Chinese film company airs cultural and political propaganda ads in Sydney cinema

Young moviegoers are being subjected to Chinese propaganda with cinema advertisements espousing socialism and China’s “cultural power’’ airing in movie theatres across Sydney, including before children’s films such as the latest How To Train Your Dragon sequel.

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Cinema advertisements espousing “Chinese propaganda’’ and socialism are airing in movie theatres across Sydney, including before children’s films such as the latest How To Train Your Dragon sequel.

A bizarre advertisement promoting “socialism with Chinese characteristics” and aimed at increasing China’s “soft power’’ over Australia has appeared on the silver screen in a string of theatres.

At Event Cinemas in George St at the weekend, the ad aired prior to the screening of the Train Your Dragon film.

One of Australia’s leading China experts said the ad was part of China’s worldwide self-marketing strategy dubbed the “Grand External Propaganda”.

A still of the ad being screened at Event Cinemas in George Street.

The Chinese film industry aims to influence western society.

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Chinese film distribution company TangRen, which is owned by a Queensland woman who likes to dress up as cartoon characters, is behind the advertisement.

The Daily Telegraph yesterday asked TangRen owner Jiayin Yuan if the company was financially supported by the Chinese government and why it was promoting socialism in Australia.

She directed the questions to company director Li Tongliang who did not respond.

The company’s website states TangRen distributes two thirds of all the Chinese and Korean films shown in Australia and New Zealand.

“TangRen promotes Chinese political philosophy and cultural concepts of socialism with Chinese characteristics,” the advertisement states.

The advertisement openly says the Chinese film industry helps wield Chinese soft power.

The company also aims to develop the Chinese film industry, TangRen states, and produce “an important influence on Western society, enhancing cultural soft power and promoting Chinese culture to the world!”

University of Technology Sydney associate professor Chongyi Feng said the ads were aimed at spreading China’s “Grand External Propaganda’’ in Australia.

“The task is to tell the story along the party lines and (control the) narrative around China that will project the right image to the world.’’