On Sunday, Chinese Communist government’s mouthpiece, People’s Daily tweeting a video where it claimed that the world’s largest amphibious aircraft was taking off at Shandong airport for a test flight.
Designed to be the world’s #largest, China’s independently developed AG600 large #amphibious #aircraft has conducted its 1st taking off from the sea surface in Qingdao, E China’s Shandong, on Sunday. It landed in Rizhao Shanxihe Airport at 10:49 am after a 28-minute test flight. pic.twitter.com/q6oRRozQfF
— People’s Daily, China (@PDChina) July 26, 2020
If you notice closely, till around 7 seconds, there is no helicopter. But within fraction of second a helicopter appears out of nowhere hovering above the aircraft.
Netizens were quite amused at the phantom helicopter.
The revelation is CCP China’s new stealth helicopter. As ever @PDChina pushing the envelope on video editing standards.
— Liberate Hong Kong. Revolution of Our Times.🏴🇭🇰 (@Campaignfornia1) July 26, 2020
Some even expressed concerns over the safety and life of the person who might’ve edited this video of phantom helicopter.This plane is so impressive, it makes helicopters appear out of nowhere
— توماس Thomas (@Badi_NZ) July 26, 2020
Somewhere in China a video-editor just lost his/her job.
— Roman “Simpson’s Paradox” Acleaf (@RomanAcleaf) July 26, 2020
And by job I mean life. https://t.co/ZPgPssZPPN
This will not be the first time China would have used tackily edited videos for propaganda. In 2011, the Chinese Armed Forces had tried to pass off a video of the 1986 Hollywood iconic movie “Top Gun” starring Tom Cruise as the footage of a PLA Air Force training exercise.
As soon as they were caught, the People’s Liberation Army had faced a severe embarrassment and were quick to pull the video.
