Week 6 - Carl Lorenzo

China over the course of 50 years has improved itself greatly in international relations. It has rebuilt itself as a global economy where almost everything is "made in China" and it is no longer associated with poor quality goods. As stated in Shang Ding's, "Branding a Rising China: An Analysis of Beijing's National Image Management in the Age of China's Rise" China has had the highest growth rates as a tourist destination as well as increasing its international broadcasting. China is globalizing its culture too other countries to seek favorable public opinion. Its focus as a country is to show internationally that China is very culturally attractive, Ding writes. The article, “Media, the Olympics and the Search for the “Real China” by Kevin Latham exemplifies Ding’s argument in China’s opening and closing ceremony at the Olympic games. It’s amazing performance was not directed towards the Chinese people but was directed towards the world to show what China is. However, as Latham argues that this is not the “real China” it is a mask hiding that China itself is still trying improve itself but culturally and economically it is dominating. I believe that as a Nation China should produce it’s own domestic good with all the labor they are producing. It should remake itself with all its advancements in media to invest it in it and increase its funding.

Question: Is China’s national aesthetic a place where things are manufactured only? or is it also that as a cultural phenomenon.