The mainland has done some pretty odd things, but a fun video detailing the country's five-year social and economic plan might be the strangest
We're not sure if the rest of the world thinks our video is cool or cringe worthy, but it's working; they're watching it.”Hey, have you guys heard what's going on in China? President Xi Jinping's new style?"
These are just some of the lyrics from an animated, hipster, pop music video made by China's propaganda machine this week to publicise its economic and social plans. It comes complete with a guitar-strummed song performed in American accents by four cartoon characters as they stand on top of a retro van.
The aim of the video, produced by a mainland animation studio that often works on state propaganda, is to tell English-speaking foreigners about the nation's latest five-year social and economic plan that is being discussed behind closed doors by the central government this week.
"Every five years in China, man. They make a new development plan./ The time has come for number 13, shi-san-wu [13-5], that's what it means! …
"Wanna know what China's gonna do? Best pay attention to the shi-san-wu!" As well as the cartoon characters, the video features a cameo by scientist Albert Einstein.
Appealing to the younger generation seems to be working, as the video has gone viral. Anushka Purohit, a 15-year-old student at Renaissance College, thinks it was a smart move by Beijing.
"I've never heard China approach propaganda in a fun way," she says.
St Paul's Co-educational College student Wai Shan-yam agrees. "It's interesting and interactive, and breaks the stereotype that politics is a dull topic," the 16-year-old says.
As the video itself says: "It's a huge deal. Like China huge? Yeah, China huge. Wow, that's really big!"