The success of the revolution could not be done away with its two effective propaganda bases: Hong Kong and Shanghai, the cosmopolitans. Hong Kong embraced every kind of political stances, which were constantly spread out across the globe through newspapers and the like. China Daily was one of these means — and an influential one.

Even before China Daily came into view, there was no lack of newspapers in Hong Kong speaking for Chinese reforms. They were, for example, China Mail, Hong Kong Telegraph, Tsun Wan Yat Po (Universal Circulating Herald) and Hua Zi Yat Po (Chinese Mail). As a revolutionary press, China Daily was of course the severest of them to advertise against the Qing government. It was headed by Chan Siu-bak, the closest revolutionary compatriot of Mr. Sun. The two of them shared much in common: they were both baptized and received western education since a young age, and they both studied at the College of Medicine when getting older. They were, in fact, teenage friends, having introduced to each other by Au Fung-chi, and have since got into the habit of discussing political matters together in the Botany Garden. Chan had helped Mr. Sun revise the Address to Li Hongzhang the latter wrote in 1894. It was after this fruitless attempt that Chan and Sun decided to establish the Revive China Society, which aimed at overthrowing the Qing government.