A three-minute animated clip aiming to introduce China's 13th Five-Year Plan to a foreign audience went viral on Tuesday, which analysts said will serve as a good experiment on promoting China's image overseas.
The video, produced by Fuxinglushang Animation Studio, or Road to Revival Studio, was uploaded on several video streaming websites including Youtube on Tuesday. In a retro Pop Art style, four cartoon characters sing a humorous but positive explanation of the 13th Five-Year Plan.
China is about to unveil its 13th Five-Year Plan during the fifth plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The four-day session convened on Monday.
The video, dubbed in English with English subtitles, has generated more than 400,000 views on video-sharing website youku.com. On social media including Twitter and Sina Weibo, the video has been forwarded hundreds of times, with many Net users say it's an interesting way to explain China's policy.
"Using an animated video to explain the country's policy is interesting and fashionable. The animated video can turn abstract concepts into appealing visuals, which is easier for people to accept," Tan Tian, a professor at Jinan University, told the Global Times.
Wang Tianding, a professor from the communications department at Xi'an International Studies University, said that using pop music and other novel methods can make it easier to reach ordinary people.
To better promote China's image overseas, Wang suggested that "the country should be more open and let foreigners and media have a closer look at how the government works."
Little has been known about the studio. Previous media reports have concluded that it may be connected to the government, but the government has yet to confirm the speculation.
Its previous popular clips include "How leaders are made" and "The Communist Party of China is with you along the way."
