BEIJING, July 14,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Paul
Mike Ashton is an active American video blogger on social
media. In his recent videos about his travels in China, he often asks in a quirky tone, "City
or not city, ah? So city!" These videos have quickly gone viral on
various social media platforms, amassing over 10 million views.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning addressed this popular catchphrase at a
regular press conference on Thursday, stating that she had just
learned about the new usage of the word "city."
Mao expressed her pleasure at seeing foreign friends enjoying
the beautiful scenery and delicious food in China, and experiencing a vibrant and
authentic China firsthand.
Ashton, known online as Baobaoxiong, responded by saying that he
lives in Shanghai and travels
across various provinces in China.
He mentioned that he has been warmly welcomed by people everywhere
in China and felt the enthusiasm
of everyone he met.
When filming travel videos, he genuinely enjoys the entire
process and hopes to attract more foreigners to experience Chinese
culture through his videos.
"There are many beautiful places in China, and the food is great, which is why I
enjoy traveling around China,"
Ashton told the Global Times.
"The word 'city' itself means urbanization, and it conveys a
sense of vitality. I often feel a sense of freshness and happiness
while traveling in various places in China, so I think it's very 'city.'"
Enjoyable experiences
Hailing from Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania in the US, Ashton has always been interested in
Chinese culture and speaks Chinese fluently.
He is adept at noticing subtle differences between Chinese and
English expressions and presenting them humorously, which is why he
can create popular catchphrases like "city or not city."
"I find the way Chinese people say 'city walk' quite amusing.
Although the term has been around for a long time, I noticed that
many Chinese people tend to pronounce the 't' sound more
prominently than we do in English, which sounds really cute.
Moreover, in business settings, many people switch between Chinese
and English, which I find particularly fascinating," Ashton
said.
"I find this word-switching between Chinese and English very
interesting; it not only reflects the flexibility of the language
but also demonstrates the integration of Chinese and English in
everyday life in China. Coupled
with my enjoyable travel experiences in China, 'city or not city' came out naturally,"
Ashton emphasized.
To Ashton, the most "city" place in China is Shanghai, because he lives there and loves the
lifestyle. He also mentioned that anywhere in China can feel urban because everyone's
experiences are different. So, no matter where you are in
China, you can have a "city"
experience because it's about love and excitement for life.
Ashton strongly encourages foreign friends traveling to
China to try the wide array of
Chinese cuisine.
"I think the food is one of the best features of China. I believe that many times, foreigners
might not eat too adventurously because we're unsure about trying
many unfamiliar dishes. However, many Chinese dishes have left a
deep impression on me and pleasantly surprised me. So, I would
definitely recommend everyone to do the same and be brave enough to
try a variety of foods."
Ashton has personally enjoyed traditional Chinese dishes such as
mouth-watering chicken, lion's head meatballs, and squirrel fish,
and he expressed a great fondness for them.
New life
Ashton said that he has gained more attention from Chinese fans,
which has led to some changes in his life. His current work focuses
on social media development and operation, which he finds
interesting but also stressful.
"Now I have a platform to connect with more people, which is
great. I get recognized occasionally, and some of the events I
attend get more attention than before, so it's really busy now. I
have had to transition from my previous lifestyle to a new one, but
many of the changes are good, so I'm very excited to try this new
life."
He had heard so many great things about various parts of
China that it was difficult to
choose what to experience next. Due to his current work, he has
more opportunities to visit places he might not have considered
before and shoot related travel videos.
In China, there are many places
he really wants to visit. He said, "Last weekend, I went to
Qinghai, and that was an amazing
experience. If I had to pick a top place on my wish list, I'd
probably choose Inner Mongolia as my first choice."
"My second choice is Changsha,
where I will actually be going later this month. I'm really looking
forward to this trip, tasting the food in Changsha, and experiencing life in another
Chinese city," Ashton said.
Ashton would like to give a message for those who enjoy his
videos and have been following him. He said that what he's doing
now brings him great joy, and he hopes others can also find things
in life that make them happy and spark an interest in pursuing
them.
"One of the things that makes me happiest about making these
videos in China is that they make
my sister and I laugh and pass that joy on to other people.
Everyone has the opportunity to find things that make them happy,
even if it's not their job; just things they love to do," Ashton
said.
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content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-times-us-video-blogger-keen-on-spreading-joy-in-china-302196351.html
SOURCE Global Times