Publisher denies placement part of China's propaganda
The Chinese entrepreneur who took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times to welcome President Xi Jinping to the U.S. has denied any links to the Chinese government, claiming he did it as a private citizen.
Zhu Daping, president of CN Times Books, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the main purpose of running the ad was to introduce the company's new books about Xi to American readers.
"Since President Xi is going to visit the U.S. in late September, I seized on the opportunity to promote our books and welcome him," Zhu told the Global Times.
Zhu dismissed speculation that the ad was Chinese government propaganda, saying he has not had any contact with the Chinese government. "I would have placed the ad regardless of whether President Xi visits the U.S.," Zhu was quoted by sina.com as saying on Sunday.
According to Zhu, the company signed a contract with The New York Times in June, paying $100,000 for the ad.
The full-page ad was published on the fifth page of The New York Times on September 7. Xi's two new books, The Xi Jinping Era: His Comprehensive Strategy Towards The China Dream and Xi Jinping: How to Read Confucius and other Chinese Classical Thinkers, were featured on the ad. A short book review said "with these new books we are excited to offer insights into his path for China's future" in both Chinese and English. A photo of the Great Wall and the Chinese national flag were also included in the ad.
"Many mainstream U.S. media have ignored China's achievements, criticizing the country's politics, economy and society," Zhu said.
"As one of the most influential newspapers in the U.S., we chose The New York Times to promote our books, so that our readers can have a better understanding of China," Zhu told The Beijing News on Friday.
"I'm not surprised that some Western media hold a prejudice against China. It's partial to relate every action to the government," Steven Dong, professor of the Academy of Media and Public Affairs at the Communication University of China, told the Global Times.
"It is a good way to introduce the Chinese president to foreigners, which will increase interaction between peoples," Dong said.
Zhu said the new books were written by experts from both China and the U.S., claiming that the books are "very objective."
In 2012, Chinese entrepreneur Chen Guangbiao published a half-page ad on The New York Times, claiming that the Diaoyu Islands had been the territory of China since antiquity.
