Vloggers offer reality check on biased coverage of China

Sitting in Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Reanne Dridge could hardly hide her excitement while she filmed a selfie with her husband, Benjamin, as the couple prepared to fly to China.

"I'm excited, but very, very nervous," she said.

Although China had been on their travel bucket list for a long time, the British couple appeared to have some reservations. They had no idea what to expect, even with their extensive experience as full-time travel vloggers running the On Tour with Dridgers channel for three years.

Friends who had been to China had told them they would have a pleasant stay. But some Western media organizations' portrayal of the country in an unrelentingly negative light had left the couple feeling apprehensive.

"We heard a lot of propaganda from the Western media. But we just did not see or experience it. Maybe the Chinese mainland is different? We're not the sort of people who can be brainwashed into believing something. So, we flew to the historic capital city — Beijing," they said.

After four days of exploring the capital, they said they were "absolutely blown away" by their first impressions of China. Personal safety was no problem, and Beijing people were the "kindest" they had met on their travels and willing to offer help, despite the language barrier. The well-developed public transportation system, the rich culture, the diverse cuisine, and a multitude of other things also impressed them.

Reanne said the experience was"100 percent not like" what she thought it would be like.

China's visa-friendly policies have attracted a large number of travel vloggers this year, who knew little about the country before they arrived. However, most of them have had genuinely enjoyable experiences, prompting them to be critical of biased Western media coverage of China.

"More eyes can only be a good thing," said the Dridges.

"I honestly think that travel vloggers are doing a great job spreading the truth about China. You have to experience it, don't listen to the news. As we've said all the time, come out here, experience it, and then you'll understand."