A picture that purports to show Xi Mingze, the secretive daughter of Chinese President Xi Jinping, walking the red carpet at a United fashion show has been widely shared digitally, actually appearing in respectable publications like Newsweek and The Times. The tale appeared realistic at first glance. However, a thorough research by X person @echetus revealed that the image was actually a case of identity confusion. The results of the investigation revealed the dangers of blindly trusting picture agencies and clumsy media confirmation. How’s how the story came to an end, and what it says about news in the modern era.
All was fooled by Xi Mingze’s false image.
The First Lady’s Luncheon in New York, a prominent UN-backed function attended by officials ‘ families, was the first girl’s luncheon in 2018 and the first lady attended the event. The photograph was published by Getty and Alamy, with the captions Peng Liyuan and Xi Mingze and older Peng Liyuan. The picture appeared plausible because there were no confirmed older versions of Xi Mingze in public view. Mainstream media shops cited it without further investigation because they believed in the information.
Why the photo appeared trustworthy
Xi Mingze is purposefully kept out of the public’s perspective. Due to strict state repression, her Chinese name doesn’t appear in any search results on any of China’s major programs. Her photo has not been verified by an child. But when a unique, refined graphic emerged, which appeared to show her next to a person who resembles her mother, it passed for reliable, especially with well-known resources giving names to faces. Some people accepted it at face value because of this idea of integrity.
The research and the crimson flags
An X person named @echetus made the decision to study the image more carefully. Although first identification appeared good, it was obvious that the woman who was given the name Peng Liyuan didn’t match the First Lady’s photos. Despite having a similar race and hairstyle, the physical differences were obvious. A further investigation led @echetus to a Shutterstock list from the same occasion, where the ladies were screened separately. Noelle Kwok, a painted public servant and official from the U.S. State Department, was really the older person.
What exactly is the true” Xi Mingze”?
The younger woman was Fi ( Catherine ) Chen, not Xi Mingze, according to Shutterstock. Although” Fi” is not common in Pinyin, it is most likely a name or a Westernized form. Little is known about her in the general public, but important is that there is no evidence of any familial ties to Xi Jinping. The mistaken personality situation was one that may not have occurred intentionally, but it was important.
How the misrepresentation occurred
First metadata dilemma was probably the cause. First naming or tag mistakes frequently spread through broadcast networks. Particularly during fast-paced activities, picture agencies and publishers frequently rely on metadata when uploading images. In this instance, it seems as though a blunder was accidentally copied across programs. This also reflects the deeper issue of tacit discrimination, where people of the same race may be mistaken for one another based on superficial characteristics, as @echetus noted.
The effects of misinterpretation
This incident demonstrates how swiftly physical evidence can be used to support a narrative. Even the most well-known media outlets you knowingly bolster propaganda by using metadata only. An image of two related ladies was widely seen as proof of Xi Jinping’s kid making a rare open look without any cross-checking or consulting event organizers. The diligent research and the narrative were updated before it spread farther. It serves as a reminder that perhaps photos taken from trustworthy resources need to be verified independently. This circumstance addresses more serious issues, including analytic metadata errors, conceited appearances, and the fragileness of media ecosystem trust. The world must rely on facts, not fake observations, for the moment, because Xi Mingze will continue to be a figure covered in intentional privacy.
