It seems Chinese President Hu Jintao is neither a “little monster” nor a “Potterhead.”
On Wednesday Chinese Premier Hu Jintao pointed his finger at Western powers, declaring war — a culture war that is.
“We must clearly see that international hostile forces are intensifying the strategic plot of Westernizing and dividing China, and ideological and cultural fields are the focal areas of their long-term infiltration,” Mr. Hu said, according to a translation by The Associated Press.
“We should deeply understand the seriousness and complexity of the ideological struggle, always sound the alarms and remain vigilant, and take forceful measures to be on guard and respond,” he added.
The battlefield upon which this “ideological” struggle will be fought? Harry Potter and Lady Gaga.
According to multiple news sources, the Chinese leader has reached out to Communist Party leaders in an effort to stop the encroachment of Western pop culture like Gaga and Potter by boosting China’s own cultural output. Hu’s end goal is to achieve a global cultural influence in proportion to it international status.
However, even with China’s Internet firewall, is Jintao simply engaging in a losing game? Trying increase China’s brand on a global scale, while continuing to curb the free exchange of ideas from within China itself seems counter-productive to us. How does one go about creating influence on a global scale without achieving a global appeal?
