Explainer | Row over China official’s use of beauty filters reveals online curbs on bureaucrats
‘Good looking’ woman civil servant forced into apology as row rages over ‘superficiality’ and ‘credibility’ in positions of public service
An official in China has sparked controversy after using beauty filters in a promotional video to advertise rice, turning the spotlight on restrictions bureaucrats face over their social media presence.
The controversy arose from a video posted on November 1 by the official account of Yuhong Cultural Tourism in Shenyang, Liaoning province, northeastern China.
It featured Peng Bo, a 41-year-old deputy director of the Bureau of Culture and Tourism in Yuhong district, introducing local rice while seamlessly switching between fluent English and the northeastern Chinese dialect.
In the video, Peng, dressed formally, starts with an English introduction in an authentic British accent: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to give you a grand introduction to our special product today, which is rice.”
She then switches to her northeastern dialect, saying: “Uncle Zhao, please help introduce.”
At this point, a man named Zhao Heping, holding a bundle of rice, continues.
