In brief
In a November 8 interview with Xinhua, Nick Brauns of the German daily junge Welt called for the media to adopt a more human‑centered approach to reporting on China, stressing the need for direct contact and grassroots voices. He also warned that AI should only serve as a tool, not a substitute for human writing, and welcomed the 7th World Media Summit in Beijing as an opportunity to foster dialogue between media professionals from different systems.
In an interview broadcast by Xinhua on November 8, 2026, Nick Brauns, co‑editor‑in‑chief of the German daily junge Welt, urged German society to pursue a deeper, human‑centered understanding of China, particularly its economic ascent and global role. Brauns said that many Germans desire concrete answers to why the Chinese economy has become so powerful and why electric vehicles built in China are increasingly competitive internationally, yet their knowledge largely relies on mainstream German media coverage and government statements that he believes offer limited insight into China’s complex development.
Brauns said that to provide better coverage, German media must engage directly with the people and societies it reports on. He emphasized that reporting on other nations should involve listening to those who live there, and that voices from the Global South remain underrepresented in Western media. Direct contact, he argued, helps challenge one‑sided narratives and allows audiences to grasp different societies in all their nuance.
When discussing technology, Brauns explained that at junge Welt artificial intelligence is used for translation and research, but the newspaper maintains a clear principle. “Human beings write for human beings,” Brauns stated.
He highlighted that even though media operate in varying political systems and hold distinct responsibilities, they share a common interest in understanding world events and their economic and political changes.“AI should be a tool that we also control. It should not be more than that.”
Regarding global media collaboration, Brauns welcomed the 7th World Media Summit, which will be held in Beijing from November 5 to 9. He sees the summit as an invaluable venue for media professionals from diverse nations and social structures to share experience and deepen mutual understanding, “we work in different political systems and have different roles and responsibilities. But we share an interest in understanding the world and its economic and political changes,” Brauns said. The event is positioned as a platform where, he suggested, German journalists could engage with their Chinese counterparts and others to develop more balanced, deeply human reporting.
Brauns’ call for human‑centered journalism and cautious use of AI reflects a broader push within European print media to address rising demand for nuanced international reporting. The discussion, televised through Xinhua, underscores how Germany’s domestic media landscape is positioning itself to offer fresh, comprehensive perspectives on China—contrasting with the more limited coverage many viewers currently receive. By advocating direct dialogue and a commitment to listening at the grassroots level, Brauns signals an ambition to place German audiences at the center of the narrative, fostering a more informed global dialogue about China’s evolving role on the world stage.
