China Removes Tibet Spring Planting Video After Online Mockery of Chinese Leader Xi

Chinese ceremonial military guard stand in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, on June 1, 2021. Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesA Chinese propaganda video promoting spring planting in Tibet has been removed after drawing widespread ridicule online, with critics likening scenes of villagers carrying portraits of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to a funeral procession.The footage, published online on March 16 by Tibet Daily, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) propaganda mouthpiece in Tibet, shows farmers in the region participating in what the regime described as a “spring plowing launch” ceremony. In the video, rows of tractors were decorated with red flags, while a large portrait of Xi was prominently displayed at the center.Groups of villagers dressed in white traditional Tibetan clothing were also seen carrying Xi’s portrait across farmland in coordinated formations.After clips of the video spread to overseas social media platforms, users began mocking the propaganda video’s unintended symbolism. Some comments described the imagery as resembling a funeral, pointing to the combination of white clothing and framed portraits, which are traditionally seen in Chinese funeral processions.The Tibet Daily’s official social media account removed the video without providing an explanation.The incident comes as the CCP continues to promote political messaging and Chinese assimilation in Tibet and other frontier regions, often through highly choreographed public events tied to agricultural or seasonal milestones.Staged EventsA China-based scholar, speaking to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal, said such campaigns are typically organized by the local governments or their propaganda departments and are intended to combine routine economic activity with displays of loyalty to the CCP.“Most local officials in Tibet are Han Chinese who have been assigned there,” the scholar said. “Many of them focus on currying favor with Xi Jinping to advance their careers, but in this case, the flattery backfired. What was meant as a display of loyalty ended up producing the opposite effect.”A researcher specializing in China’s information environment, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, told the publication that the video’s removal mirrors similar incidents in recent years in which official messaging has been withdrawn after triggering negative reactions online.Tibetans protest next to United Nations headquarters in New York City on Sept. 20, 2023. Chung I Ho/The Epoch TimesSkepticism Over Video’s Origin A former official involved in government programs in Tibet, identified only by the surname Wang out of fear of reprisal, told The Epoch Times he doubts that the staging of the propaganda video originated from local Tibetan communities.He suggested the footage likely reflects decisions made by non-local officials tasked with implementing political campaigns.The Epoch Times could not independently verify the video’s origin.No public information has yet indicated that any officials have been disciplined related to the incident. Claims circulating online about potential punishments remain unconfirmed.Tibet was forcibly occupied and taken over by the CCP in 1951, and in 1959, the Chinese military suppressed an uprising against communist rule, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Tibetans and the destruction of monasteries. The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader and former head of state, subsequently fled into exile in India. Since then, the CCP has systematically tried to erase Tibet’s unique culture and religions, according to rights groups.Hu Ying contributed to this report.