Writing in the South China Morning Post (June 12) its former Editor-in-Chief Wang Xiangwei said "If China’s leaders want to engage the international media, learn from Mao, Deng and Jiang". Referring to Xi Jinping's call to tell “China’s stories well and making China’s voice heard and understood”., he said Xi Jinping had said this numerous times since he came to power in late 2012. He recalled that in 2016 in a speech to the country’s top media officials, Xi Jinping lamented that despite China’s rising national strength, its international image was to a great degree moulded by “others” rather than “itself”. Wang Xiangwei said China must do more to engage international journalists if it is to answer Xi Jinping’s call to develop an international voice that will make friends and influence people. First, it must let them back in. He said "Mao’s relationship with Snow, Strong and Smedley was a media masterclass; as was Deng’s two-day interview with Oriana Fallaci; and Jiang’s tough 60 minutes with Mike Wallace."
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