Huang Zitao in Trincomalee takes Sri Lanka to Chinese screens in a new light

Mango TV China, a leading digital media platform, is currently filming six episodes of the reality series “Life Swap in Sri Lanka” across various locations in Sri Lanka. The show features renowned Chinese celebrities Huang Zitao and Miss Yi-Yang, whose combined social media following exceeds 100 million, offering significant visibility for Sri Lanka in a key tourism market. Recognising the strategic importance of this collaboration, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted an appreciation ceremony in Colombo on 28 May. The event honoured the production team with the participation of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Foreign Employment Vijitha Herath, along with other distinguished guests and officials – Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

By Tania de Silva

On the afternoon of 28 May 2025, the Republic Building in Colombo played host to a high-profile media event that signalled not just a cross-cultural exchange, but a calculated stride in international image-making. Under the patronage of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka welcomed a Chinese media delegation led by Mango TV, one of China’s leading digital platforms, amidst cameras, ceremony, and quiet strategic intent.

The ostensible purpose was a press conference and token of appreciation ceremony for the crew of ‘Life Swap in Sri Lanka’, a reality series currently being filmed across the island. Featuring Chinese megastars Huang Zitao and Yi-Yang, whose joint social media reach surpasses 100 million followers, the production promises immense visibility for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, particularly in a market that has become increasingly critical to the country’s post-crisis economic rebound.

But beyond the superficial shine of celebrity culture, the event reveals a deeper dynamic of diplomacy, soft power, and economic dependence. The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, orchestrated this initiative not merely to highlight cultural beauty but to align the island nation more closely with Chinese strategic interests in the region.

While the cameras documented cheerful interactions between Chinese celebrities and Sri Lankan villagers, diplomats behind the scenes worked to cement bilateral ties in tourism, media, and beyond. The decision to host the production team at the nation’s core diplomatic venue, the Republic Building, underscores the event’s symbolic significance.

This collaboration represents more than mere cultural celebration. It is a calculated act of narrative-building. By showcasing Sri Lanka’s “authentic cultural experiences” and “hospitality” to a vast Chinese audience, the Sri Lankan government hopes to recast its image as a safe, scenic destination after years of political unrest and economic turbulence.

“The people here are so friendly, always smiling from the heart, it’s something I’ll never forget. Trincomalee has been one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I’ve visited. I’m already planning to come back and explore more of this amazing country,” said Huang Zitao at the press conference.

Trincomalee, a key filming site, is particularly significant. Beyond its picturesque coastlines, it has long held geopolitical value in the Indian Ocean, frequently attracting international attention for its deep-water port and proximity to strategic shipping lanes. The selection of such locations for filming is not coincidental. In the media, geography is never neutral.

Indeed, promoting Trincomalee as a tourist haven through Chinese digital platforms serves dual purposes, boosting local economies through visitor influx, while quietly reinforcing Chinese engagement in regions where infrastructure investment and port development, backed by Chinese funds, are already underway.

While local officials herald the collaboration as a cultural win, sceptics question the implications of such asymmetrical partnerships. Who curates the version of Sri Lanka that reaches Chinese screens? To what extent are local voices and narratives empowered – or edited out – by foreign production priorities?

What unfolded at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was part diplomatic theatre, part PR campaign, and part desperate bid for economic revival. The nation, still recovering from years of debt and discontent, now turns to soft diplomacy and cultural exchange to rebuild bridges with China as an increasingly central actor.

“This is a bridge between our peoples, built through mutual respect, shared culture, and a renewed vision for sustainable tourism. This is the largest Chinese production ever created in Sri Lanka. More than 50 team members took part, and we used numerous locations for filming. This is a huge opportunity for Sri Lanka,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath. 

Whether ‘Life Swap in Sri Lanka’ will leave a lasting impact on tourism or merely provide a fleeting moment of international attention remains to be seen. But what is clear is this, in a world where media and power intersect, even a reality show can carry the weight of foreign policy.