Phil Cunningham Profile picture
Mar 11 27 tweets 19 min read
Hong Kong, where things got iffy for a while, has done a complete about-face, and is now a unwavering bulwark of support for the Xi personality cult. ImageImageImage
The "democratic" aspect of Xi's mandate, in which he won every vote, has resonated strongly with the hopes and dreams of China's national minorities.
(Tibet, Guizhou, Sichuan, Ningxia) ImageImageImageImage
Not only did Xi Jinping win every vote inside the closeted congress, but according to CCTV's roving camera crews, he got unanimous, glowing, adoring, enthusiastic support of EVERY person interviewed. ImageImageImageImage
What's the magic juice? Why can't Western democracies produce unanimity like this? ImageImageImageImage
And it's not just the hand-picked delegates, actual real people from different walks of life all agree...Chairman Xi is the best, the brightest and the most visionary visionary ever. ImageImageImageImage
Back to the delegates who ardently and unanimously "elected" Xi, they are modest, yet deeply proud to have correctly represented the will of the whole Chinese people. (enthusiasm fueled by spirit of the 20th party congress) ImageImageImageImage
It' s not just men in suits, either. How about that scarf?
Or the Bill Gates look, jacket but no tie?
Fascism is no impediment to fashion. ImageImageImage
If you think the political puppets gathered at the Great Hall were effusive in their unanimous praise for Xi, you should hear the military.
(They're ready to kill and die for the paramount leader) ImageImageImageImage
Back to the top of the news and the big story of the day. Suffice to say, the applause was deafening.
As if the thundering cadence of 3000 delegates clapping wasn't enough, Xi clapped for himself. ImageImageImageImage
At least one Tibetan monk, or a man wearing monk's clothing, can be seen in the adoring crowd.
Move over Dalai; Xi is the new wise man. ImageImageImageImage
Time for a little victory strut in the end zone. The choreographed congress has been a red-carpeted cake walk for the one pre-destined to succeed. ImageImageImageImage
The new line-up looks really promising... ImageImageImageImage
...for those enlightened souls infused with the spirit of the 20th party congress.
(Sorry Hu Jintao. You're history) ImageImageImageImage
A recap: the historic moment when Xi Jinping voted for himself--thus making the results unanimous--resulted in resounding applause. ImageImage
Xi may look dour, sour and unassuming, but he's a big deal in China. The first name in the news, the first in everything really, the characters XI JIN PING get an extra large font, just because. Image
Dress code for the inclusive puppet theatre of the Great Hall versus everyday casual wear. ImageImage
ImageImage
CCTV's art of persuasion analyzed:
-Find an attractive, pliant person to repeat fixed phrases of praise for Xi.
-Then edit in random scenes of breath-taking beauty.
-Rinse and repeat
-That's it!
You've just convinced another million TV viewers that Xi Jinping owns China. ImageImageImageImage
Another time-tested technique is the Potemkin interview. Here, a model minority who loves Xi and loves to smile while toiling in the fields.
"When Xi was elected, we were all so excited, so extremely happy! Thanks to the Chairman, we are no longer wearing our "poverty hats." ImageImageImage
The military interview is also a public relations bonanza.
First, stage a relaxed, natural conversation with a man in uniform. Praise for Xi and the party follow and flow naturally. Image
Then run some stock footage to remind viewers that these men so loyal to Xi are professional killers. ImageImageImageImage
Time-permitting, show the men in uniform clapping uniformly every time Xi shows up on TV ImageImage
After a long round of applause for the pixels on the TV screen, the iron men are often exhausted, but resolutely maintain discipline for the cameras. ImageImage
The soldiers are but shadow puppets in Xi's big production. Image
Today's "international" news segment is brief:

Vietnam joins Russia, North Korea, Serbia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan in rejoicing at the thundering unanimous endorsement of Xi Jinping for yet another term. ImageImageImageImage
Let us close today's program with some arty and attractive shots of tractors tilling and plowing the rich, patriotic soil of the motherland. ImageImageImageImage
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More from @jinpeili

Mar 13
CCTV FOLLIES 3.13
What better way to end a ponderous week of meetings than with a meeting to conclude the meeting? ImageImageImageImage
What better way to culminate ten days of democracy* in action than to have the unanimously elected leader impose his vision on the rubber stamp parliament?

*with Chinese characteristics ImageImageImageImage
It's not just the delegates; as CCTV tells it, every last person in every corner of China is thrilled at the democratic results because whatever Xi says actually reflects their deepest inner wishes. Image
Read 14 tweets
Mar 13
3.13 International news is brief, but it conforms to points well-established in earlier programs.
-Belt and Road runs through Russia. ImageImageImage
-Russia is engaged in a special military operation and the Kremlin generously shares footage (and terminology and analysis) with Beijing ImageImage
-No invasion ever mentioned, can't say it's a war.
(But it's okay for Russia to shoot people and things) ImageImage
Read 8 tweets
Mar 12
A minority member of the People's Congress expresses her thrill upon learning the result that dear Chairman Xi had been "chosen" for another term. Image
Students from rival schools, Beijing U and Tsinghua U students put aside their school rivalry to agree: Xi's victory is warmly welcomed by all students, especially at Tsinghua, where this earnest young fellow can't imagine life for instant without Xi in the driver's seat. ImageImage
Young people support the party and consider themselves lucky to be living in Xi's New Era. ImageImageImageImage
Read 30 tweets
Mar 10
Mysterious viral contagion sweeps Beijing. Symptoms include involuntary clapping for no reason. Advanced stages of the disease include the sorry sight of grown men clapping for themselves. Central Beijing cordoned off to protect the uninfected.
Great Hall suspected ground zero. ImageImageImageImage
Just before the Clap-23 lockdown of Tiananmen, an intrepid reporter (hopefully wearing a mask) interviewed some of those infected by the viral virus.
Normally such people run from the camera, but the virus hijacks the mind in strange ways. ImageImageImageImage
-It was weird. They were staging this fake election and all of a sudden everyone in the room got up and started clapping madly. It just went on and on, it was intensely over-stimulating. I don't think anything like this has happened in the history of mankind. ImageImageImageImage
Read 21 tweets
Mar 9
Xi Jinping enters the room. ImageImageImageImage
He speaks and gesticulates. If it looks like yesterday's news, it is. But CCTV wants us to see it again, only this time the words will be illustrated with pictures.
The pictures are easy to understand, even when the words are not. ImageImage
First, some key testimonials. Every proud member of the PLA interviewed by CCTV singles out the Chairman for unique, exclusive, and effusive praise.
The army wants nothing more than to be led by HIM. ImageImageImageImage
Read 24 tweets
Mar 8
CCTV News is so preoccupied with the "Two Meetings" it just runs Russian TV unedited. Here from today's news, a German Communist complaining about Nord Stream on RIA Novosti/
Interesting that Xi allows his military buddy to also enjoy the Alpha male privilege of being unmasked
Robert Kuhn can repeat the most ridiculous hollow phrases with apparent sincerity.
"China's Two Meetings are very important because they are important meetings that come after the 20th party congress."

He pleaded with CCTV to give him his own show but they demurred.
Read 7 tweets

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