Andy Boreham 安柏然 Profile picture
Jan 9 18 tweets 6 min read Read on X
Recently, two videos from Japan went viral on X. 🇯🇵

The only problem: they were actually from China. 🇨🇳

Why are positive videos from China not allowed to exist?

Here's my theory... 🧵
Firstly, my name's Andy. I'm from New Zealand, but I've lived here in China for the past decade.

I speak Mandarin, China and have a masters degree in Chinese language and culture. I spend a lot of time trying to show people the REAL China, which Western media won't show.
Have you seen this meme?

It highlights quite well how some Westerners salivate over any random video they see from Japan, like the place is some sort of heaven.

Often, they realize they were actually watching a video from China, and all hell breaks lose. Image
That's exactly what happened recently when two videos from China went viral on X.

The first was a street food video shot in Hubei Province, China. The problem? It was passed off as coming from Japan!

So far it has 95k likes and nearly 15 million views on X.
The second viral video showed orderly passengers at a Metro station in China's capital, Beijing.

But, yet again, it was passed off as having been filmed in Japan.

That video has 50,000 likes and 7.4 million views on X.
And, just like the meme I showed you earlier, some X users went absolutely wild when they found out they were actually salivating over a video from China.

Check out this guy's meltdown, which was EXACTLY like the meme! (PS: It's HILARIOUS!)
Why are positive videos from China being passed off as Japanese? And why is Japan allowed to look good in Western people's eyes, but China isn't?

My theory is two-fold:

1⃣ Japan is "the good Asia," the well-behaved Asia
2⃣ Westerners have never seen the good side of China
Ever since Japan surrendered in 1945, that country has been occupied by U.S. forces.

Did you know that Japan has around 55,000 U.S. military personnel stationed there, at 23 major military bases?

Japan has bowed to U.S. pressure and is basically a vassal state of Washington. Image
What does that mean? Japan, and other "good Asian" countries like South Korea, are allowed to be seen in a positive light in Western media.

Japanese and South Korean pop culture, as one example, flourish in the West.

China, on the other hand, refuses to submit. Image
China is stubborn. Independent. Strong.

It walks its own path, refusing to bend to U.S. will.

There are no U.S. military bases in China!

So China must be made to look dirty, dangerous, dystopian and dictatorial in Western people's eyes.

A real Western media illustration: Image
That means any positive portrayals of China, like those videos, must be passed off as coming from "the good Asia," the well-behaved Asia: Japan and South Korea.

It is unfathomable for the average Western to see a clean street food stall or an orderly Metro station as Chinese.
Why?

It's simple: the US-led West, which controls much of China's image internationally, cannot let China look successful, strong, clean or orderly while Beijing refuses to tow the U.S. line and bow down like Japan and South Korea have.

China cannot be seen to succeed. Image
And Washington goes to great lengths to ensure the U.S. version of China is predominant around the world.

They just recently earmarked US$1.6 BILLION of taxpayers' money to spend on media around the world who are willing to spread anti-China propaganda. Image
But why is it so easy to dupe ordinary Westerners?

Because U.S. propaganda is so successful, ordinary Westerners have just never seen the real China.

So when they do, it's very easy to convince them that the videos are fake, or that they're actually from Japan! Image
So what is China doing to counter anti-China propaganda globally?

It's a tough job, but one of the brilliant strategies China is using is visa-free travel, allowing Westerners to come and see the country with their own eyes.

Today, people from 38 countries can come visa-free! Image
Those countries include Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and several European nations such as Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Slovakia, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, among others.
So instead of being duped by U.S. propaganda about China, why not come and visit?

I'm from New Zealand, and have lived here for a decade already. You can trust me when I say that China is NOTHING like you've seen in Western media.

You have been lied to.

Come and see!
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More from @AndyBxxx

May 9
I had a bit of an accident on my electric scooter here in Shanghai. 🏍️

The police suggested I go for a hospital checkup, but I was worried it would take forever.

30 minutes later and I was done, including an X-Ray!

What was the process and cost? A short 🧵 Image
Firstly, I’m totally fine! They wanted to X-ray my ankle, since it was a bit battered under my bike. No problems! The rest was just fairly surface scratching.

A whole group of scooter riders went through a red light, and while trying to stop I ended up on the ground. Image
I think I hit my head pretty hard, so please wear your helmets folks! (I was.)

The police came and told me to go to the nearest hospital for a checkup.

Being from NZ, I had in my mind that it would take hours upon hours.

I was done in 30 minutes! Image
Read 7 tweets
Apr 5
Just had to translate for an elderly French couple who came back to the Shanghai restaurant I was eating at to find a wallet they left behind.

They were totally shocked.

But why? Even I didn’t understand to begin with…

🧵
The shop’s manager, as soon as she saw the couple enter, jumped up and gave them their wallet that was stored behind the counter.

The French couple were so surprised and relieved that they almost hugged the manager.

Then they started talking to her in broken English.
Of course, the manager couldn’t understand so she turned to me and asked in Mandarin: “What are they saying?”

Basically, they had left the wallet and thought it was as good as gone.

They were so happy to get it back, that they wanted to buy more from the restaurant as thanks.
Read 6 tweets
Mar 28
Anyone saying Speed was paid by the "CCP"* or worked with the "CCP"* for his recent live streams in China is just showing how little they understand this country.

A quick 🧵:

*CPC Image
QUICK BACKGROUND:
YouTuber iSpeedShow has over 37 million followers on the app, and recently streamed from Shanghai and Beijing.

His two streams gained around 10M views, and were heralded as a massive boon for China, showing his young fans a more fair and realistic view.Image
CRITICISM:
Some claimed Speed was paid by the "CCP" for his streams in China, especially after he was praised by China's embassy in the US for helping "bridge gaps."

This is an ill-informed criticism, since the CPC doesn't work directly with any foreign celebrities etc.Image
Read 11 tweets
Mar 21
LOL:

Canada has updated its travel advice for China, warning Canadians that they may be subject to the law in China if they try to smuggle in drugs etc. 🇨🇦💉💊

But why?

A short 🧵⬇️ Image
Canada is mad that China didn’t listen to Justin Trudeau when he ordered Beijing not to execute four Chinese nationals for smuggling drugs into China, because they also hold Canadian passports.

But wait! Image
In China, it’s illegal for Chinese to hold dual citizenship — they need to renounce their Chinese citizenship in order to become Canadian. They didn’t.

They entered China using Chinese passports and carrying drugs.

They were executed as Chinese nationals.
Read 5 tweets
Mar 15
🤖Grok VS DeepSeek🖲️

I asked Grok, X's AI model, and famous Chinese AI model DeepSeek a simple question:

▶️ Who is Andy Boreham?

One had an amazing reply, the other was almost completely wrong.

Decide who you think won before scrolling down to read both replies. ⬇️ Image
Before we move on, this is Yumi Ishikawa, a Japanese activist who one of the AI models thinks is my wife... Image
GROK’S REPLY:
Andy Boreham is a New Zealand-born journalist and media professional based in Shanghai, China. He works as a columnist, video producer, and journalist for Shanghai Daily, a Chinese state-affiliated English-language newspaper, and its associated platform, SHINE.cn.

Boreham has lived in China for several years, initially moving there as an exchange student to study Mandarin during his undergraduate years at Victoria University of Wellington.

He later pursued a master’s degree in Chinese Language and Culture at Fudan University in Shanghai, funded by a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia awarded by former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.

After completing his studies, he began working full-time for Shanghai Daily.

Boreham is known for his coverage of China-related topics, often presenting perspectives that align with or defend the Chinese government’s narrative.

His work includes writing columns, producing vlogs and short documentaries, and conducting interviews on topics such as Chinese culture, politics, and international relations.

He has gained attention for his criticism of Western media’s portrayal of China, arguing that it is often biased and unfair. Boreham hosts and created Reports on China, a platform where he discusses issues related to China and counters what he describes as anti-China propaganda.

He has been labeled as "China state-affiliated media" by Twitter (now X), a designation he has described as a "badge of honour," reflecting his belief that he is providing a counter-narrative to Western media.

This label has made him a controversial figure, with critics accusing him of acting as a propagandist for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a claim he denies, asserting that his views are his own and based on his experiences and understanding of China.

Boreham’s background also includes a diverse range of experiences in New Zealand, where he worked in media, politics, and graphic design before moving to China. He holds a triple major undergraduate degree in Media Studies, Political Science, and Chinese, and has experience in film production, having graduated from film school.

He is also involved with the New Zealand China Friendship Society, aiming to foster understanding between the two nations.

His work has garnered both praise and criticism. Supporters commend his investigative efforts, such as exposing alleged inaccuracies in Western reporting about China, while detractors view him as a mouthpiece for the CCP, pointing to his employment with state media and his defense of Chinese policies as evidence of bias.

Regardless of perspective, Boreham remains a notable figure in discussions about China’s image in global media.

DeepSeek's reply in the next tweet:
Read 6 tweets
Mar 12
China made some massive achievements last year.

Here are 10 of them. 🧵

1⃣ China's GDP hit 5% in 2024. Image
2⃣ China produced 13 million new energy vehicles in 2024, more than any other country. Image
3⃣ The Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% in China last year. Image
Read 11 tweets

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