Phoenix TV at 30: AI Pivot, Economic Ambitions, and Global Reach

HONG KONG – March 31, 2026 – Phoenix TV marked its 30th anniversary with a lavish gala at its Tai Po headquarters, laying out a strategic vision that extends far beyond traditional broadcasting. Attended by top officials, including Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, the event showcased a media conglomerate aggressively pivoting towards artificial intelligence, deepening its role as an economic conduit for Hong Kong, and reaffirming its mission to be a primary storyteller for China on the world stage.

At the celebration, Chairman and CEO Xu Wei declared that after a “comprehensive restructuring and rebirth” in 2021, Phoenix has evolved into the largest overseas Chinese-language cultural media group. He emphasized that “embracing change” remains the cornerstone of its strategy. This change was the central theme of the night, highlighted by a series of high-profile partnerships and initiatives aimed at securing the company's relevance for the next thirty years.

John Lee praised the broadcaster's journey, stating the anniversary was “a starting point to stride into a new era.” He commended Phoenix for reflecting Hong Kong's spirit of proactive change and for harnessing the city's unique advantage of “relying on the motherland and connecting with the world,” a phrase that encapsulates the company’s complex and ambitious position.

A Digital Phoenix Rising: The AI and Technology Pivot

The most significant announcement of the evening was Phoenix TV's decisive leap into artificial intelligence. The company formalized cooperation agreements with two key players in the tech industry: Volcano Engine and DataOceanAI. This move signals a fundamental shift in how the media giant plans to create, process, and distribute content globally.

Volcano Engine is the enterprise-facing cloud and AI service platform of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. It commercializes the powerful recommendation algorithms and AI technologies, including large language models (LLMs), that have driven ByteDance's phenomenal success. The partnership gives Phoenix access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure, cloud services, and potentially generative AI tools for video and text.

Complementing this is the collaboration with DataOceanAI, a firm specializing in providing the high-quality, proprietary training data essential for developing and refining AI models. With expertise in Natural Language Processing and a massive multilingual speech corpus, DataOceanAI will help Phoenix build robust Chinese-language datasets. This focus suggests an ambition to create highly sophisticated AI tailored for its core audience and content, enhancing everything from news gathering to personalized viewer experiences.

Sun Dong, Hong Kong's Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, endorsed the move, noting that Phoenix TV would continue its media partnership for the upcoming World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit in Hong Kong. He encouraged the broadcaster to leverage its platform to help build the city's status as an international innovation hub.

Beyond Broadcasting: A Catalyst for Hong Kong's Economy

Phoenix TV also used its anniversary to cement its role as an active participant in Hong Kong's economic development. The gala saw the formal exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the HKSAR Government to establish the “Hong Kong Professional Services GoGlobal Platform.”

This initiative aims to leverage Phoenix TV’s global media network to connect Hong Kong’s world-class professional services—in fields like law, finance, and consulting—with the growing international needs of Mainland Chinese enterprises. The platform effectively positions Phoenix not just as a reporter on business, but as a facilitator of it, acting as a bridge between mainland capital and Hong Kong's expertise.

Furthering its foray into the financial sector, Phoenix announced a partnership with the UK-based consultancy Brand Finance to launch the Phoenix Star 2025 Hong Kong IPO Brand Report. The initiative is timed to capitalize on Hong Kong’s resurgence as a top global IPO market, which saw a dramatic rebound in 2025 with fundraising figures approaching HKD 300 billion. By creating a brand assessment for newly listed companies, Phoenix aims to contribute to and enhance Hong Kong’s reputation as a premier international financial center.

These ventures illustrate a strategy to diversify revenue streams and embed the company within the economic fabric of the Greater Bay Area, moving beyond advertising and viewership to create value through strategic services and partnerships.

Navigating a Global Stage: Influence, Identity, and Scrutiny

Underpinning all these initiatives is Phoenix TV's core mission: to serve as an “international storyteller for Chinese culture” and a “platform builder for international exchanges.” CEO Xu Wei reiterated the company's commitment to leveraging its 63 global bureaus to help the world gain a deeper understanding of China. However, this mission operates within a complex geopolitical landscape, shaped significantly by the company’s ownership and structure.

The “rebirth” Xu Wei referenced corresponds with a 2021 restructuring that saw Bauhinia Culture, a company wholly owned by the Chinese central government, become its largest shareholder. This state backing lends weight to its strategic initiatives but also invites international scrutiny. In recent years, regulatory bodies in the West have taken notice; in 2020, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission ordered an affiliate to cease broadcasting, and in 2022, Taiwan designated the company as a government-funded entity and ordered it to close its bureau.

This context adds layers of meaning to its role as a global media player. While it provides unparalleled access and resources within mainland China, its state ties shape perceptions of its editorial independence abroad. The company navigates this dynamic by framing its work as cultural and economic bridge-building, fulfilling the role described by John Lee as “relying on the motherland and connecting with the world.”

The gala itself was a masterclass in this balancing act, weaving together segments on global news, technology, and culture. The announcement of new seasons for popular programs like The Healing Path and X+ demonstrated a continued commitment to diversified content. The event culminated in a heartfelt speech by veteran anchor Sally Wu on her 30-year journey with the company and the debut of a specially composed anniversary song, “Old Friends,” creating a powerful narrative of legacy and renewal as Phoenix TV steps into its next, technologically infused chapter.