Beijing deploys a network of bloggers and influencers to project a clean and modern image of the country. Through sponsored content, they showcase cities like Chongqing with its skyscrapers and night lights, diverting attention from uncomfortable topics. Visitors often ignore the geopolitical currents directing these posts, believing them to be simple travel reviews.
The digital machinery behind the glass cities 🏙️
The Chinese government invests in visual and technological infrastructure for these campaigns. From drones filming financial districts to algorithms amplifying favorable content on global networks, the strategy combines real urbanism with digital editing. Cities showcase their cleanest and most advanced areas, while peripheral neighborhoods or factories remain out of frame. Each post is reviewed to avoid criticism or sensitive data.
Traveling without suitcases, only with patriotic filters 🧳
The influencer arrives in Chongqing, records a 30-second video, and leaves. They don't try street food, they don't talk to locals, but they claim it is the most authentic place in the world. The audience applauds without knowing that the trip was paid for by a state that also decides which streets are not filmed. In the end, the only one truly traveling is the algorithm, and it doesn't need luggage.