How the mainstream media kept falling for the fake image of Xi Jinping’s daughter? world News
An image to show the recurrent daughter Xi Mingz of Chinese President Xi Jinping, walking on a red carpet at the United Nations fashion event, has widely broadcast online, even appeared in reputed outlets such as Newsweek and The Times. At first glance, the story looked admirable. However, a detailed investigation by X user @Echetus revealed that the photo was a case of incorrect identity. The resulting investigation exposed the dangers of dirty media verification and visually image agencies. Here is how the story is unwemed – and what it says about journalism in the digital age.
Fake image of Xi Minges that fools everyone
The photo was taken at the lunch of the 2018 “Fashion 4 Development” First Lady in New York, which was attended by the spokesperson of diplomats in a high-profile un-assured event. Getty and Alami published the image, claiming that the younger woman was Xi Minge and the older age was Peng Liyuan. With no verified adult images of Xi Mingase in public circulation, the photo looked admirable. The mainstream media outlets used it without deep verification, rely on the metadata provided.
Why the image looked reliable
Xi Mingge is deliberately preserved from public view. His name in Chinese does not give any discovery results on major platforms of China due to strict state sensorship. There are no verified adult photographs of him. So when a rare, polished image came out-obviously showing him next to the person similar to his mother-it has passed as reliable, especially the names of names with famous sources. This illusion of authenticity accepted many people at the inscribed price.
Red flags and investigation
A X user @Echetus decided to examine the image more closely. While the initial identity seemed to sound sound, the woman labeled as Peng Lianuan clearly did not match the known photos of the first woman. Similar ethnicity and hairstyle on one side, the difference in facial structure was obvious. Further research inspired @Echetus for a shuttersk listing from the same incident, where women were identified differently. Older woman was actually nole Quok, an america Foreign Department officials and decorated public servants.
Real identity behind “Xi Mingge”
The Shuttersock identified the little woman not as Xi Mingay, but as a Fi (Catherine) chain. While the name “Fi” is unusual in Pinayin, it is possibly a surname or a western form. A little publicly known about him, but the important thing is that there is no sign of any link to Xi Jinping’s family. The case was one of the wrong identity, may be inadvertently, but may be important.
How did wrong identity happen
The possible cause was early metadata confusion. This is not uncommon for early errors in naming or tagging to promote through the syndication network. Photo agencies and publishers often rely on the metadata provided at the time of uploading image, especially during the fast book events. In this case, a mistake appears to be copied in platforms without any intention. As @Echetus said, it also reflects the deep challenge of the vested bias, where individuals of the same ethnicity can be wrong to each other based on superficial symptoms.
Wrong identity results
This incident shows how soon a story can get traction when visual proof supports it. Even the major outlets can inadvertently strengthen misinformation while working on Matadata alone. Without cross-checking or counseling event organizers, an image of two unrelated women was seen as evidence of making the daughter of Xi Jinping worldwide a rare public appearance.The hardworking investigation, the story was corrected before spreading further. It is a reminder that images, even from reliable sources, require independent verification. The case touches wide issues: algorithm metadata errors, perceptions inherent in appearance, and the fragility of confidence in media ecosystems. Xi Mingge is deliberately immersed in privacy – and for now, the world must rely on the facts, not false philosophy.
