China’s most renowned English language talk show host and journalist Yang Rui has embarked on a new journey by leading TMTPost’s international affairs towards its transformation into China’s independent Internet media recognized by the world, a move hailed as a milestone in transnational communication.

After over two decades of hosting primetime current affairs talk show Dialogue With Yang Rui at China’s national broadcaster CGTN, Yang has established his towering stature as the No.1 English-speaking voice for Europeans and Americans who want to grapple with China’s complexity and a household name in China. He has been known as "a thinker among hosts and a host among thinkers". 

“I have confidence in joining hands with the TMTPost team to build a world-class media group focusing on technology and business with professionalism,” said Yang at his onboarding ceremony and the launch of TMT’s upgraded international strategy.

In his over three-decade host career, Yang has reaped many prestigious awards, including the Best Anchor of the Golden Mic Award and the Best Host in the 60 People in 60 Years of PRC Founding Award in 2009. He has dialogued with a galaxy of dignitaries and luminaries, including late British Primer Minister Margaret Thatcher, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, late Palestine leader Yasser Arafat, and Nobel laureate in economics and the father of the euro Robert A. Mundell.  

He could have comfortably retreated into the retirement glow-up after putting down his microphone at China’s state-run CGTN in just three years. Instead he chose to resign from the national TV network to become the Partner of International Affairs at a private, market-oriented media startup, whose international business kicked off a few years ago.

“The ultimate driver behind my decision to join TMTPost is my respect and appreciation for its co-founders Zhao Hejuan and Liu Xiangming. I identify with their entrepreneurial philosophy and strategies,” said Yang.

“Ms. Zhao, with an outstanding track record of an investigative reporter at Caixin Media, has the depth of traditional news coverage, rigorous writing style, resilience and journalistic ideals. I also value her innovative spirit and unbridled imagination. Those have inspired me to join their endeavor to build an Internet-based Chinese technology and business media group with international recognition in the stormy times of the economic downturn delivered by the coronavirus pandemic,” he added.

TMTPost has been the sole Chinese media partner with the world’s largest tech exhibition Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in the past three consecutive years. In early 2020, it launched the Talk to China session at CES. In October 2019, TMTPost’s Talk to China session made a debut at the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona, Spain. In early 2018, TMTPost’s U.S. subsidiary ChainDD received the Social Impact & Investment Innovation Award at the U.N. Global Corporate Responsibility Summit.

His decision to leave behind an established career to lead the international business of a private media startup surprised many of his family members and friends.  

Zhang Jie, a former producer at CCTV, was shocked upon hearing the news. “This year, there are many surprising events. My former colleague and friend Yang Rui’s departure from CGTN is one,” she said.

Shock Waves

In 2018, Zhao unveiled the new English language version of the Chinese news website on China’s technology and business world, which was launched in 2012. Since then, she had been on a quest for a captain to steer international business operations.

Some talent recruiters asked Zhao about her standards. She said: “I don't really have certain standards. But they must have the resources and capabilities to communicate across different cultures. They must understand the media and have the power to lead and execute.” One headhunter commented those were “very high standards”.

There was little progress in her search until Zhao stumbled across Yang.

“I grew up watching the program you hosted,” Zhao said, jump starting her first conversation with Yang after she was introduced to her childhood icon.

The serendipity led to the eventual onboarding of Yang on this emerging technology and business media outlet.

“By bringing Yang Rui onboard, the TMTPost has acquired instant credibility in the sophisticated English-speaking world，” said Jeffrey Lehman, the Vice Chancellor of New York University Shanghai and Chair of Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

“Through the force of his intellect, he connected with a broad audience of people, who might not agree with him on a specific policy issue, but who do agree with him that ideas matter and that the future belongs to people who are committed to serious and honest discussion about challenging problems,” said Lehman.

“It is the perfect time for the TMTPost to explore the many complex dimensions of the relationship between Chinese technology and international business,” he added.

Bob Xiaoping Xu, the managing partner and founder of ZhenFund, said Yang’s onboarding was not only a momentous event for TMTPost, but also for China’s dialogue with the rest of the world.