Chinese ministry removes brownface video post after criticism

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24 minutes ago

Legend,

The video was shared online by Chinese ministry and police accounts

A Chinese government ministry appears to have deleted an online video post featuring brown-faced people singing an Indian song.

The video – by a popular influencer – had been shared by an official account under the Department of Public Safety (MPS) to promote road safety.

The post drew criticism outside the country.

This follows other controversies over racism in China, where brownface and similar concepts are unfamiliar to many.

Brownface – like blackface – involves people painting their faces darker and is condemned in much of the world as a racist caricature.

The video was created by Hao Ge Ge, a widely followed influencer on Douyin, the national version of TikTok. It has been liked over 1.2 million times on the short video platform.

It features brown-faced men wearing turbans, as well as several women in what appear to be Central Asian costumes.

Divided into two groups, they sing the Indian song Tunak Tunak Tun, with Chinese lyrics debating over the best vehicle.

The Office of Public Order – which falls under the MPS – shared the video last week with its more than 32 million followers on Weibo, a Twitter-like platform.

“Police reminder: you must fasten your seat belt even when sitting in the back of a car. Always remember that when riding a motorcycle, do not go on the road without a helmet!” says the post.

It attracted hundreds of shares and mostly positive comments in China. “It’s an effective popularization of the law,” one comment said.

But there were criticisms elsewhere. Aadil Brar, columnist for The Print India, wrote on Twitter: “They make fun of India, Bollywood and Indians a lot.”

Some Chinese commentators had warned of a possible backlash, with one saying: “It will definitely cause problems if you put it up in India, they won’t find it humorous.”

Other lower-level Chinese police departments also shared the video on Weibo, but those posts – along with the original – are no longer visible on their feeds.

In 2018, a skit on China’s biggest Lunar New Year TV show drew widespread criticism after a black-faced Chinese actress with exaggerated buttocks appeared.

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