Chinese live-streamers show diplomats new channel

Foreign ambassadors to China are trying their hand at live-streaming, and finding it an effective way to export products and ideas. They are being helped by seasoned streamers keen to tell China’s story well – and popular enough to sell 26 tonnes of Afghan pine nuts during a broadcast. — SCMP

Ceylon tea, biscuits, wine and other Sri Lankan products adorned a booth at the Chinese International Import Expo in November, as Palitha Kohona did his best to sell his country’s exports to more than 300,000 viewers on his live-streaming debut.

The Sri Lankan ambassador to China faced a language barrier and was visibly uneasy at first, having forgotten that he had agreed to host the broadcast. But the audience flooded the comment section with welcomes, especially after Chinese live-streamer Zora Liu Meixi encouraged him to wave at the camera and told him how to say “Hello my Chinese friends” in Mandarin.