bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Julia Hollingsworth

It was supposed to be a visual celebration but an official poster to mark the 68th anniversary of the Chinese navy has instead been a massive Photoshop fail for the Ministry of National Defence.
The poster of the Liaoning, the country’s first aircraft carrier, was produced by the ministry and shared on its official microblog on Sunday.
How China’s defence ministry turned its PLA Photoshop fail into a brilliant PR save
It pictured the carrier sailing the ocean waves with a flotilla and under a bright blue sky, declaring: “Happy birthday, People’s Liberation Army Navy!”
But online commenters were quick to point out that instead of a Chinese jet crowning the vessel’s deck, the poster showed a Russian MiG-35 fighter aircraft.

On top of that, three jets pictured shooting off into the glorious skies were J-10 aircraft used by the country’s land-based forces – not the J-15s designated as carrier-based aircraft.
The errors were compounded by the decision to cut and paste in two ships sailing alongside the Liaoning – those vessels are US amphibious assault ships, not Chinese vessels.
J-15 fighter jets from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier make South China Sea debut
Online commenters were quick to weigh in on the visual misfires.
“This picture shows everyone at the propaganda department is mentally deficient,” one wrote on the popular Chinese social media site Weibo.
Another said: “The officials are wrong! Go die! We are so patriotic in vain!”
Yet another complained about the overall quality of presentation.
“This poster is the standard of a street photocopy shop,” the commenter said.
The navy’s anniversary is particularly important for China as it coincides with the planned launch of its new domestically built aircraft carrier, an attempt by China to show off its naval and military strength.
The new aircraft carrier, which is still unnamed, will be launched once the tidal conditions are right at the dock in Dalian, China.


China told Japan about air drills but not in enough detail to avoid danger, minister says

7 Chinese warships followed our navy vessel on its East Asia mission, New Zealand says

US Congress unveils defence bill with curbs on China tech investment, biotech ties

PLA holds urban warfare drill as Taipei looks to boost ‘asymmetric capabilities’

China’s military

Oops! Chinese defence ministry’s PLA poster a big Photoshop fail

The official poster from the Ministry of National Defence with what appears to be a Russian aircraft on its deck and two US amphibious vessels alongside. Photo: Weibo

News

China

Diplomacy