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Joe Mansueto's day jobs have been a handful lately: He has been busy turning Morningstar Inc. into a $3.1 billion investment information megamart, buying up media properties and skipping the charity circuit in favor of coaching grade-school soccer on the lakefront.
Shares in Morningstar, the mutual fund data publisher he created in 1984 and named for a line in "Walden," have climbed back steadily from the depths of the financial crisis. But the company lost a big client this year and is digesting a string of acquisitions.
Meanwhile, he's rounding out a roster of media properties, most recently chipping in with private equity executive John Canning Jr. and other investors to buy a string of Texas newspapers run by former Chicago Sun-Times executive Jeremy Halbreich. He's also an investor in Wrapports LLC, the owner of the Sun-Times and Chicago Reader. His New York-based Mansueto Ventures publishes Fast Company and Inc., and he's majority owner of Time Out Chicago.
He and his wife, Rika, joined The Giving Pledge in 2010, led by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, pledging to donate at least half their wealth to charity during their lifetimes or upon death. Already, their names adorn a University of Chicago glass-domed library designed by Helmut Jahn.
If all this sounds a little breathless, Mansueto is anything but.
He heads the investment committee of the Northwestern Memorial Hospital board but isn't looking for more face time on the charity circuit. With three school-age children, he prefers the family dinner table in the Lincoln Park neighborhood to black-tie events.
"Rather than going on boards, I prefer to just chat with people or have lunch with them" to help with a specific task. "It's a better use of my time, rather than sitting through long board meetings," Mansueto said.
"He has this way about him that kind of says, 'I've got this.' Things just don't worry or rattle him," said John Rogers, a longtime friend who started Ariel Investments the year before Mansueto founded Morningstar.
What he lacks in the swagger and colorful vocabulary of other entrepreneurs, he makes up for in raw intelligence and deal-making skills, said Canning, co-founder and chairman of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners.
"He's a quick study, and he doesn't try to over-negotiate a point," Canning said. "He evaluates (a deal), then decides if it's a go or no-go, and if it's a go he doesn't continue on and muscle in for something extra."
Mansueto and Canning declined to say specifically whether they would bid on the Chicago Tribune if it becomes available when Tribune Co. emerges from bankruptcy. Asked if he thinks Chicago will have two daily newspapers in another decade, Mansueto said "no" before the question was finished.
For his part, Mansueto said the media plays are a personal passion and investment, not a distraction from the public company. He didn't take a board seat with Wrapports.
"My biggest asset is Morningstar, and that is where the bulk of my wealth lies," said the 56-year-old Mansueto, who has a net worth estimated by Forbes at $1.65 billion.
"I do have a few outside investments, and I do have a few magazines," he said. "I'm just opportunistic when it comes to the media holdings. I'm not out pounding the pavement looking for opportunities. I have plenty to do. It may happen, but I'm not out looking to expand."
Answering critics
The fact that the lion's share of his wealth is tied up in Morningstar stock is also his answer to critics who question his occupying the chairman and chief executive positions at the company, which went public in 2005.
The issue became a shareholder resolution this year, but with Mansueto controlling slightly more than half the outstanding shares, it was soundly defeated.
What is occupying his biggest share of mind these days is continuing to integrate acquisitions the company made from about 2005 to 2010, from asset manager Ibbotson Associates to Realpoint, a credit rating service.
"Joe's as engaged as ever," said Don Phillips, president of Morningstar's Investment Research division. Meetings with key reports that used to be casual affairs now have written agendas, he said.
He'll need that engagement, because clients are demanding more and better data at a lower cost than ever, and the company is coming off a "sluggish" second quarter, as Mansueto called it in a news release.
Earlier in the year, the company lost client Transamerica Asset Management Inc. as it hired away Morningstar executive Tim Galbraith and took its advisory business in-house.
The acquisitions, meanwhile, have helped round out Morningstar's data offerings to individuals, their financial advisers and to institutional financial firms.
The company is now an online financial information juggernaut that rates funds, stocks, bonds and commodities, and provides portfolio management and retirement advice, among other products. Its challenge is to rationalize what it has and move its disparate databases onto fewer platforms, getting customers to continue paying.
Mansueto's first product was The Mutual Fund Sourcebook, a guidebook with performance and other data on 400 mutual funds. Today, the company says it serves 8 million individual investors, 250,000 financial advisers and 4,500 institutional clients.
Shares in the company peaked at more than $80 at the end of 2007 and plunged in the downturn to nearly their 2005 initial public offering price of $18.50. Since then, they've climbed back slowly, ending about $63 recently.
Consolidating the product line was one of the key topics of conversation as Mansueto and his top lieutenants recently gathered in Kohler, Wis., for their annual off-site strategy session.
"Now it's about growth through focus," he said. "We want to consolidate around fewer platforms" to simplify operations and reduce costs, he said.
Last month, he parted ways with Financial Fineprint Inc., a private company Morningstar purchased in 2010 that digs into corporate regulatory filings, telling investors the business doesn't fit with Morningstar's corporate strategy.
"I have a great deal of respect for Michelle, but I think she really wanted to build her own brand," Mansueto said of Michelle Leder, founder of Financial Fineprint, which includes the Footnoted.com website. Indeed, Leder blogged at the website that she was excited to buy back the company to take some creative directions with it.
Five months earlier, Leder took on the uncomfortable task of blogging about the parent company and a shareholder resolution calling into question Mansueto's multiple hats as Morningstar's chief executive, chairman and largest shareholder. She went on to mention the irony that Morningstar's stock analysts have given low stewardship grades to companies that don't split the chairman and CEO roles.
Mansueto wasn't ruffled, saying he welcomes scrutiny. His comparatively modest $100,000 annual salary helps ensure that the bulk of his wealth -- he owns almost 51 percent of Morningstar's outstanding shares -- is dependent on how his shares perform, which aligns his interests with shareholders, he said.
"I have no doubt Joe is looking out for shareholders' interests," said Kenneth Gasaway, manager of the Buffalo Small Cap Fund, which owns shares of Morningstar. "In a 20-year time frame, he's built a global company."
Gasaway does have his quibbles about the company, including its tradition of not meeting privately with big shareholders, but he said he has found workarounds. The company prefers to take occasional shareholder questions and publish them widely.
"When you buy Morningstar (shares), you're really buying Joe's philosophy. It was Joe's creation and it has been run like a private company for most of its history," said Charles Rotblut, vice president of the American Association of Individual Investors.
Defying expectations
Mansueto has been defying expectations since he was in college, when seemingly everyone at the University of Chicago wanted to go on to law school or medical school, but he was just interested in starting small businesses.
His father, now 87, spent his career as an ear, nose and throat physician. His sister is a physician, and his brother a lawyer. (Another brother, John, died in 2003 after contracting West Nile virus.) Joe was born in East Chicago and graduated high school in nearby Munster, Ind.
Joe and Rika, parents themselves, both say they grew up in households where parents didn't dictate their children's choices -- a trait they try to emulate.
"I'm a contrarian; to go along with the crowd is not in my nature," Joe said.
Morningstar was an early leader in workplace benefits, including its famed six-week sabbaticals every four years. At the depths of the financial crisis, Mansueto cut bonuses and the 401(k) match instead of jobs. He calls the few layoffs the company has undertaken "unpalatable" and clearly doesn't have the stomach for them.
Layoffs "don't fit with who we are as an organization," said the founder. "It undercuts morale and takes awhile to recover."
"He really is as nice and kind as he seems," Rika said, acknowledging the difficulty most people have believing such a successful entrepreneur can be so mild-mannered. Even she didn't really believe it until after about five dates, she said, when she realized he wasn't just on his best behavior while they got to know each other.
He married Rika, a former Morningstar analyst, in 1998.
"I'm not one to scream or shout," Joe said. "Maybe it's the optimist in me, but if I'm upset, I'm more likely to be thinking about how to make things better than to be yelling."
He named his company for the "sun is but a morning star" line in "Walden," he has said, because he believes it to be an optimistic vision of the future.
Bill Nygren and Clyde McGregor, former colleagues of Mansueto's at Harris Associates who still run mutual funds there, credit Mansueto with helping transform the mutual fund information industry from languishing on dusty library shelves to being at investors' fingertips.
Said Rogers, of Ariel Investments: "People don't understand how hard it is to build a brand like that in the time (Mansueto) did it."
- - -
Joe Mansueto
Chairman and CEO, Morningstar Inc.
Raised: Munster, Ind. Lives in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in business, University of Chicago.
Not eating: Dairy or meat, other than fish, a new diet he recently picked up after reading The China Study. For his birthday, his wife made him a "fruit-based" dessert instead of a cake -- to the chagrin of his three children.
Reading: "The Passage of Power," the fourth and latest volume of Robert Caro's series "The Years of Lyndon Johnson."
Boards/clubs: The Executives' Club of Chicago; Northwestern Memorial Hospital board.
Forbes list: On the Forbes list of 400 wealthiest Americans, he's No. 297, behind Meg Whitman, chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Co. and formerly of eBay Inc.
- Business
- Media Industry
- Finance
- Mergers, Acquisitions and Takeovers
- Morningstar Incorporated
- Colleges and Universities
- Technology Industry
- Politics and Government
- Shareholders
- Personal Finance
- Mutual Funds
- Corporate Officers
- Newspapers
- New Products
- Newspaper and Magazine
- Business Enterprises
- Social Issues
- Human Interest
- University of Chicago
- Investments


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Grey's Anatomy may have shocked fans with another half-sister twist, but we actually should've seen it coming all along!
In the season finale, the new head of cardio Margaret Pierce (Kelly McCreary) was revealed to be the half-sister of Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), whom their mother Ellis Grey (Kate Burton) gave up for adoption. Her father? Dr. Webber (James Pickens Jr)!
Forgot what happened in the Grey's Anatomy finale? Read our recap here
How will Meredith react to this new revelation, especially in the wake of Cristina (Sandra Oh) leaving? TVGuide.com sat down with showrunner Shonda Rhimes to discuss the upcoming season, including the state of Meredith and Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) marriage after her sudden decision to stay in Seattle, how Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) will change the dynamic and how Alex (Justin Chambers) becoming a board member will shake up the hospital.
Will there be a time jump when Grey's returns?
Shonda Rhimes: No. We're not going to time jump.
Introducing Maggie on the show is different from the other half-sisters because it also affects Richard. How will this change the hospital dynamic and how will you handle explaining how Ellis Grey was able to hide this pregnancy?
Rhimes: What's interesting for us is that Maggie has been a piece of story that we have had and known about since Season 4 — well, honestly since the beginning. That was one of the original pieces of story since the beginning with the Richard-Ellis dynamic, but it's been a piece of story since Season 4 when we talked about introducing her. We were going, "When's the right time?!" and we were holding it forever. I kept going, "Not this season, it's not right." After a while, I was like, "We're never going to introduce it. The show is going to end without it." Every time I thought the show was going to end, I was like, "Ah!" Then we hit this moment in time and I remember walking into the writers' room and going, "You guys, it's time." And all the writers knew exactly what I was talking about. It's going to be interesting to see how it plays out. Because we've all known about it for so long, it's always been layered it. It's not a thing where we're going in and backdating. It's literally always been layered into the story line. We can literally go back and pull out moments of the show and I'm excited to do so, and point out where it was talked about. It's not going to be so hard to do.
Do you need to bring back Sarah Paulson to show that?
Rhimes: We've talked about the flashback moments and what to do with those. Sarah Paulson has a job, unfortunately. But, we've flashed back both with Kate Burton and Sarah Paulson at the same age. If you noticed the carousel moments with Richard and then Paulson in the hospital with young Richard, they were the same age, we just used younger actors for some reason. So, it can be done either way.
Grey's Anatomy promotes Caterina Scorsone to series regular
How will Meredith feel about that? And will Webber keep this a secret or spill the beans fairly quickly?
Rhimes: What Webber does with the information is going to be very interesting. When she left, she had said something to Richard. Whether Richard admits his part in it at all is going to be very interesting. It's very earth-shattering information. It undoes everything Meredith thought to be true about her past and her childhood. It's fascinating.
Where does this season find Meredith and Derek because she decided she didn't want to go to D.C.?
Rhimes: That is where we start them out. It is something huge. I'm not going to say it causes a huge fight, but we start them out exactly where we left them in the middle of that dilemma. It may cause a huge fight, but I'm not going to say that.
How much will Cristina's presence be felt this season?
Rhimes: I have a person who is that kind of person and I can't imagine suddenly pretending that they don't exist anymore. We've really talked about layering in that idea that she's still there. One of the things that we've talked about is she's on the other side of the planet — you call somebody there and it's nighttime when it's daytime here. So, there's a lot of missing each other, but we want them to still be there. That separation does breathe. Time slowly makes those moments longer.
Will Owen start to move on and get a new love interest?
Rhimes: I don't know yet. We're feeling that out. That;'s an instinctive thing for me. Does it feel right yet? Does it feel good? Do we feel OK about that? Or does it feel icky? And I don't know yet.
What about Amelia and Owen?
Rhimes: I know, right? Because somehow that feels exciting. I've had that thought and I don't know yet. I'm not interested in pushing that because I don't know yet. I think they have interesting personalities and I think they have interesting pains that one another could possibly solve.
Does Katherine Heigl regret leaving Grey's Anatomy?
How are April and Jackson dealing with the pregnancy?
Rhimes: They're being forced to grow up in a way that's amazing. They did a spontaneous thing and things are starting to get serious. They have his mother to contend with, they have the future to contend with and being Averys to contend with and what all that means for them.
How will Bailey feel about Yang giving her position on the board to Alex?
Rhimes: Bailey is not going to go quietly. Bailey has taken a lot of crap and had a lot of hits, and Bailey is done having a lot of hits. I do feel like she has been very overlooked and underestimated. She may be done with that at this point.
Will Alex feel bad about this or is he ready to step up at the hospital?
Rhimes: I think Alex is looking out for himself and that is not wrong from his point of view.
With Amelia coming in full-time, will you be able to tell more Shepherd family stories and finally introduce the elusive fourth sister?
Rhimes: The fourth sister! I love that we slowly deploy Shepherd sisters and Grey sisters. Obviously we love Tyne Daly [who played their mother]. Having Tyne Daly on the show is always a dream. It's an expensive dream, but it's a dream. If it's possible for us, we'd love to do it. My dream episode is where Derek has to go home and deal with all his sisters at once and his mother. That would be an amazing episode. But that's my budget for the year. Maybe one day, hopefully.
Grey's Anatomy returns Thursday, Sept. 25 at 8/7c on ABC.
Stay tuned for scoop on Calzona in this week's Mega Buzz!

subset: commoncrawl


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Mistrial declared in Western Massachusetts murder trial
Cara Rintala accused of strangling wife
A Northampton judge has declared a mistrial after the jury couldn't reach a verdict in the murder trial of a woman charged with killing her wife in their Granby home.
Cara Rintala was on trial in the fatal 2010 beating and strangling of Annamarie Cochrane Rintala. Prosecutors said it was the first Massachusetts case of a woman accused of killing her wife.
The couple, both paramedics, were married two years and raising a child.
Prosecutors said Rintala "flipped" and killed her wife after months of stress over finances. They presented a circumstantial case they said showed Rintala was home at the time of the killing.
Defense attorney David Hoose said Wednesday the mistrial showed the weakness of the prosecution's evidence.
Prosecutors said they plan to retry Rintala. A bail hearing for her is scheduled Monday.


text: Back Topic Index Anatomy of the Skin Facts About Skin Cancer Causes of Skin Cancer Types of Skin Cancer Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Actinic Keratosis (A Precancerous Skin Condition) Treatments for Skin Cancer Treating Sun-Damaged Skin Preventing Skin Cancer Sunscreens Skin Self-Examination Glossary Skin cancer strikes more people worldwide than any other form of cancer. Although skin cancer is more common in fair-skinned people, anyone can develop it. In the U.S. alone, more than 1 million adults are diagnosed with the disease each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. The main cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, especially when too much time is spent in the sun. Avoiding sun overexposure is the best defense against skin cancer. And, catching skin cancer early can provide a better chance for successful treatment.


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The much-heralded Dodge Dart should be in dealerships by the end of next month. To celebrate, Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne visited the home of the Dart Thursday -- the Belvidere Assembly Plant.
Marchionne also observed an important milestone during the visit: it was exactly one year since the automaker repaid its "bail-out" loan from the government. He reportedly told about 1000 employees who attended a closed-door town hall meeting at the plant that the loan was paid off six years early through "hard work and determination," and the company "was once again free to chart our own future."
Marchionne says now everything is riding on the public introduction of the Dart -- the customer's perception of quality has to be flawless:
I've reminded them of the importance of this car to our collective existence as Chrysler, to the 60,000 people who work in our house, because our future hangs on how well we do here.
The Dart is the first joint product of Chrysler's partnership with Fiat. Marchionne also assured the Belvidere employees there's more than the Dart in their future. He said there will be new products to replace the Jeep Compass and Patriot when they end production in 2014.
Marchionne says all of the company's plants are running at capacity now to keep up with demand: he wishes Belvidere could add its third shift now instead of later in the summer. Plant manager Kurt Kavajecz says it was "energizing" for the Belvidere employees to engage with their top boss for a few hours for the second time this year. He says it only deepens their commitment to get the Dart right.
That's an attitude Marchionne says Europeans could learn from while dealing with their economic crisis. He made that stretch while talking about potential collaborations with automaker Mazda. Marchionne says there needs to be more consolidation before the auto industry is healthy. On a grander scale, he says the biggest stumbling block for Europe in recovering from its economic crisis can be overcome by acting more like his workers in Belvidere: quit "belly-aching," cherish the healthy and vibrant things going on in the world, and build the future with a proud and committed attitude. Hear it in his own words by clicking the "listen" button above.
Other news from Marchionne's visit:
- Marchionne is willing to expand on the new collaboration with Japanese automaker Mazda by building their cars in Fiat or Chrysler plants.
- Marchionne says odds are greater than 50% that Fiat will buy more shares of Chrysler in July from a UAW trust. Fiat can purchase up to 8% every six months through June 2016.


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In recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Penn State Beaver library will host the display of a quilt entitled "Survivors Wall" as well as a display entitled "Take a Walk in My Shoes." The displays, which are free and open to the public, will remain at the library throughout April and are exhibited with the assistance of Beaver campus librarian Marty Goldberg, who hosts an annual April display in conjunction with the Women's Center.
The quilt was designed and constructed by victims of sexual violence who are or were clients of the Women's Center of Beaver County as well as Women's Center volunteers and staff members. Each quilt square depicts emotions felt by the victims. The colors of blue and teal represent healing for victims of child abuse and sexual assault, respectively, and are prominent in the display as well as in information disseminated by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.
Each shoe in the display is from a victim whose personal story is attached to give viewers an idea of what that person has endured.
For information about the display, contact Millie Anderson, advocacy coordinator at the Women's Center of Beaver County, at (724) 775-2032, or contact Goldberg at firstname.lastname@example.com or (724) 773-3791.


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Compete Tech Long Sleeve is the ultimate baselayer for training and competition. It is an incredibly light, comfortable and technical underwear, made from polyester and polypropylene. A rib-knit construction gives extra stretch and mobility and the Polypropylene material has optimal moisture transfer properties, making the underwear perfectly suited for moderate to high intensity use. Ergonomic lines around the shoulders and armpits with mesh improve ventilation and range of movement even further. Flat seams prevent unwanted friction and the hollow fibers ensure an insulating garment that regulates temperature well, and dries fast. The absolute best choice for technical underwear when effective moisture transport is important.
Technical features
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- All seams elastic
- Do not use fabric softener.
- Wash with similar colors.
- Wash before use.
55% Polyester
45% Polypropylene
95% Polyester
5% Elastane
International orders:
You may be charged import duties by your country. Please note that we are not responsible for those charges, nor can we predict if your order will be subject to import duties. Please consult your local customs office for more information. Orders within Europe will be shipped from Sweden.
Delivery time:
We strive to pack and ship your order as soon as possible. Standard delivery time within Nordic countries is 3-5 business days.
Standard delivery time for orders to the rest of Europe is 8-10 business days. Delays in shipping may occur due to customs processing in some countries.
Dæhlie currently offers free return worldwide. Please take care of the return sticker that will give you free return, in case you need to return items in your order.
You have the right to return items within 14 days for a refund. Items must be in unused condition, with tags attached. Please ship with a secure packing with the return form enclosed.
Dæhlie Team Wear products can not be returned, as these products are made to order.
After we receive your package, your refund will be processed within 7 business days and credited back to your credit card.
If you would like to change size or color, please return the product to us and we will refund the amount back to your card. You may place a new order when you wish to.
Products purchased with discount in a campaign period can be returned for a refund, but not exchanged.
Return Instructions:
Enclose the return note with your parcel and return via Post Nord (Nordic countries) or UPS. Use the return sticker to get free return. Our return addresses are:
Norway: Active Brands AS, c/o Exporama Senteret AS, Kragerudveien 50, 2013 Skjetten.
Europe: Active Brands AS, C/O DHL, Viaredsvägen 18, 50464 Borås, Sweden
Determine your size by using the chart below. If you're on the borderline between two sizes, order the larger size for a looser fit or the smaller size for a tighter fit.
You use the nature as your arena and you work out all year. But do you know what to choose when you are buying a new base layer?Read more


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CFO Moves this week include:
|Safeway Inc.
|Cree, Inc
|VeriFone Systems, Inc.
|Homeland Resources Ltd.
|MGC Diagnostics Corporation
|SP Bancorp, Inc.
|OneSource Virtual
|UBM Tech
|Emrise Corporation
|The Jones Company
|Medivation, Inc.
|Panera Bread Company
|Real Goods Solar, Inc.
|Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae)
|Ecosphere Technologies, Inc.
|Trans World Entertainment Corporation
|Clean Harbors, Inc.
|OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
|TheStreet, Inc.
|Deltek, Inc.
|Spot Trading LLC
|Stereotaxis, Inc.
|Cereplast, Inc.
|CytoSorbents Corporation
|Geeknet, Inc.
|International Safety Group
|Francesca's Holdings Corporation
|Digital Cinema Destinations Corp.
|Panasonic Corporation of North America
|Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation
|Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
|The Active Network, Inc.
|Northrop Grumman Corporation
|Broadway Financial Corporation
|Kabbage, Inc.
Would you like to receive our weekly CFO Moves directly in your email? Click the SIGN ME UP! button on the right of the blog page.
Should you have any CFO Moves to report, please email us.
NOTE: CFO Search Report available monthly to CFOs only. Read more here.
CFO Moves is published by Samuel Dergel (Executive Search Consultant and CFO & Financial Executive Search Specialist with Dergel Executive Search). Samuel can be reached by email at email@example.com or by phone at +1 (415) 738-2070.
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Safeway Inc. (NYSE: SWY) announced the appointment of Peter J. Bocian as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Bocian most recently served as Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Services and Finance at JPMorgan Chase. Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Mr. Bocian spent three years as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Hewlett-Packard. Before his tenure with HP, he spent over a year as CFO and Chief Administrative Officer at Seattle-based Starbucks. Earlier Mr. Bocian had a long and successful 24 years with Ohio-based NCR Corporation, where he held positions of increasing responsibility across Finance, working in the Retail, Teradata and Federal System groups. At NCR, he last served, for three years, as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Pandora (NYSE: P) announced that Michael Herring has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Herring served as Vice President of Operations at Adobe Systems Incorporated for more than 3 years prior to joining Pandora. He also served as an Executive Vice President of Omniture Inc. since November 2004 and served as its Chief Financial Officer for five years. Prior to Omniture, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of MyFamily.com, Inc. (now Ancestry.com). Mr. Herring joined MyFamily.com through the acquisition of Third Age Media in October 2000, where he served as Vice President of finance, helping to grow it from concept to execution. Prior to Third Age Media, he served as Controller of Anergen Inc.
Cree, Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE) announced the appointment of Mike McDevitt as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). McDevitt has served as Vice President and Interim CFO of the company since May 22, 2012. Prior to his appointment as Interim CFO, McDevitt held several key leadership roles at Cree including Director of Sales Operations from 2011-2012, Director of Financial Planning from 2005-2011 and Corporate Controller from 2002-2005.
VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY) announced the appointment of Marc E. Rothman, former chief financial officer of Motorola Mobility, Inc., to executive vice president and chief financial officer. Additionally, VeriFone announced the retirement of Chief Financial Officer Robert Dykes. Rothman joined Motorola, Inc., through the acquisition of General Instrument in 2000, and eventually rose to become worldwide controller of the former Motorola, Inc.
Homeland Resources Ltd. (OTC: HMLA) announced that it has appointed Paul Maniscalco as the Company's new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Maniscalco has over 16 years of SEC related financial reporting and audit experience. He began his career as an auditor with BDO Seidman, LLP and subsequently PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP prior to working with several regional CPA firms. In 2006, Mr. Maniscalco formed SJM Financial and Accounting ("SJM"). Maniscalco has served as both Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer for various exploration and production companies.
MGC Diagnostics Corporation (NASDAQ: MGCD) announced the appointment of Wesley W. Winnekins as Executive Vice President, Finance and Corporate Development, effective immediately. Mr. Winnekins will also serve as the Company's Chief Financial Officer. In connection with the appointment of Mr. Winnekins, the Company will be entering into a Separation Agreement with the prior Chief Financial Officer Robert M. Wolf. Prior to joining MGC Diagnostics, Mr. Winnekins served as Chief Financial Officer of Snap Fitness, Inc., from February 2011 to October 2012. Prior to that, he was employed by Health Fitness Corporation from February 2001 to December 2010, serving as Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations from March 2010 to December 2010, and as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from February 2001 to February 2010. Prior to working at Health Fitness Corporation,
SP Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPBC), the holding company for SharePlus Federal Bank (the "Bank"), announced the promotion of Suzanne Salls to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Suzy has more than 20 years of experience as the chief financial officer of community banks, with eight years at SharePlus.
Predictix has named Bradley White as its new Chief Financial Officer. White previously served as vice president of finance for five years at Easylink Services International Corporation. Prior to Easylink, White served as the manager of treasury and financial reporting and later as controller at EMS Technologies.
OneSource Virtual is pleased to announce the hire of Melinda Lawrence as chief financial officer. Lawrence was previously an audit partner in the Dallas office of Ernst & Young, LLP.
Confluence announced today that Frederick Winston has been named to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Winston was joined in October 2011 as Vice President of Business Development. Winston previously worked at US Bancorp Piper Jaffray Ventures and also held senior-level roles at Broncus Technologies, Inc.
UBM Tech announced the appointment of Sandra Wallach to Chief Financial Officer. Prior to UBM Tech, Wallach was Vice President of Finance with MiaSole, and prior to that she was a Vice President of Finance at Juniper Networks. Wallach has also served in finance roles at General Electric and Intuit.
Emrise Corporation (OTC: EMRI) announced that Timothy J. Blades has been named its Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Blades had previously served as the Company's interim Director of Finance since March 6, 2012. He remains Principal Accounting Officer and Corporate Secretary, which are positions he has held on an interim basis since March 2012. Blades spent the majority of his career with Grant Thornton UK LLP in various UK locations.
The Jones Company has announced Ken Stricker as the new CEO of The Jones Company of Tennessee, and all affiliated companies, including Consort Homes in St. Louis. Stricker will be vacating his role as Chief Financial Officer. Julie Ellis has been promoted to CFO for the entire organization. Ellis previously held the title of Controller for The Jones Company. Ellis previously was employed by a large public accounting firm for five years before joining The Jones Company in 2004.
Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) announced that Kathryn E. Falberg has been elected to the Company's Board of Directors. Ms. Falberg will also serve as chair of the Audit Committee. Ms. Falberg currently serves as the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc. She also served as its senior vice president and chief financial officer from 2009 to 2012. From 1995 through 2001, Ms. Falberg was with Amgen, Inc., where she served as senior vice president Finance, Strategy and chief financial officer, and before that as vice president, controller and chief accounting officer, and vice president, treasurer. From 2001 through 2009, Ms. Falberg worked with a number of smaller companies while also serving as a corporate director and audit committee chair for several companies. Ms. Falberg currently serves on the board, and is chair of the Audit Committee, of biopharmaceutical company Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.
Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ: PNRA) announced that Roger C. Matthews, Jr., was appointed Panera's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective March 18, 2013. Most recently, Roger served as Managing Director and Sector Head of the U.S. Restaurant Industry in Goldman Sachs' Investment Banking Division. Pat Kelly, who has served as Panera's Interim CFO since April 2012, will remain in place until the end of March to ensure a smooth transition.
Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSOL) appointed Tony DiPaolo as chief financial officer, succeeding interim CFO, Angy Chin who will remain in an advisory role during the transition. DiPaolo previously served as president and chief financial officer of Incentra Solutions (now Presilient). DiPaolo also previously served as chief financial officer and chief accounting officer for Roomlinx.
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) (OTC: FNMA) announced that Susan R. McFarland, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer will retire from the company after a transition period that will begin on the effective date of the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer.
Ecosphere Technologies, Inc. (OTC: ESPH) accepted the resignation of Barbara Carabetta as the Company's interim Chief Financial Officer, who resigned for medical reasons. The Company appointed David Brooks as the Company's interim Chief Financial Officer. Since June 6, 2012, Mr. Brooks has served as the Chief Financial Officer of SKM Media Corp. Since November 2009, Mr. Brooks has been the Managing Shareholder of D. Brooks and Associates CPAs, P.A., which provides Chief Financial Officer and related services to businesses on a consulting basis. From August 2008 through October 2009, Mr. Brooks was an audit director and consultant for McGladrey & Pullen, LLP (now McGladrey LLP).
Trans World Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: TWMC) appointed John Anderson as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Anderson will retain his current role as Principal Accounting Officer. Mr. Anderson most recently served as Acting Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer.
Clean Harbors, Inc. (NYSE: CLH) announced that Robert E. Gagnon resigned as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Gagnon, who has served as Chief Financial Officer since August 2012, will continue to perform transitional services until March 31, 2013. James M. Rutledge, currently Vice Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company, was designated by the Board of Directors to resume his role as Chief Financial Officer, which he previously held from August 2005 through August 2012. Mr. Rutledge will now serve as Vice Chairman, President and Chief Financial Officer.
OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OGXI) announced that Michelle Burris resigned as the Company's Principal Accounting Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer. From February 1, 2013 to March 31, 2013, Ms. Burris will continue to serve as the Company's Executive Vice President of Operations. Effective March 31, 2013, Ms. Burris will resign as the Company's Executive Vice President of Operations. The Company appointed Scott Cormack, current President and Chief Executive Officer as the Company's Principal Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer and Susan Wyrick as the Company's Principal Accounting Officer. Ms. Wyrick, 40, has also served as the Company's Senior Director of Finance since June 2012. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Wyrick served as the Director, Site Controller at Emergent BioSolutions Inc., from November 2010 to June 2012. From March 2006 to October 2010, Ms. Wyrick served as the Controller at Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to March 2006, Ms. Wyrick served in senior financial positions at publicly-held biotechnology companies.
TheStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ: TST) announced that John C. Ferrara will join the Company as Chief Financial Officer. Ferrara recently held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Invmetrics Holdings, Inc. (formerly Rogerscasey, Inc.). Prior to Invmetrics, Ferrara was Chief Financial Officer at Edgar-Online, Inc. Ferrara's career includes serving as an Officer and Director for multiple portfolio companies of Mario Gabelli as well as President and CFO of Lou Dobbs ' Space.com.
CIRCA announced the promotion of Jayne Conway from Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer to Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Conway joined CIRCA in April 2012. She served in several key executive positions at Dunkin' Brands including Chief Strategy Officer, and more recently at the post of Chief Financial Officer at Gulf Oil and Planet Fitness.
Deltek, Inc. announced that Mike Corkery has been named Deltek's new chief executive officer (CEO) by the Company's board of directors. Mike was named acting CEO in December 2012 and has been Deltek's chief financial officer (CFO) since joining the company in January 2010.
ServiceSource (NASDAQ: SREV) announced the appointment of Ashley Fieglein Johnson to the role of chief financial officer (CFO).
Spot Trading LLC announced that it has appointed Stephen A. Brodsky as CEO. Brodsky most recently served as the firm's Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Robin McInerney , currently Finance Director, Controller, will assume the CFO position. The changes will become effective on April 1. Brodsky became CFO of Spot Trading in November 2010. Prior to joining Spot, he was a Managing Director at Vernon & Park Capital from 2008 to 2010. Brodsky was previously the President of CHX Holdings, the parent of the Chicago Stock Exchange (CHX), where he also served as the exchange's CFO. Prior to joining CHX in 2003 as Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning, Brodsky was a Vice President in the Investment Banking Department at Mesirow Financial. Prior to joining Spot in 2009 as Finance Director, Controller, McInerney served in various roles at R.R. Donnelley beginning in 2001, most recently as the Director of Accounting, Consolidations and External Reporting.
Stereotaxis, Inc. (NASDAQ: STXS) announced that Sam Duggan, Chief Financial Officer, will resign from the Company. Duggan served as Stereotaxis CFO since October 2011. Martin Stammer, Vice President and Controller, will assume the role of Interim CFO. Since Stammer joined the Company in October 2009, he has assumed increasing levels of responsibility. Promoted to Corporate Controller in August 2011, he was then named Vice President and Controller in August 2012.
Cereplast, Inc. (OTC: CERP) announced that it has appointed Michael Okada as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Okada has been the acting Interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company since February 2012. Mr. Okada joined the Company in April 2011 as Vice President and Corporate Controller and was appointed to the role of Chief Accounting Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer in February 2012.
CytoSorbents Corporation (OTC: CTSO) announced the appointment of Ronald Berger as Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Berger replaces Thomas Bocchino, Chief Financial Officer, who has had to reduce the number of hours he can commit to the Company due to personal reasons, but will continue to assist the Company in a part-time capacity, as a permanent solution is sought. Mr. Berger's career has included serving as Vice President of Finance and Administration of Quick Chek Corporation and Controller of Singer Supermarkets, a member of ShopRite Supermarkets.
Geeknet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GKNT), the parent company of online retailer ThinkGeek.com, announced that Chief Financial Officer Kathryn McCarthy has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of Geeknet and named to the Board of Directors. Geeknet also announced that Ali Sorbi , Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis for Geeknet, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer. Ms. McCarthy has served as Geeknet's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, since January 2011. Prior to joining Geeknet, Ms. McCarthy spent 18 years at General Electric where she was named an officer of the Company in 2003. Mr. Sorbi joined Geeknet in 2011 and has served as the Company's Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis since May 2012. Prior to joining Geeknet, Mr. Sorbi served as Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis at Rosetta Stone.
International Safety Group (OTC: ISGI) announced the addition of Robert Simoni as CFO. Prior to joining ISG, Robert worked for ComJet Aviation. Robert has also worked for the investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette and their acquirer Credit Suisse.
Francesca's Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: FRAN) announced the appointment of Mark J. Vendetti as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Most recently Mr. Vendetti was Vice President of Finance at Abercrombie and Fitch, where he served as CFO of the Direct-to-Consumer business and managed financial planning and analysis. Prior to joining Abercrombie and Fitch, Mr. Vendetti served as SVP, Corporate Finance at XM Satellite Radio. Previously, Mr. Vendetti held finance and accounting related managerial positions with Sears, Procter & Gamble, and General Electric.
Digital Cinema Destinations Corp. (Digiplex) (NASDAQ: DCIN) announced the appointment of Carolyn Ullerick as an independent director on the Company's Board. Ms. Ullerick will also serve on the Audit Committee. Ms. Ullerick is currently the Global Chief Financial Officer for the Legal and Professional Group of LexisNexis. Prior to her current role at LexisNexis, Ms. Ullerick served as CFO of the Canadian operations for the Hostess Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo.
Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC), announced that Mike Riccio has been named Chief Financial Officer. Riccio, who until now has served as the company's Vice President and Controller, has worked for Panasonic for 26 years, holding key accounting and financial management positions and leading many of the company's strategic initiatives in the U.S. and Canada.
Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation (NYSE: CDE) announced that Frank L. Hanagarne, Jr. was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Hanagarne has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company since October 2011. Mr. Hanagarne will continue to serve as Chief Financial Officer until a new Chief Financial Officer joins the Company.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: WOLF) announced that Gary W. Ferrera will be appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective April 1, 2013, replacing James A. Calder as CFO. Previously, Mr. Ferrera served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of National CineMedia, Inc. since 2007. Prior to that role, Mr. Ferrera held those same positions with National CineMedia, LLC, a subsidiary of National CineMedia, Inc., since May 2006.
The Active Network, Inc. (NYSE: ACTV) announced that it has appointed Edward Neppl, the Chief Financial Officer of the United States Tennis Association, to serve as a director of the Company. Mr. Neppl has served as the Chief Financial Officer of the USTA since February 2012. From April 2007 to November 2011, Mr. Neppl served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NBC Sports & Olympics, and from June 2006 to April 2007, Mr. Neppl served as Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis of NBC Universal. Prior to that time, Mr. Neppl served as the Chief Financial Officer of Universal Studios Operations from May 2004 to June 2006 and as Vice President and Controller of Universal Parks and Resorts from May 2001 to May 2004.
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced it has appointed Kenneth L. Bedingfield as vice president, business management and CFO for the company's Aerospace Systems sector. He was previously corporate vice president, controller and chief accounting officer of the company.
Broadway Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: BYFC) announced that Samuel Sarpong was terminated as Chief Financial Officer of Broadway Financial Corporation and its subsidiary, Broadway Federal Bank. Brenda Battey, former Senior Controller of Bank of Manhattan, is acting as Interim Chief Financial Officer, subject to regulatory approval.
Kabbage, Inc. announced that it has hired Simon Yoo, a senior investment banker and former co-head of Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited's Financial Institutions Group, as Chief Financial Officer.


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China Digital
One to Watch: IWC Schauffhausen Launches WeChat Store
Swiss luxury watchmaker IWC has launched its online China shop this week. The brand does not sell its watches through Chinese e-commerce giants such as JD.com or TMall, but through the versatile messaging app WeChat – which allows official accounts to build their in-app shops.
WeChat, a.k.a. Weixin (微信), is best known as China's most popular messaging app. But since the Tencent platform has offered developers the possibility of building e-commerce stores in 2014, it is now competing with online shopping platforms such as Tmall.com.
As reported by Frank Tong for Internetretailer.com, international luxury watchmaker IWC (IWC万国表) launched its online retail shop on WeChat this week as its only authorized online channel in China. The 'Weixin specialty shop' (微信专卖店) opened on March 30, and can be easily found by WeChat users following the official IWC WeChat account, or by customers who can scan the QR code of the shop on IWC posters.
For now, WeChat shoppers can buy 30 different watch models from IWC.
IWC's choice is noteworthy, as most international brands choose for platforms like Tmall to sell their products. But according to IWC, selling through WeChat helps to easily communicate with its customers and better serve those who live far from the larger cities in China.
The move of IWC to do its China online sales through WeChat has also attracted the attention of several Chinese media. As Tong writes, IWC is not the first international retailer to choose to sell via WeChat. Online fashion company Yoox Group set up a similar shop on WeChat in 2014.
WeChat is a multifunctional app, and with a staggering amount of users in China (now up to 650 million active users and 93% penetration in China's major cities), it is an attractive option for retailers. The app allows them to gather followers when they set up an official account, from which they can post their latest news and promotions. By making sure their shop is just one click away, they make it easier for customers to make a purchase – by staying within the app, customers do not need to switch to a different platform or go to another link in order to visit the online shop.
According to Walkthechat, there are more and more official accounts that link through to a WeChat store, with many of them proving successful. In four case studies, they mention children's toys&books company Kidsbookmama (童书妈妈市集), publishing platform Logical Thinking (逻辑思维), skin care brand WIS (维希) and sock producer Aun Socks (爱优恩) as good examples of WeChat e-commerce successes.
The possibilities of opening online stores within WeChat might drastically change China's e-commerce market in the future – altering where and how people make their online purchases; bringing social media and e-commerce closer together. As IWC already understands, WeChat's e-commerce is one to watch.
– By Manya Koetse
Follow @WhatsOnWeibo
Featured image: People.com
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China Digital
Trump's TikTok Ban Goes Trending on Weibo (and on TikTok)
"Did Trump buy up the trending lists?", some Chinese web users wonder.
First published
Just days after TikTok released a statement saying it would open its algorithms, President Trump announced that the app would be "banned from the United States."
Trump reportedly said he would take action as soon as Saturday, August 1st, using emergency economic power or an executive order. The move comes at a time of China-US escalating tensions.
TikTok has recently fallen under scrutiny in the U.S. over security and data concerns, but also raised concerns in Australia, India, Japan, and Europe.
TikTok is the international version of Douyin (抖音), a short video media app owned by China's young tech giant Bytedance (字节跳动). The app allows users to create, edit, and share short videos as well as live streams, often featuring music in the background.
Earlier this week, TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer released a statement addressing recent security concerns regarding the popular short video app due to its Chinese origins.
"We are not political, we do not accept political advertising and have no agenda – our only objective is to remain a vibrant, dynamic platform for everyone to enjoy," Mayer wrote.
In the statement, titled "Fair competition and transparency benefits us all," Mayer announced the launch of a Transparency and Accountability Center for TikTok's moderation and data practices where, as he wrote, "experts can observe our moderation policies in real-time, as well as examine the actual code that drives our algorithms."
Since its launch in 2016, Douyin has grown to be one of China's most popular apps. In early 2020, the Chinese version of the app had amassed some 400 million daily active users.
The app also became an international success shortly after launching its overseas version, and especially after it acquired popular video app Musical.ly, merging the app with its own platform in 2018 under the TikTok brand name. In the first quarter of this year, Tik Tok became the most-downloaded app worldwide. In the US, the app has some 80 million users.
Various media previously reported that Microsoft was exploring to purchase the video-sharing app from its parent company.
Both news items, the alleged selling of TikTok and the newly announced ban, entered Weibo's top trending list on Saturday afternoon, Chinese local time, under the hashtags "Trump Will Order ByteDance to Sell TikTok's U.S. Business" (#特朗普将命令字节跳动出售TikTok美国业务#) and "Trump Will Ban TikTok' from Operating in America" (#特朗普将禁止TikTok在美国运营#).
The American ban on TikTok also went trending on Douyin, the Chinese TikTok, where state media accounts such as China Daily posted a video of Trump talking about the possible Tik Tok ban accompanied by ominous music.
"Did Trump buy up the trending lists?", one commenter wondered.
"Perhaps he doesn't know he became trending on China's TikTok himself now," one TikTok user wrote.
On Weibo, responses to the American TikTok news developments are mixed, but a majority of web users express amazement that a possible ban on the Chinese app could occur in the world's premier free-market economy.
"Haha, a free market economy?!", many Weibo users wrote: "It's time to revise Western economic textbooks."
"Political interference in markets, it's what Trump does best," others wrote.
Many web users comment that by banning TikTok, Trump would do what China did years ago. American social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have been blocked in China since 2009.
Some users suggest that it would be better for TikTok to be banned in the U.S. than being sold ("If it's banned, the ban could always be lifted again"), while others think selling is the better option ("Bytedance could at least still earn money by selling").
Weibo blogger Lin Huijie (蔺会杰) – founder of the Aigupiao app – also posted about the recent developments, writing:
"Today, Trump has officially launched an attack on TikTok, which will either be banned or be forced to sell to Microsoft. We can't actually say anything about this; after all, we already blocked several American software a decade ago. But as part of their "contain China" strategy, America banning Tik Tok is similar to how it encircles and suppresses Huawei. As a 5G leader, Huawei has broken through the U.S.-controlled technological highlands, while Tik-Tok has broken through the American monopoly on global social networks."
Lin further writes that in the mobile internet era, social media platforms are powerful tools to shape public opinion and are a way for the US to "rule the world." With China gaining more influence in the English-language social media world, American soft power would be reduced. Lin suggests that the banning of TikTok is merely a strategic move to limit China's power.
Some commenters compare the banning of TikTok to what recently happened to the closure of the Chinese consulate in America and the American consulate in China; if the American Facebook and Twitter are blocked in China, then the Chinese TikTok gets blocked in the US.
"[But] it's not that China doesn't allow these platforms to be used," one person responds: "It's that they require these services to be based in China and to accept government supervision."
Despite the major interest in the recent developments concerning TikTok in America on Weibo, there are also those who hope for less eventful days: "Would it be possible for Trump to not go trending every single day?"
This story is still developing.
Read more about articles about Sino-US relations here.
By Manya Koetse
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The PRC Twitter List: The Rise of China on Twitter
"Twittering China's stories well" – about the surge of Chinese official accounts on Twitter.
Apart from the countless Chinese official media and government accounts on China's domestic social media platform Weibo, there is now an increasing number of Beijing-linked accounts that have gone beyond the Great Firewall and have set out for Twitter.
Official Chinese accounts have become more present and more active on foreign social media over the past few years, and we have found that there has been a significant surge of new official accounts arriving on Twitter in 2019 and in early 2020.
Within China, Weibo and WeChat have become increasingly relevant when it comes to public diplomacy. For years now, foreign embassies, media, pundits, and government organizations from all over the world are active on Chinese social media platforms.
The growing ubiquity of digital diplomacy is unsurprising: social media platforms are a low-cost and convenient tool for engaging with local audiences for public diplomacy purposes.
In our article "Digital Diplomacy: These Foreign Embassies Are Most (Un)Popular on Weibo" (2016), we explored the popularity of foreign embassies on Sina Weibo. There is even a term for this kind of diplomacy via Weibo: "Weiplomacy."
While foreign actors are active on Weibo and other platforms, Chinese actors are also increasingly active in the English-language social media sphere.
The use of Twitter for diplomacy uses is not new, nor is it unique to China. The term used for public diplomacy strategies on Twitter is 'Twiplomacy,' and government officials from as many as 178 countries have been using Twitter for diplomatic purposes (Guo et al 2019, 563-564).
The use of Twitter for Chinese government purposes has received more media attention recently. In June of this year, news came out that Twitter suspended more than 23,000 'fake' accounts for allegedly being linked to the Chinese Communist Party and spreading false information and promote Party narratives to undermine the Hong Kong protests and/or to counter criticism of Beijing's handling of COVID-19 (Washington Post, 2020).
This development is somewhat surprising, as previous studies have found no evidence of these kinds of automated processes on Twitter as part of Chinese international propaganda efforts (Bolsover & Howard 2019). Noteworthy enough, it was previously found that those using bot activities on the platform to manipulate information about China and Chinese politics were actually anti-China groups (ibid., 2076).
What is clear from the recent growing presence of Chinese state-related accounts on Twitter, is that online political communication promoting Chinese interests is often manually done by real accounts and real people, e.g. state employees, as part of their regular jobs.
China's shift from traditional forms of public diplomacy and propaganda to more innovative and digital ones has been ongoing for years. Since Xi Jinping's ascension to power, the media strategy of "telling China's story well" started to become more prominent in foreign diplomacy efforts (Shambaugh 2020, 17).
But also before this time, between 2009 and 2011, there was a heightened focus on China's international media presence, with the government spending billions on a global media plan, mainly executed via media agencies such as Xinhua, China Daily, CCTV, and China Radio International (Bolsover & Howard 2019, 2065; Huang & Wang 2020, 118).
The One Belt, One Road summit in May of 2017 was an important digital media moment as Chinese state media and official social media accounts shared new kinds of promotional campaigns targeted at domestic and foreign audiences (see our article). In that same year, social media also played a major role in the propagation of PRC's "New Era," which was promoted via short videos, cartoons, and gifs (also see this article).
Whereas China's foreign online public diplomacy previously mostly seemed to focus on promoting the positive image of China as a peaceful nation (the 2020 study by Huang and Wang on 'panda engagement' analyzes the panda-themed tweets of official media accounts on Twitter), we have seen a different trend in China's digital public diplomacy over the past year.
Yes, there are still panda tweets. But Twitter is also used more and more to also aggressively defend China's image and attacking others while spreading official narratives on contentious issues such as the South China Sea dispute, US-China trade war, alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang, the Hong Kong protests, and China's handling of the COVID19 outbreak.
This is not always done in the most sophisticated way. One noteworthy example is that of the China State Council Information Office, tweeting under the (unverified) handle of @chinascio. In 2016 and early 2017, the account repeatedly responded to other twitterers using slang terms such as "dude" or "bro" ("better for you to learn a whole picture of China, dude"), causing hilarity among Twitter users. James Griffith (@jgriffiths) even covered the issue on the CNN website, highlighting the account's use of the "truth ain't lie dude" phrase. The controversy was also covered by Chinese Huanqiu Online (Global Times) media outlet.
Other official accounts, such as People's Daily or that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have also sent out tweets in the past that seemed somewhat out of character, using common slang terms such as "dude" or "LOL."
Over the past two years, Chinese Twitter strategies seem to have become more sophisticated, with an increasing number of state media, diplomatic missions and government organizations joining the American social media platform.
There are, however, new rows coming up over the Twitter use of Chinese officials. In May of 2020, China's embassy in Paris sent out a tweet portraying a grim reaper – dressed in US flag while holding a scythe with the Star of David – knocking on the door of Hong Kong, with a text saying: "Who's next?"
The embassy soon deleted the tweet and released a statement saying its Twitter was hacked. It was not the first time the Embassy came under scrutiny for its Twitter use; the Chinese Ambassador to France was summoned to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in April for a series of other provocative tweets during the coronavirus crisis.
The French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs stated that the tweets were not "keeping with the quality of the bilateral relationship between our two countries."
Although Chinese state media outlet Global Times wrote about the official Twitter account that the "Chinese Embassy's humorous satirical taste delights social media users," these kinds of online altercations show that China's global diplomatic offense on Twitter can lead to offline clashes, or rather, that online and offline diplomacy are no longer separate worlds. Digital diplomacy is thus not necessarily just 'digital diplomacy' – it's diplomacy, period.
That there is a growing presence of Chinese official accounts on Twitter does not mean that there is also growing freedom for Chinese web users to use the platform from within mainland China.
Twitter has been blocked in China since June 2009, and is inaccessible unless web users make use of software to circumvent censorship and to jump over the Great Firewall of China. Only a small percentage of Chinese web users do so.
According to a survey by political scientist Daniela Stockmann, cited in the New York Times, some 0.4 percent of China's internet users, roughly 3.2 million people, use Twitter.
Not only is Twitter blocked in China – Chinese nationals who post critical views on the platform could end up in trouble. In his 2019 New York Times article, Paul Mozur explored the Beijing crackdown of Twitter, writing that a growing number of Chinese twitterers are questioned or even detained for their activities on Twitter.
Chinese activists quoted in the article talk about being advised to remove tweets, and also about being interrogated, threatened, and physically restrained over their Twitter behavior.
Telling – or rather, Twittering – China's stories well is a key mission in China today. But who Twitters these stories in what ways is strictly controlled.
To give you an idea of China's new Twitter diplomacy and to provide insight into the 'official' accounts that are active on Twitter today, we have compiled the list below for reference, consisting of some 280 relevant accounts in total.
This list only covers accounts representing mainland Chinese state media, diplomatic missions, and other government & state organizations. It leaves out individual Chinese Twitter users unless they are officially representing Chinese media and/or state and government organizations.
The number of followers for each account is recorded at the time of writing between July 11-20. Accounts are listed going from most number of followers on top.
This list is by no means complete. We might have overseen official accounts (please let us know), and it has left out, for example, the many different accounts run by Confucius Institutes worldwide, and also does not list the state-owned enterprises that are active on Twitter.
This list has been compiled manually by What's on Weibo – it is not an official list by any means. Please note that we have included accounts that have not been verified by Twitter, as most of these accounts do not have the verified 'v' status (yet) – the fact that Twitter's verified account program has been on hold for a long time might have to do with this.
Although caution is thus advised, we currently have no reason to assume that any of the accounts in this list do not belong to the person or organization they say they represent in their bio.
Contributing to this is the fact that these accounts are also followed by other official accounts that have already been verified. If an account is officially verified, we have tagged it as "VERIFIED ACCOUNT."
In writing personal names, we stick to the way the person presents their name on Twitter. Mostly, they state their last name first, followed by the given name, but sometimes they use the Western style and turn it around.
This list is not necessarily focused on accounts tweeting in English. Many of the accounts tweet in (traditional) Chinese or other languages including Spanish, Japanese, German, or French (both media and accounts of diplomatic missions).
The first official Chinese media accounts to join Twitter are Global Times, CCTV, China Daily, and China Plus News (CRI). They all joined from April-Nov 2009, three years after the founding of Twitter, and in the same year that the platform was blocked in mainland China. This was also the year that the Chinese government under Hu Jintao reportedly spent $8.7 billion on a foreign media expansion project.
From that moment on, Chinese media accounts slowly start joining Twitter. Around the 2012-2013 period, when President Xi Jinping introduces the idea of promoting China in the digital age by "telling China's stories well," accounts such as China News, Xinhua News, Guangming Daily, and CGTN all join Twitter. Region-specific accounts, including People's Daily Arabic, Xinhua Spanish, or CGTN Africa, also all join around this period.
Around the year 2017, we see a small surge in Chinese media, government, and city accounts joining Twitter. This is the year that China's Belt and Road propaganda machine is running at full speed. It is also the year of the 19th National Congress, when Chinese media focus on the message of "supporting China's New Era."
But the most noteworthy first surge of Chinese 'official' government-related and diplomatic accounts takes place in 2019 at the time of the Hong Kong Protests. While mass demonstrations and violent clashes take place in Hong Kong, we see a total of 35 new official diplomatic/government accounts joining Twitter from July to November of 2019.
The second rise of Chinese official accounts on Twitter takes place in the period of January to March 2020, when a total of 47 new official diplomatic/government accounts join the platform during the international COVID19 crisis.
There also seems to be a clear shift in China's "Twiplomacy" regarding the overall tone of Twitter posts. Whereas most of the city and regional accounts – arriving on Twitter since 2012 – engage in "panda twiplomacy" and promote China as a harmonious leader and beautiful tourist destination, many diplomatic and media accounts that joined Twitter later shifted tones in addressing international criticism or clarifying China's stance in main issues concerning the international community, including the South China Sea issue and the US-China trade war.
Over recent months and weeks, the accounts of many diplomats and other accounts in this list have tweeted out images/information sheets, articles, or videos on "What is True and What is False" regarding international media reports on China's alleged human rights violations, Hong Kong National Security Law, and COVID19 pandemic. These kinds of "true" and "false" images are often produced by Chinese media outlets and then retweeted by many embassy and/or diplomatic accounts and other media accounts.
- Bolsover, Gillian, and Philip Howard. 2019. "Chinese computational propaganda: automation, algorithms and the manipulation of information about Chinese politics on Twitter and Weibo." Information, Communication & Society, 22:14, 2063-2080.
- Guo, Lei, Kate Mays & Jianing Wang. 2019. "Whose Story Wins on Twitter?" Journalism Studies 20:4, 563-584.
- Mantesso, Sean and Christina Zhou. 2019. "China's multi-billion-dollar media campaign 'a major threat for democracies' around the world." ABC News, Feb 7 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-08/chinas-foreign-media-push-a-major-threat-to-democracies/10733068 [July 17, 2020].
- Mozur, Paul. 2019. "Twitter Users in China Face Detention and Threats in New Beijing Crackdown." The New York Times, Jan 10 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/business/china-twitter-censorship-online.html [July 11, 2020].
- Nakashima, Ellen, Elizabeth Dwoskin, and Anna Field. 2020. "Twitter removes more than 23,000 accounts it says are linked to China's Communist Party," Washington Post, June 11 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/twitter-removes-almost-25000-accounts-it-says-are-linked-to-chinas-communist-party/2020/06/11/8c9ec770-aa38-11ea-a43b-be9f6494a87d_story.html [July 10, 2020].
- Shambaugh, David. 2020. "China's Long March to Global Power," in China and the World, edited by David Shambaugh, 3-25. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Twitter Safety. 2020. "Disclosing networks of state-linked information operations we've removed," Twitter Safety Blog, June 12 https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2020/information-operations-june-2020.html [July 16 2020].
We also found that this list of Twitter accounts does not mirror Weibo at all – many of the accounts in this list have no presence on Weibo and thus were solely created to speak to an overseas audience.
The accounts in this list amplify each other by following each other and through retweeting. For example, the @MFA_China account (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) has over 178k followers on Twitter, and often retweets the tweets by other official accounts. The diplomatic, media, and city/region accounts often follow each other.
Here's our list! (First version July 21, 2020, updated by adding three more diplomats on July 22, 2020).
Update August 7 2020: As of August 6, 2020, Twitter implemented government and state-affiliated media account labels on its platform. The label appears on the profile page of the relevant Twitter account, as shown in the example below.
Chinese Embassy in Pakistan
@CathayPak, 104.8K followers
(Joined Sep 2015)
Chinese Embassy in Brazil
@EmbaixadaChina, 72.8K followers
(Joined May 2018)
Chinese Embassy in Japan 中華人民共和国駐日本国大使館
@ChnEmbassy_jp, 69K followers
(Joined April 2014)
Chinese Embassy in US
@ChineseEmbinUS, 45.6K followers
(Joined June 2019)
Chinese Mission to UN
@Chinamission2un, 39.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined April 2015)
Chinese Embassy in Italy
@AmbCina, 33K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined May 2018)
Chinese Embassy in Spain
@ChinaEmbEsp, 26.3K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Turkey
@ChinaEmbTurkey, 28.5K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Oct 2015)
Chinese Embassy in France
@AmbassadeChine, 24.1K followers
(Joined August 2019)
Chinese Embassy to Yemen
@ChineseEmbtoYEM, 18.2K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined September 2019)
Mission of the People's Republic of China to the EU
@ChinaEUMission, 16K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2013)
Chinese Embassy in UK
@ChineseEmbinUK, 13.7K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2019)
Chinese Embassy in the Philippines
@Chinaembmanila, 12.2K followers
(Joined Feb 2017)
Chinese Embassy in South Africa
@ChineseEmbSA, 12K followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Kenya
@ChineseEmbKenya, 6662 followers
(Joined March 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Canada
@ChinaEmbOttawa, 6492 followers
(Joined June 2014)
Chinese Embassy in Tanzania
@ChineseEmbTZ, 6,064 followers
(Joined Dec 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe
@ChineseZimbabwe, 5,856 followers
(Joined Sep 2018)
Chinese Consulate General in Istanbul
@chinaconsulist, 4778 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Congo
@AmbCHINEenRDC, 4654 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Jan 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Uganda
@ChineseEmb_Uga, 3943 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Jan 2018)
Chinese Embassy in Venezuela
@Emb_ChinaVen, 3785 followers
(Joined September 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Somalia
@ChineseSomalia, 3424 followers
(Joined June 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Argentina
@ChinaEmbArg, 3212 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka
@ChinaEmbSL, 2920 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia
@ChinaEmbAddis, 2809 followers
(Joined December 2019)
China Mission Geneva
@ChinaMissionGva, 2574 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined May 2015)
Chinese Embassy in Hungary
@ChineseEmbinHU, 2527 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Oct 2019)
Permanent Mission of China in Vienna
@ChinaMissionVie, 2344 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Oct 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Germany
@ChinaEmbGermany, 2339 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined December 2019)
Chinese Consulate General in Chicago
@ChinaConsulate, 2315 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2019)
Chinese Embassy in the Republic of Chad
@ambchinetchad, 2272 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Iraq
@ChinaIraq, 2187 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined January 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Ireland
@ChinaEmbIreland, 2157 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Poland
@ChinaEmbPoland, 2102 followers
(Joined July 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Grenada
@ChinaEmbGrenada, 2033 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Oct 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan
@ChinaEmbKazakh, 1957 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Burundi
@AmbChineBurundi, 1818 followers
(Joined June 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Guinea 中国驻几内亚大使馆
@chine_guinee, 1769 followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Slovenia
@ChinaEmSlovenia, 1632 followers
(Joined Dec 2017)
Chinese Embassy in Mali
@Chine_au_Mali, 1452 followers
(Joined Aug 2018)
Chinese Consulate General in Calgary
@ChinaCGCalgary, 1442 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Austria
@chinaembaustria, 1391 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Jan 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Colombia
@china_embajada, 1343 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Jordan
@ChineseembassyJ, 1321 followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Angola
@ChinaEmbAngola, 1391 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Jan 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea
@ChineseEmb_PNG, 1344 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Samoa 中国驻萨摩亚大使馆
@chinaandsamoa, 1187 followers
(Joined September 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Liberia
@ChineseLiberia, 1163 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined December 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Cameroon
@AmbChineCmr, 1130 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2019)
Consulate-Generale of China in Rio de Janeiro
@ConsulChinaRJ, 1119 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined December 2019)
Consultate General of People's Republic of China in Nagoya
@ChnConsulateNgo, 1071 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Albania
@ChinaembassyT , 1023 followers
(Joined April 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Belarus 中国驻白俄罗斯大使馆
@ZhongBai2020, 975 followers
(Joined Jan 2020)
Consulate General of China in Barcelona 中国驻巴塞罗那总领馆
@ConsulChinaBcn, 968 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Nigeria
@china_emb_ng, 946 followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Denmark
@ChinaInDenmark, 904 followers
(Joined May 2017)
Chinese Embassy in the Slovak Republic 中国驻斯洛伐克使馆
@ChinaEmbSVK, 867 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Peru
@ChinaEmbPeru, 799 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Suriname
@CHNEmbSuriname, 793 followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
Consulate of China in Niigata 中華人民共和国駐新潟総領事館の新ちゃん
@ChnConsulateNgt, 737 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Consulate General of China in Jeju
@jejuZLG, 736 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined October 2019)
Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai
@CGPRCinDubai, 724 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2019)
Consulate General of China in Fukuoka 中華人民共和国駐福岡総領事館
@ChnConsulateFuk, 722 followers
(Joined April 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Russia
@ChineseEmbinRus, 673 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Tonga 中国驻汤加大使馆
@embassy_chinese, 611 followers
(Joined Nov 2019)
Chinese Embassy in Czech Republic
@ChineseEmbinCZ, 502 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Ghana
@ChinaEmbinGH, 478 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Djibouti
@ChineAmbDjibout, 424 followers
(Joined April 2020)
Consulat Général de Chine à Lyon
@China_Lyon, 280 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Embassy of China in the Netherlands
@ChinaEmbNL, 269 followers
(Joined June 2020)
Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg
@ChnConsulateJhb, 241 followers
(Joined Oct 2019)
Chinese Consulate General in Sydney
@ChinaConSydney, 227 followers
(Joined April 2020)
Chinese Embassy in Serbia
@EmbChina_RS, 216 followers
(Joined May 2020)
Consulate-General of China in Strasbourg
@consulat_de, 203 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco
@ConsulateSan, 131 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Chinese Consulate General in Edinburgh
@chinacgedi, 110 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Chinese Consulate General in Belfast 中国驻贝尔法斯特总领事馆
@CCGBelfast, 39 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Cui Tiankai, @AmbCuiTiankai
Chinese Ambassador to the US, 79.2K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2019)
Sun Weidong, @China_Amb_India
Chinese Ambassador to India, 75.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2017)
Liu Xiaoming, @AmbLiuXiaoMing
Chinese Ambassador to the UK, 67.8K Followers
(Joined Oct 2019)
Yang Wanming, @WanmingYang
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Federative Republic of Brazil, 47.7K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2015)
Hou Yanqi, @PRCAmbNepal
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Nepal, 43.7K Followers
(Joined June 2019)
Chen Weiqing, @AmbChenWeiQing
Ambassador of China in Saudi Arabia , 33.3K followers
(Joined July 2019)
Chang Hua, @AmbChangHua
Ambassador of China to the Islamic Republic of Iran, 16.6K followers
(Joined Oct 2019)
Wei Qiang 魏强 , @weiasecas
Chinese Ambassador to Panamá, 15.9K followers
(Joined Nov 2017)
Zhang Heqing, @zhang_heqing
Cultural Counsellor, Director of China Cultural Center in Pakistan, 15.2K followers
(Joined May 2020)
Zhang Run, @EmbZhangRun
Chinese Ambassador to Dominican Republic, 12.1K followers
(Joined Dec 2018)
Zhang Lizhong, @AmbassadorZhang
Chinese Ambassador to Maldives, 11.8K followers
(Joined June 2019)
Wang Yu 王愚, @ChinaEmbKabul
Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan, 11.2 followers
(Joined Jan 2017)
Li Xiaosi, @li_xiaosi
Chinese Ambassador to Austria, 11.1K followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
Deng Xijun, @China2ASEAN
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to ASEAN, 10.3K followers
(Joined Jan 2020)
Chen Bo, @AmbChenBo
Ambassador of China to Serbia, 9531 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Zha Liyou 查立友, @ZhaLiyou
CG of China in Kolkata 中国驻加尔各答总领事, 9935 followers
VERIFIED (Joined August 2019)
Mu Xiaodong 沐小东, @Xiaodong_Mu
Diplomat and Consul of Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, 8086
(Joined April 2016)
Zhang Yiming, @Amb_Yiming
Ambassador of China to the Republic of Namibia, 7467 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2019)
Guo Shaochun, @China_Amb_Zim
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, 7434 followers
(Joined April 2019)
Liao Liqiang, @AmbLiaoLiqiang
Chinese Ambassador to Egypt, 7232 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2019)
Li Bijian 李碧建, @libijian2
Consul General of China to Karachi, 7011 followers
(Joined January 2020)
Ji Rong, @ChinaSpox_India
Spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in India, 6330 Followers
(Joined March 2020)
Quan Liu @AmbLiuQuan
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Suriname, 5814 followers
(Joined Sept 2019)
Wang Kejian, @ChinainLebanon
Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, 5752 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2020)
Zhu Liying (朱立英), @LiyingZHU1
Chinese Ambassador to Mali, 5593 followers
(Joined August 2019)
Ou Jianhong, @oujianhong
Embajadora de China in El Salvador, 4619 followers
(Joined August 2018)
Feng Biao, @AmbFengBiao
Chinese Ambassador To Syria, 4630 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Liu Guangyuan, @AmbLiuGuangYuan
Chinese Ambassador to Poland, 3867 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Xu Hong, @PRCAmbNL
Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands, 3485 followers
(Joined Nov 2019)
Zhu Jing 朱京, @Amb_ZhuJing
Ambassador of People's Republic of China to Congo, 3360 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Jan 2020)
Chen Xu, @Amb_ChenXu
Chinese Ambassador, Permanent Representative to UN office in Geneva, 3171 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2019)
Zhang Jun, @ChinaAmbUN
China's Permanent Representative to the UN, 3013 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Liu Yuxi, @Ambassador_Liu
Chinese Ambassador to the AU and the UNECA, 2787 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined October 2019)
Zhao Yongchen, @DrZhaoyongchen
Chinese Ambassador to Grenada, 2416 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined July 2019)
Huang Xingyuan, @AmbassadorHuang
Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus, 2069 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Cao Yi (Abou Wassim), @CAOYI170610
Consul, Embassy of China in Lebanon, 2015 followers
(Joined May 2018)
Zhang Ping, @CGZhangPingLA
Official Twitter for Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Los Angeles, 1642 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2019)
Dong Zhihua, @Dong_zhihua
WA Consul General, 1607 followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
Lin Jing 林静, @CGCHINA_CPT
Chinese Consul General in Cape Town, 1451 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Cao Zhongming, @ChinaAmbBelgium
Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, 1429 followers
(Joined Dec 2019)
Liu_Hongyang, @LiuHongyang4
Ambassador of China to Malawi, 1265 followers
(Joined Feb 2018)
Zheng ZhuQiang, @ChinaAmbUganda
Ambassador of China to Uganda, 1163 followers
(Joined March 2018)
Li Li, @AmbassadeurLiLi
Ambassador of China to Marocco, 1085 followers
(Joined Jan 2020)
Zhao Qinghua, @Dr_ZhaoQinghua
Consul General of China in Zurich and for the Principality of Liechtenstein, 765 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2020)
Li Yang, @CGChinaLiYang
Consule-General China in Rio de Janeiro, 727 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Yan Xiusheng 延秀生, @YXiusheng
Chinese Ambassador to Barbados, 614 followers
(Joined April 2020)
Chinese Embassy Bangkok, @chineseembassy1
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Thailand, 567 followers
(Joined May 2019)
Fang Yi @FangYi85320692
Spokesperson & Head of Political Office of the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, 550 followers
(Joined Jan 2018)
Gu Wenliang 顾文亮, @GuWenliang
Agricultural Commissioner, Chinese Embassy in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 527 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Lijun Xing 邢立军 @xing_lijun
Chinese Diplomat in Pakistan, 514 followers
(Joined April 2017)
Lei Kezhong, @AmbassadorLei
Chinese Ambassador to Lesotho, 494 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Zhou Jian, @AmbZhouJian
Chinese Ambassador to the State of Qatar, 452 followers
(Joined Feb 2020)
Li Song 李松, @Amb_LiSong
Chinese Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs, Deputy Permanent Representative to UN Office in Geneva, 437 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2020)
Du Xiaohui, @GeneralkonsulDu
Generalkonsul der VR China in Hamburg, 341 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined February 2020)
Ribiao Chen, @RibiaoChen
Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in the Hague, 249 followers
(Joined Jan 2020)
SONG C.Q., @Song_Chq
Deputy Chief & Political Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Lesotho, 216 followers
(Joined Sep 2007)
Wang Donghua, @WDonghua
Consul General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco
(Joined March 2020)
Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt
@CHN_EGY, 126 followers
(Joined June 2020)
Song Yichu, @YichuSong
Chinese diplomat in Pakistan, 98 followers
(Joined April 2020)
Zhang Meifang 张美芳总领事, @CGMeifangZhang
Consul General of China to Belfast, 63 followers
(Joined Jan 2020)
Liu Yuyin 刘玉印, @ChnMission
Spokesperson Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations, 13 followers
(Joined Jan 2020)
Zhao Lijian 赵立坚 / Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
@zlj517, 731.1K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined May 2010)
Hua Chunying 华春莹 / Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
@SpokespersonCHN, 579.4K followers
(Joined October 2019)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Spokesperson发言人办公室
@MFA_China, 177.4K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined October 2019)
State Council Information Office of China 中华人民共和国国务院新闻办公室
@chinascio, 38.6K followers
(Joined September 2015)
Hu Zhaoming / Spokesperson of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee 中联部发言人胡兆明
@SpokespersonHZM, 6494 followers
(Joined April 2020)
CIDCA China International Development Cooperation Agency
@cidcaofficial, 4969 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Fu Cong 傅聪 / Director-General of The Department of Arms Control (MFA)
@FuCong17, 2945 followers
(Joined June 2020)
Visit Xiamen
@VisitXiamen, 228.1K followers
(Joined Oct 2016)
Suzhou, China
@VisitSuzhou, 187.8k followers
(Joined Jan 2015)
Visit Wuhan
@visit_wuhan, 154.6K followers
(Joined Jan 2018)
Visit Beijing
@VisitBeijingcn, 117.4K followers
(Joined July 2014)
@ShenyangChina, 102.3K followers
(Joined Nov 2017)
@Kunshan_China, 100.5K followers
(Joined Dec 2016)
HANGZHOU TOURISM and CULTURE
@TOURISMHANGZHOU, 100.3L followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2014)
Hangzhou, China
@Hangzhou_CHINA, 95.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined May 2012)
Jiangsu, China
@GoJiangsu, 84.3K followers
(Joined Jan 2015)
Visit Shaanxi
@visitshaanxi, 66.7K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2013)
@VisitJiangsu, 53.4K followers
(Joined Feb 2016)
@ChangshaCity, 46.8K followers
(Joined April 2017)
Anhui China
@AnhuiChina, 45.1K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Jan 2018)
Visit Sichuan-China
@Amazingsichuan, 39.9K followers
(Joined Aug 2014)
Guangzhou China
@Guangzhou_City, 39.4K followers
(Joined July 2015)
@FuzhouCity, 37.2K followers
(Joined Dec 2015)
Wuzhen China
@Wuzhen__China, 34.8K followers
(Joined April 2017)
@XiangyangCity, 33K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2015)
Wuxi China 魅力無錫
@WuxiCity, 31.7K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined March 2015)
Rugao City
@RugaoCity, 24.5K followers
(Joined Jan 2018)
Visit Guangxi-China
@VisitGuangxi, 23.8K followers
(Joined Dec 2017)
Nanjing China
@GoToNanjing, 22.1K followers
(Joined Oct 2017)
Guizhou, China
@iloveguizhou, 14K followers
(Joined July 2018)
Visit Weifang, China
@visitweifang, 12.8K followers
(Joined Sep 2016)
Hefei, China
@HefeiChina, 8857 followers
(Joined March 2018)
Ordos, China
@OrdosChina, 7447 followers
(Joined May 2017)
Visit Haikou
@visithaikou, 7020 followers
(Joined Oct 2016)
Discover Foshan
@DiscoverFoshan, 6812 followers
(Joined Dec 2019)
Visit Yantai
@VisitYantai, 6113 followers
(Joined Nov 2016)
Incredible Jinan
@JinanofChina, 6513 followers
(Joined August 2019)
Chengdu China
@Chengdu_China, 4710 followers
(Joined Feb 2012)
Discover Hohhot
@HohhotChina, 4547 followers
(Joined July 2019)
Visit Xi'an
@VisitXian, 3734 followers
(Joined Aug 2017)
Friendly Shandong
@VisitShandong, 3437 followers
(Joined Nov 2013)
Discover Ningxia
@DiscoverNingxia, 2821 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2015)
This is Zhongshan
@ThisisZhongshan, 1890 followers
(Joined April 2020)
Discover Yunnan
@DiscoverYunnan, 1720 followers
(Joined Oct 2014)
Inner Mongolia China
@InnerMongolia70, 1686 followers
(Joined June 2017)
Discover Kunming
@DiscoverKunming, 1621 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2014)
Xiong'an New Area
@Xiongan_NewArea, 1271 followers
(Joined Nov 2017)
Guangdong China
@iGuangdong, 1164 followers
(Joined Nov 2015)
Visit Rizhao
@VisitRizhao, 562 followers
(Joined January 2017)
Visit Wulong
@VisitWulong, 550 followers
(Joined Sep 2016)
Visit Zhengzhou
@visitzhengzhou, 390 followers
(Joined Feb 2017)
Visit Kaifeng
@visitkaifeng, 275 followers
(Joined September 2016)
Visit Jining
@VisitJining, 180 followers
(Joined Feb 2017)
Visit Tianjin
@VisitTianjin, 163 followers
(Joined Jan 2017)
@VisitLuoyang, 136 followers
(Joined March 2017)
Visit Fuzhou
@visit_fuzhou, 113 followers
(Joined April 2017)
Visit Zunyi
@VisitZunyi, 93 followers
(Joined Dec 2016)
Visit Weihai,China
@VisitWeihai, 71 followers
(Joined Oct 2016)
Zhejiang Tourism
@tourzj1, 54 followers
(Joined March 2014)
Invest Nantong
@InvestNantong, 46 followers
(Joined March 2020)
Visit Quzhou
@VisitQuzhou, 3 followers
(Joined June 2020)
@CGTNOfficial, 13.9M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Jan 2013)
China Xinhua News
@XHNews, 12.6M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined February 2012)
People's Daily, China
@PDChina, 7.1M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined May 2011)
China Daily
@ChinaDaily, 4.3M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2009)
*(Wang Hao, @hongfenghuang
Deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily, 8811 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2017))
Global Times
@globaltimesnews, 1.8M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2009)
*(Hu Xijin @胡锡进
Editor-in-chief Global Times, 408.3K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Aug 2014))
New China 中文
@XinhuaChinese, 1.3M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Aug 2015)
@chinaorgcn, 1.1M followers
(Joined May 2010)
*(Xiaohui Wang 王晓辉 @wangxh65
Editor-in-Chief of http://China.org.cn., 1194 followers
(Joined April 2020))
@CCTV, 1M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined July 2009)
CGTN Français
@CGTNFrancais, 1M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Aug 2013)
China Science
@ChinaScience, 1M followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Aug 2019)
Modern China
@PDChinaBusiness, 931.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Aug 2019)
Beautiful China
@PDChinaLife, 870.1K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Aug 2019)
China Plus News
@ChinaPlusNews, 771.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined April 2009)
People's Daily 人民日報
@PDChinese, 753.3K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2013)
CGTN Arabic
@cgtnarabic, 692.3K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2016)
Xinhua Sports
@XHSports, 656K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined May 2016)
China News 中国新闻网
@Echinanews, 649.9K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined July 2011)
CGTN en Español
@cgtnenespanol, 604.6K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Aug 2016)
Xinhua Culture&Travel
@XinhuaTravel, 545k followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2019)
China News Service 中國新聞社
@CNS1952, 486.2K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined July 2013)
@FlyOverChina, 448.2K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined March 2019)
SHINE (Shanghai United Media Group)
@shanghaidaily, 415.9K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined January 2009)
CGTN America
@cgtnamerica, 289.1K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2012)
Yicai Global 第一财经 (Financial news arm of Shanghai Media Group)
@yicaichina, 263,2K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined March 2016)
Guangming Daily
@Guangming_Daily, 238.6K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2012)
Pueblo En Línea /Spanish version of People's Daily Online
@PuebloEnLnea, 150K followers
(Joined Dec 2012)
CGTN Africa
@cgtnafrica, 146.2K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2012)
People's Daily Arabic صحيفة الشعب اليومية بالعربية
@PeopleArabic, 132.5K followers
(Joined Dec 2012)
China Xinhua Español
@XHespanol, 118.1K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined July 2012)
CPEC Official (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor by CRI)
@CPEC_Official, 102.7K followers
(Joined Jan 2016)
Beijing Review
@BeijingReview, 96.6K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined June 2009)
Quotidien du Peuple
@french_renmin, 86.7K followers
(Joined Aug 2011)
CRI Français
@CriFrancais, 77K followers
(Joined Jan 2016)
Sixth Tone (Shanghai United Media Group)
@sixthtone, 75.6K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2016)
China Xinhua News Japanese
@XHJapanese, 61.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined March 2015)
Xinhua North America
@XHNorthAmerica, 38.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Dec 2016)
People's Daily Japanese 人民網日本
@peopledailyJP, 34.3K followers
(Joined May 2011)
ShanghaiEye (SMG: Shanghai Media Group)
@ShanghaiEye, 29.4K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined October 2015)
China Daily Asia
@ChinaDailyAsia, 28.3K followers
(Joined April 2011)
@CCTV_plus, 27.7K followers
(Joined Jan 2015)
Renmin Ribao Online
@RenminDeutsch, 27.4K followers
(Joined May 2014)
China Culture
@Chinacultureorg, 21.8K followers
(Joined Nov 2015)
CRI Japanese CRI日本語
@CRIjpn, 20.5K followers
(Joined Feb 2015)
Qingdao / ChindaDaily
@loveqingdao, 19.7K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2016)
Global Times Chinese 环球时报
@GlobalTimes_CN, 18.9K followers
(Joined May 2018)
Chine Nouvelle
@XHChineNouvelle, 17.3K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined July 2014)
Xinhua Myanmar
@XHMyanmar, 13.1K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Feb 2015)
@XHportugues, 12.8K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2015)
The Business Source
@GlobalTimesBiz, 12.6K followers
(Joined Feb 2016)
China Daily Europe
@ChinaDailyEU, 10.9K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined May 2011)
*(Chen Weihua 陈卫华, @chenweihua
China Daily EU Bureau Chief, 21.5K followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2009))
@XHSwahili, 9587 followers
(Joined July 2015)
CGTN Europe
@CGTNEurope, 8302 followers
(Joined Dec 2016)
The Paper 澎湃新闻 (Shanghai United Media Group)
@thepapercn, 7725 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined August 2019)
CCTV Arabic
@cctvarabic, 6446 followers
(Joined July 2012)
China Xinhua Deutsch
@XHdeutsch, 5981 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Sep 2015)
@XHRomania, 5491 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined July 2015)
Global Times Russia
@GlobalTimesRus, 2589 followers
VERIFIED ACCOUNT (Joined Nov 2017)
@GlobalTimesLife, 1720 followers
(Joined April 2016)
CGTN World Insight with Tian Wei
@WorldInsight_TW, 1517 followers
(Joined Feb 2017)
Women of China
@womenofchina, 1400 followers
(Joined Jan 2011)
People's Daily app
@PeoplesDailyapp, 1379 followers
(Joined Feb 2018)
China Daily Hong Kong
@CDHKedition, 1141 followers
(Joined May 2020)
@China24Official, 720 followers
(Joined Oct 2019)
China Daily Africa
@CDAfricaNews, 690 followers
(Joined Aug 2016)
China Daily USA
@ChinaDailyUSA, 652 followers
(Joined Sep 2018)
Visual China / ChinaDaily
@CD_visual, 645 followers
(Joined May 2020)
China.org.cn German
@germanchinaorgc, 596 followers
(Joined August 2011)
Xinhua Africa
@xinhua_africa, 568 followers
(Joined April 2012)
China Daily World
@ChinaDailyWorld. 535 followers
(Joined May 2020)
CGTN Global Watch
@GlobalWatchCGTN, 514 followers
(Joined May 2018)
People's Daily – Hong Kong
@PDChinaHK, 451 followers
(Joined June 2020)
China Daily Life
@ChinaDaily_Life, 418 followers
(Joined May 2020)
CGTN Culture
@CGTN_Culture, 362 followers
(Joined Oct 2019)
CGTN Tech
@CGTNTech, 286 followers
(Joined Dec 2018)
CGTN Stories
@CGTNStories, 267 followers
(Joined November 2019)
China Daily Opinion
@CdOpinion, 254 followers
(Joined May 2020)
CGTN Sports
CGTNSports, 183 followers
(Joined Dec 2016)
China Daily Asia-Pacific 中國日報亞太
@Chinadaily_CH, 153 followers
(Joined May 2020)
China Daily Russia
@chinadailyrus, 131 followers
(Joined April 2020)
China Daily EU
@ChinaDaily_EU, 104 followers
(Joined Feb 2019)
China Youth Daily
@ChinaYouthOL, 69 followers
(Joined Sep 2019)
By Manya Koetse
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