China Global Television Network (CGTN) launched its multilingual podcast series "Stories of Xi Jinping" globally in Frankfurt, Germany, on October 18, as one of CGTN's "Power of Thinking" products, to present to the global audiences with a more authentic view of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

So far, the podcast series and related multi-media products have been published on over 60 mainstream media platforms in European countries that include Germany, France, Spain, Russia and Belgium. The podcast is the first of its kind in China that tells the stories of Chinese President Xi Jinping and offers a view of how Xi's thoughts on national governance gradually took shape.

The 12-episode podcast series presents stories about how Xi Jinping started as a junior village official and became China's top leader. Most of the content is fresh for the global audience. By documenting Xi's decades of experience working in different localities across China, the podcast series explains the core principles that have guided Xi Jinping's decisions and actions as a national leader.

The English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian versions of the series have been released on all major podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts, as well as regional podcast platforms like Zeno, iVoox, Sybel and Yandex, reaching listeners from over 180 countries. The series also made rankings in European countries such as Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Spain and Russia, in Asian countries such as India, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam, and in Latin American countries such as Ecuador. Near 80 mainstream media platforms in over 15 countries have published the podcast series and related multi-media products, including EU Reporter, France's Entrepreneur Media Group, Deutsche Presse Agentur, Capital Radio Spain, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Leral TV Senegal and Red Contacto Sur, etc.

The global launching ceremony of "Stories of Xi Jinping" podcast in Frankfurt has attracted diplomats, scholars, entrepreneurs and media outlets from Europe and China, including former Slovenian President Danilo Türk, former German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping, former director general of the International Affairs Department in Hesse Staten Michael Borchmann, among others.

Chinese Ambassador to Germany Wu Ken said at the launching ceremony that the podcast offers a broad and alternative perspective for the world to gain a more comprehensive understanding of China, develop a more objective view of China, and arrive at a more rational reading of China. "The 'Stories of Xi Jinping' podcast vividly records scenes of President Xi Jinping setting foot in fields, factories, schools and coal mines to listen to people's opinions, understand people's needs and address people's concerns, which exhibits President Xi's people-first governance philosophy," the ambassador said. "The podcast opens up a new window for more German and European readers to understand the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s state governance, the Chinese people striving for the realization of their dreams, and China's commitment to peaceful development and win-win cooperation," he added.

Chinese Consul General in Frankfurt Huang Yiyang said the podcast will provide the European public with a gateway to understand China's navigator and helmsman. And it will also open a "window of thought" for European audiences to gain a better understanding of China, the CPC, and the journey of Chinese modernization. "Through 'Stories of Xi Jinping,' we can feel the spirit, foresight and charisma of a leader who has dedicated his life to public service, and also gain a deeper understanding of his vision, his thoughts and his people-centered philosophy," Huang said.

Michael Borchmann, former Director General of the International Affairs Department in Hesse Staten, Germany, said the podcast helps people in other countries learn more about a real Xi Jinping and his thoughts on governance. He said, "President Xi had not been born as a president. For decades he has worked on different levels of government, collected rich experiences, which made him become the person he is nowadays. And in your podcast you show it this way." Borchmann also suggested that people tune in to the podcast to learn more about the Chinese president, especially those in Western countries.

The podcast series "Stories of Xi Jinping" is another effective try by CGTN in following the development trend of the global podcasting market, to open up new media platforms, and explore new forms of products. The global podcasting market has seen rapid growth over the past years, with fast increases in the number of products and listeners. There are 460 million podcast listeners as of 2023, making podcasts one of the most important ways of international communications.