future of relations between the two countries. The program included high-profile guests like Gary Locke, the former U.S. ambassador to China and David Firestein, CEO of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations.

- China-U.S. high-level strategic dialogue (Anchorage, Alaska)

Senior Chinese officials put forward China's stance on key issues at the start of the high-level strategic dialogue with the United States in the Alaskan city of Anchorage in March. It was the first face-to-face meeting between senior Chinese and U.S. officials since Biden took office.

In a press conference provided exclusively by CMG, Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the China-U.S. talks were candid, constructive and beneficial, "but of course, there are still differences between the two sides," Yang said.

In an exclusive and informal interview after the first day, China's senior diplomat Yang Jiechi told a CMG reporter that he had a restful night. A viral video had recorded him saying he only had instant noodles for lunch the day before.

- Ping Pong Diplomacy 50 years on

On the evening of November 23, 2021, the National Committee on United States-China Relations, USA Table Tennis, and the Chinese Table Tennis Association jointly commemorated the 50th anniversary of U.S.-China Ping Pong Diplomacy with the theme of "Celebrating the Past for a Better Future."

As the live-feed provider, CMG streamed the event and produced a special show, "Peace through Sport," highlighting expectations about China-U.S. relations from guests such as China's Ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang; Dr. Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State; Gou Zhongwen, Director of the General Administration of Sport of China, and President of the Chinese Olympic Committee; and Susanne Lyons, President of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

CMG broke the news that for the first time ever, Chinese and American paddlers paired up for mixed doubles matches – with Chinese and American players on the same team – at a high-level tournament that marked the 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy.

6. U. S. Capitol Hill Riot

Hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a stunning bid to overturn his election defeat, battling police. Violent protesters rampaged through hallways, legislative chambers and Capitol Hill offices, delaying for hours the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's presidential victory.

The riot, which left five people dead and hundreds injured, was the most serious attack since British troops set fire to the building in 1814.

A major crisis for American democracy, the riot led to U.S. social media platforms banning politicians, including former President Trump. It also raised questions about alleged double standards in U.S. law enforcement, which some accuse of treating Black Lives Matter protesters more harshly than the mostly White Capitol Hill insurrectionists.

Demonstrators attacked staff from many news outlets, including CGTN America, at their live-shot positions outside the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. CGTN America reporter Nathan King remained professional throughout the unrest, finishing his live reports even after demonstrators damaged the team's equipment. CMG hails CGTN's Nathan King for his coverage of the U.S. Capitol riots and calls on U.S. law enforcement to protect the physical safety of reporters.

7. Racial Equality

The debate on racial equality was at fever pitch in the United States in 2021, following the death of George Floyd the previous year. Floyd died in police custody, handcuffed and pinned to the ground by an officer who was later convicted of murder.

As protests, riots, and militarized police responses endangered U.S. streets from coast to coast, Americans found themselves confronted by a 400-year-old legacy of racial inequality.

CMG relaunched its award-winning documentary, "I Can't Breathe: Racism in the U.S.," which took viewers to the front lines of protests in the nation's capital, Minneapolis, and New York to examine the history of racial inequality in the U.S. justice system.

CMG also released a digital series on the rich Afro-Latinidad culture and its complex interactions in a nation still grappling with racism. The series was nominated for a 2021 News & Documentary Emmy Award.

8. Challenges and opportunities for Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal

In August, the U.S. hastily withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year-long war.

Throughout the conflict, an estimated 100,000+ Afghan civilians were killed or wounded by foreign forces. Tens of millions were displaced. America's longest foreign war failed to contain terrorism or establish a western-style government in Afghanistan.

The immense losses in blood and treasure left the country with a deteriorating security situation, a collapsing economy, and a growing humanitarian crisis.

The United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 30. The Taliban took over Kabul airport a short time later.

CMG's correspondent in Kabul traveled to the airport and filed a first-person account describing what the crew saw on their way. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid spoke exclusively with CMG about measures to restore normal life for the Afghan people.

9. Meng Wanzhou's return home

Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, was detained in 2018 at Vancouver International Airport by Canada on a U.S. extradition request. She pleaded not guilty to all charges against her. The extradition request was withdrawn after she reached a deferred prosecution agreement with U.S. prosecutors.

The live broadcast of Meng Wanzhou's return from Canadian detention was a massive hit in China, drawing 400 million "likes" from netizens who followed the story on CMG's mobile and web platforms.

CMG's reporter in Canada followed the judicial proceedings for three years and provided exclusive reports.

10. Olympic motto becomes 'Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together'

At the Tokyo Summer Olympics, held in July after a one-year delay due to COVID-19, a new motto for the games debuted. It is the four words: "Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) unanimously approved adding "together" after the original three-word motto – to highlight the importance of unity.

In December, the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly adopted an Olympic Truce resolution co-sponsored by 173 Member States ahead of the 2022 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February and March 2022.

On December 11, the 10th Olympic Summit stressed the importance of political neutrality of the games and denounced attempts to politicize sporting events.

CMG launched its Olympic Channel in October – the world's first 24/7, 4K Ultra HD satellite television sports channel.

As part of the strategic cooperation between CMG and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the new Olympic Channel is the only media platform authorized by the IOC to use the Olympic name and logo on the Chinese mainland. It is also the world's first sports channel to transmit on both 4K Ultra HD and digital platforms.

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