From Chinese Press

How best to project China's image

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-24 09:45

How best to project China's image

A one-minute video advertisement to promote China has begun to be broadcast on TV channels in the United States. In contrast, the US seems to pay less or even no attention to promoting its image, says an article in China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

The US knows best how to promote its image across the rest of the world. Now, China has launched a campaign to promote its image, reflecting the US' political culture.

But the US no longer needs to promote itself. Even at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, the US Pavilion had only two videos introducing its community's cooperative spirit.

The possible reason why the US cares so little about promoting itself is that it needs no promotional clips to project its image. After all, products labeled "made-in-US" are valued highly across the world.

Though China's comprehensive national power has risen rapidly, the influence of "made-in-China" products has not grown in proportion to its exports. What China lacks is the ability to project its soft power. And that's the reason why it chooses to promote its national image in the US and not in other countries.

The best promotional video for China is not the 60-second advertisement, but the life pattern and development of its society that can persuade and influence people across the world.