ABSTRACT
Drawing on the authors’ personal experiences, this chapter compares the political and discursive patterns underlying spectacles of foreigners performing on Chinese television for two global Chinese language and culture competitions broadcast on Hunan Satellite Television and China Central Television. It argues that foreigners’ performances of Chinese-style acts on both channels highlights a global attraction to China and demonstrates to Chinese domestic audiences the success of its soft power initiatives. This chapter also offers insights into the political and commercial imperatives of the two broadcasters and partner organizations, as they cooperate to construct an image of a powerful, contemporary Chinese nation-state.
