When you put them all together, 新闻 (xīn + wén) means “new things heard,” which is a perfect word for “news.” 发布 (fā + bù) means to “send out an announcement.” And 会 (huì) is a meeting. So, a 新闻发布会 (xīnwén fābùhuì) is literally a “Meeting to Announce News.”
While a 新闻发布会 (xīnwén fābùhuì) is a direct translation of “press conference,” its cultural function in China can differ significantly from its Western counterpart. In the West, especially in American political culture, the press conference is often an adversarial arena where journalists aggressively challenge officials to hold them accountable. The goal is often uncovering information the speaker might not want to share. In China, a 新闻发布会 is typically a much more controlled and harmonious event. Its primary purpose is often one-way information dissemination—the state or a company has a message, and the press conference is the formal channel to deliver it. While a Q&A session usually follows, questions may be pre-screened or limited to friendly, state-approved media outlets. This reflects the cultural value of maintaining social harmony (和谐, héxié) and preserving “face” (面子, miànzi). A confrontational press conference where an official is embarrassed would be seen as disruptive and disrespectful. The goal is to project an image of competence, consensus, and control. Therefore, think of it less like a fiery White House press briefing and more like a highly structured corporate announcement or a formal government statement.
The term 新闻发布会 is ubiquitous in formal contexts.