The Director General of China Radio International (CRI), Wang Gengnian, has sent a New Year message on radio and internet.

In his message, on behalf of the organisation, he expressed cordial greetings and best wishes to overseas audiences.

Wang also quoted an Indian fan’s comments on social media, saying: “Not long ago, CRI celebrated its 75th birthday, and we received a great deal of congratulations from our listeners and netizens across the world. One netizen in particular, called S. M. Ravichandran from India, posted on social media: “From shortwave broadcasting to the internet, and then to social media and mobile apps, China Radio International has accompanied me through the whole journey. I wish you all the best, and Happy Birthday!”

“It was a brief message, but this friend’s wishes voiced the aspirations of countless people, and summarized CRI’s passion for keeping up with the times,” he added.

He also said noted that CRI will strive to disseminate information to help its friends learn more about China and gain a deeper understanding of the country.

The speech also mentioned that last year 55.3 million people interacted with CRI, and the number of its fan clubs reached 4115. It now has an audience of 260 million, with 80 million fans for our social media platforms.

“The tremendous support of audiences across the world makes us grow stronger. I hereby wish to express my sincere gratitude to you all,” he said, adding that CRI intends to strengthen the bond between China and the rest of the world.