Economic Daily
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Chinese state-owned national newspaper focused on economic reporting and managed by the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party.
Last updated October 9, 2026
Overview
Economic Daily is a Chinese national newspaper specializing in economic reporting. It was founded in Beijing and published its first issue on 1 January 1983. The newspaper is issued by Economic Daily Press, a deputy-ministerial-level institution, and is managed by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. Its editorial role places economic policy, business, industry, finance, trade, and national development at the center of its coverage, while its reporting also extends to politics, society, culture, and public affairs. The publication has traditionally been associated with a pro-business and conservative editorial orientation. Within China's state media system, it serves both as a news outlet and as an important channel for explaining official economic policies, development priorities, regulatory changes, and government positions to business readers and the broader public. Its institutional status gives it a role beyond that of a privately operated commercial newspaper: it functions as part of the country's official communications structure and is closely connected to the presentation of national economic strategy. Economic Daily's history includes several notable moments. In 1984, Deng Xiaoping wrote an inscription for the newspaper, an event that signaled the importance attached to economic communication during the early period of China's reform and opening. In March 2018, the newspaper was recognized among the Third National Top 100 Newspapers in China. In October 2020, the United States Department of State designated Economic Daily as a foreign mission of China, reflecting the U.S. government's treatment of certain Chinese state media organizations as entities subject to additional diplomatic and disclosure requirements. The newspaper has also been associated with a widely cited journalistic failure. In January 1993, it published a report praising Wang Hongcheng's claimed technology for turning water into gasoline. The report described the alleged invention in highly favorable terms and compared it with China's traditional “Four Great Inventions.” The technology was later exposed as fraudulent pseudoscience, and Wang Hongcheng was sentenced to ten years in prison in 1998. The episode remains a significant example of the risks of insufficient verification in science and economic reporting. Economic Daily continues to operate as a state-linked economic news organization. Its public-facing digital presence is associated with the China Economic Net domain, while the newspaper brand remains rooted in print journalism and official economic communication. Detailed current information about its leadership, circulation, revenue, and ownership structure is not established in the supplied reference material.
History
Economic Daily began publication in Beijing on 1 January 1983. Its creation came during the early reform and opening period, when economic development, enterprise reform, investment, trade, and modernization had become central subjects of national policy and public debate. The newspaper was established as a national economic publication within China's state media system, rather than as an independently owned commercial newspaper. The publication is issued by Economic Daily Press, described as a deputy-ministerial-level institution, and is managed by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. This institutional arrangement has shaped its editorial identity. Economic Daily reports on economic affairs but also covers politics, society, and other subjects relevant to national governance. Its role includes disseminating news as well as explaining official policy and development priorities to businesses, officials, professionals, and general readers. A notable early milestone occurred in 1984, when Deng Xiaoping wrote an inscription for the newspaper. The gesture underscored the political importance of economic communication during a period in which China was expanding market-oriented reforms while retaining strong central political control. Economic Daily subsequently developed a reputation for a conservative and pro-business tone within the Chinese media environment, with coverage emphasizing economic policy, industry, commerce, finance, and national development. The newspaper's history also contains a prominent credibility controversy. On 28 January 1993, it published an article about Wang Hongcheng's claim that water could be transformed into gasoline. The report, written by Economic Daily journalists Wu Hongbo and Liu Donghua, presented the alleged technology in exceptionally favorable terms and treated it as a major invention. The claim was later judged to be a hoax and pseudoscience. Wang Hongcheng was sentenced to ten years in prison in 1998. The episode is remembered as a serious verification failure and as an example of the reputational risks faced by media organizations when extraordinary technical claims are reported without adequate scientific scrutiny. In March 2018, Economic Daily was included among the Third National Top 100 Newspapers in China. The recognition reflected its continuing institutional standing within the Chinese newspaper sector. In October 2020, the United States Department of State designated Economic Daily as a foreign mission of China. The designation formed part of a broader U.S. policy toward selected Chinese state media organizations and did not convert the newspaper into a diplomatic mission in the ordinary sense. Economic Daily remains an active state-linked economic news brand. Its official digital presence is associated with China Economic Net, while the newspaper continues to represent the Economic Daily Press and the Chinese government's official economic communications structure. The supplied reference material does not establish current editors, circulation, revenue, ownership percentages, or a complete account of its digital operations.
- 2020
Designated a foreign mission of China by the United States
[1]The U.S. Department of State designated Economic Daily as a foreign mission of China in October 2020.
- 2018
Named among the National Top 100 Newspapers
[1]Economic Daily received recognition in the Third National Top 100 Newspapers in China.
- 1993
Water-to-gasoline report published
[1]The newspaper published a favorable report on Wang Hongcheng's alleged water-to-gasoline technology, which was later exposed as fraudulent pseudoscience.
- 1984
Deng Xiaoping writes an inscription for the newspaper
[1]Deng Xiaoping wrote an inscription for Economic Daily, marking the publication's significance during the early reform and opening period.
- 1983
First issue published
[1]Economic Daily published its first issue in Beijing on 1 January 1983.
Products and positioning
Official Chinese economic news outlet with a conservative, pro-business editorial orientation
National economic newspaper · 1983
Economic Daily newspaper
The core print publication of the Economic Daily Press. It focuses on China's economy, economic policy, business, industry, commerce, finance, and development while also carrying political, social, and public-affairs reporting. Its editorial position is closely connected to the official Chinese state media system.
Digital news platform
China Economic Net
The digital news presence associated with Economic Daily. The supplied material identifies the China Economic Net domain as the publication's official website, but does not provide a detailed account of its platform structure, services, or current product portfolio.
Controversies
1993
Promotion of the water-to-gasoline hoax
Economic Daily published a report praising Wang Hongcheng's claimed invention for converting water into gasoline and presented it as an exceptionally important invention. The claim was later identified as fraudulent pseudoscience, and Wang Hongcheng was sentenced to ten years in prison in 1998. The incident became a notable example of inadequate verification in the newspaper's reporting history.
Brand decisions
2020
U.S. foreign-mission designationOtherBackground
The United States Department of State reviewed selected Chinese state media organizations within a framework concerning foreign government-controlled media.
Action taken
The department designated Economic Daily as a foreign mission of China in October 2020.
Aftermath
The designation placed the newspaper within additional U.S. policy and disclosure requirements applicable to designated Chinese state media organizations. The supplied sources do not detail subsequent operational effects.
Recent events
- 2020
United States designates Economic Daily as a foreign mission[1]
Regulation
The United States Department of State designated Economic Daily as a foreign mission of China, placing the publication within a U.S. policy framework for certain Chinese state media organizations.
- 2018
Economic Daily recognized among China's national top newspapers[1]
Other
Economic Daily received recognition in the Third National Top 100 Newspapers in China.
Sources7 sources
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