CCTV's Shendu Guoji "In-Depth World” March 2, 2022
CCTV4 is a Beijing-based satellite TV channel that can be viewed across China, especially in cities where satellite reception is commonplace, but it is primarily designed as a global channel with the mission to educate and entertain the Chinese diaspora. It broadcasts in Mandarin with some side programming in Cantonese.
I’ve been watching Chinese state TV available online to see how producers and on-air talent navigate the Russian invasion of Ukraine without using the proscribed words “war” or “invasion” as per state policy.
The taboo on uttering the word "war" has been eased; indeed the word comes up at key moments during "In-Depth World" which is the program reviewed below.
As for the word “invasion” it is noticeable only because of its aching absence, and a viewer without access to other sources of information might not even realize that Russia has invaded Ukraine, though it's clear that there's some fighting going on.
The March 2, 2022, episode of “In-Depth World” opens with scenes of the February 24 "bombings in Ukraine" followed by an introduction from the dapper Li Zhongmin who hosts the show from a huge sound stage in Beijing.
The theme of the program is indicated in the vertical banner on the screen:
“When Ukraine is broken, who feels the pain?"
But the plaintive question never really gets answered.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is introduced as follows:
"War broke out suddenly. Ukraine started to experience bombing on February 24."
The introductory footage from the field is not put in a clear context, but no matter, the show quickly settles into a talking head format backed by rolling file footage. For the next twenty minutes, the narrator and various experts try to explain why war has come to Ukraine.
Hint number one: Russia is not at fault
Hint number two: It has nothing to do with China
Vladimir Putin gets way more screen time than anyone else; always shown speaking in his own words with subtitles. In the clip above he explains how he had no choice but to resort to war as the eastward expansion of NATO took away his options.
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky gets a cameo, but is treated as a villain for his stated desire to return Crimea to Ukraine, which crosses a red line for the Kremlin.
Overall, the narration cleverly shifts the blame away from Putin. Through misdirection and sleight of hand it instead manages to frame the US as the main culprit, essentially echoing Putin’s inexcusable excuse that “I had no choice, they made me do it.”
Apart from the newsy opening montage of February 24 offensive, shown to music, and a few fleeting scenes on ground in Kiev, the visuals mostly focus on the Russian POV after that. Russian planes, military vehicles and ships, paratroopers are shown descending in air, though the images are file footage, probably culled from earlier military exercises, well before the war started judging from the green color of the grass.
Wu Dahui, from the Institute of Russian Studies at Tsinghua University Russian Studies Institute talks about Iskandar missiles and other weapons. He is supremely confident of Russia’s prowess. He says that up against these awesome weapons, the Ukraine defense, little better than local militia, don’t stand a chance. “Give it an hour, three hours, even ten hours, they lose.”
Wu explains that Russia is in the fight because of red lines crossed, namely provocations in the Donbas region of Donetsk and Luhansk, (tentatively referred to as “so-called republics”) He describes Crimea as an integral part of Russia, so naturally provocations there would also merit a response. Wu also cites fears of Ukraine gaining nuclear weapons (Ukraine gave them up in return for security assurances from Russia, UK and US in 1994) Putin is shown signing off on “independence” of the Russia-controlled border territories, followed by pristine file footage of Russian tanks and aircraft
The scene then cuts to NATO HQ and what appears to be footage borrowed some some kind of NATO PR material. The infrastructure scenes are organized under the English-language titles: SEA, ROAD, RAIL, AIR, an example of which can be seen below:
A US cargo jet is shown landing in Poland to deliver troops and equipment, along with scenes of a US aircraft carrier. We are told the US was making threatening preparations for war in mid-February, but when war broke out the troops just stayed in the background doing nothing; instead using sanctions were announced.
Du Wenlong, an in-house CCTV commentator is on next. He says NATO is composed of many countries and lacks unity to fight under single command because of so many different views. Why should Europeans get involved in a bloody battle between US and Russia? And how many troops can they afford to send to the front?
UK, France and Germany are all wise to preserving their own national interests and don’t want to suffer losses, meanwhile the East European countries are weak but on the front line.
Are these small countries really ready to risk it to take on Russia?
Du says US and NATO makes a lot of noise, they are all talk, no action. They did not heed Russian warnings, they did nothing to stop NATO from pressing east.
Russia was cornered, and in the end “had no choice.”
Or, as The Wall Street Journal is quoted as saying,
"Europe has reverted to a Cold War posture."
Putin is shown in his palatial office signing the documents that unilaterally recognize the republics of Donetsk and Lunhansk. (both carved from Ukrainian territory)
The two new Donbas republics were shown to have been met with joy as the people waited eight long years to get recognized as “independent.” Putin’s announcement is met with scenes of fireworks and joyous scenes on one street. A man in the street in Luhansk is asked how he feels.
"Our leaders asked for us to be recognized as independent. We are so happy”
The narrator goes on to explain the key industries and economic importance of Donbas, a part of what was once Ukraine that has deep Russian roots, with 40% of the population ethnic Russian. To the backdrop of scenes of the bucolic countryside and impressive infrastructure of modern industry we are told that this rich region is “vulnerable to outside interference.”
It is pointed out that the Ukraine government initiated a bloody struggle in response to the Donbas region returning to Russia, and among other outlandish ideas, Zelensky expressed the hope that Ukraine could join NATO in 2022.
Did that leave Russia with any other choice?
Russia is said to be alarmed by prospect of NATO jets and nuclear weapons at its front door. Putin is on screen again, saying that Ukraine “shamelessly tricked us.” He repeats his call on NATO to halt eastward expansion. He complains that NATO shows Russia none of the respect due to a great country. He says NATO is not responsive to Russia’s demands, and that’s his bottom line, the red line. Russia can’t stand being treated so dismissively, so that was the last straw, he had no choice but to attack.
It is explained that no more progress could be made with the intransigent US and NATO, and time to act was now, before even more advantage was lost.
It is noted that the US sends Ukraine all kinds of weapons but repeatedly says it won’t send in troops
Ding Yifan, from State Council think tank says US strategy is designed to keep the region in perpetual crisis, it’s none other than the US who is behind the tensions in Eastern Europe. The US is desperately trying to justify it’s own role and the existence of NATO.
The program makes a surprise cut to Fox News, showing footage of the Tucker Carlson show during which former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard says, “They actually want Russia to invade Ukraine….it cements Europe in place.”
The Tsinghua professor talks about merits of Finlandization, but unfortunately Ukraine chose opposite path. The result, Ukraine gets poorer, neglected, there’s a lack of food and medicines, the currency is unstable.
Man on street: “America only pretends to care about us. They’re using us, it’s an outrage.”
Hong Yuan, Chinese Association of Social Sciences military researcher says the US benefits from draining Eastern countries of capital. Capital flees to the US, “and the US treats Eastern Europe like cannon fodder.”
Host Li Zhongmin concludes by saying the conflict is turning into a war.
The US created these tensions, and is disgracefully manipulating things to its own benefit. The crisis wasn’t created in one day. The US, for the sake of saving NATO, and its own benefit, stirred up the Ukraine-Russia war. This shows how the US is indifferent to life and death and survival of other nations in its desire for hegemonic domination of world economy.
"Whoever foolishly follows the US becomes a pawn to be discarded."
The camera zooms out on host Li Zhongmin and the ending music crescendos.
An end note for the show is written out on a black screen:
"UKRAINE SPRING WILL BE UNUSUALLY COLD THIS YEAR"
