Borrow a Chicken, Produce an Egg*): Wang Gengnian’s Little Sir Echo

Closing remarks of James Su Yantao, speaking in his capacity as a CEO of a Los Angeles radio station, at the 2008 Radio Development Forum:

During the 59 years since the founding of the state, and especially since the thirty years since the the reform and opening up, huge events have unfolded. The actual strength of China’s economic and social development has increased more and more, the people’s standard of living and degree of culture have become higher and higher, and influence at home and abroad has become bigger and bigger. Especially during the tsunami of the global financial crisis and the depression these days, the “China fever” that is sweeping the world is just unfolding. Under the new circumstances, strengthening and improving China’s external propaganda, to build and advance China’s external image, to make China’s external propaganda and image match China’s economic and social development is undoubtedly necessary. On the continuously deepening foundations of Sino-American broadcasting cooperation, EDI also actively develops Chinese-language broadcasting cooperation with all locations across the globe, we have participated in the global simulcast activities of the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn traditional programs, held by China’s Central People’s Broadcasting Station, added this time’s frequency localization cooperation with China Radio International, joint productions with friendly stations, focusing on every [station’s] national and regional special issues, all with good results, and we wholeheartedly hope that in the future, through this cooperative platform of the Radio Development Forum and the Conference on Global Chinese Broadcasting Cooperation, to produce yet more top-quality programs to serve the broad audiences, to advance and enrich Chinese culture.

建国59年以来，特别是改革开放30年以来，中国发生了天翻地覆的变化。中国经济和社会发展的实力越来越强，人民的生活水平和文明程度越来越高，国内外的 影响力越来越大。尤其是在全球金融海啸和经济萧条的今天，席卷全球的 “中国热”更是方兴未艾。在新形势下，加强并改进中国的对外宣传，打造并提升中国的对外形象，使中国的对外宣传和对外形象与中国经济和社会的发展相适应、 相匹配，无疑是很有必要的。在不断加深中美广播合作的基础上，鹰龙传媒也积极开展和全球各地华语广播的合作，曾经多次参加过中国中央人民广播电台举办的中 国春节和中秋等传统节日的全球大型联播活动，再加上今次和中国国际广播电台的全频率本土化的合作以及曾经和一些兄弟友台连线制作，针对各自国家和地区专门 议题的专题节目，都取得了良好的效果，衷心希望未来在更多的领域，透过广播发展论坛和全球华语广播协作网这一合作平台，做出更多优质的节目服务广大听众， 弘扬中华文化。

The roots of Chinese culture are in China, and the overseas Chinese media are just branches, and only when the tree is strong and deeply rooted, the branches can grow well and in full blossom. Only when overseas Chinese media establish themselves well, they can play in concert with Chinese mainstream media, as good cultural links and as bridges of friendship. Herein lies the importance and far-reaching significance of this time’s Radio Development Forum and the Conference on Global Chinese Broadcasting Cooperation.

中华文化的根在中国，海外的华人传媒就是枝干，树强根深，枝干才能茁壮，叶才会茂盛。海外华人媒体只有努力建设好自己，才能配合中国主流广播媒体做好文化的纽带和友谊的桥梁，这就是此次广播发展论坛和全球华语广播协作会议举办的重要性和其深远意义之所在。

According to a story published by Reuters earlier this month, James Su, in his capacity as president and CEO of a company named G&E Studio Inc, leases airtime on at least fifteen U.S. stations, distributes China Radio International (CRI) programming, and produces and distributes original Beijing-friendly shows from its California studios.

It looks like a pretty secretive operation. Strangely enough, people who take offense from Western propaganda appear to think that there’s nothing wrong with borrowing a chicken to produce an egg (借鸡生蛋), as Guanchazhe (Shanghai) put it ten days ago. Or maybe they do see the problem, and that’s exactly why they try an undercover approach.

Similar airtime arrangements appear to exist in Europe.

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Note

*) Or, as Wang Gengnian, China Radio International’s director general, reportedly put it, borrow a boat.

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