The world's largest rubber duck, created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, is visiting Hong Kong from May 2 to June 9. As the giant yellow duck makes a big splash in Hong Kong, some copycat versions have appeared in mainland cities such as Dongguan and Wuhan, which is a matter of concern, says an editorial in People's Daily. Excerpts:

Hofman designed the giant rubber duck with a special concept — that it knows no frontier, and it does not discriminate against people. The friendly floating duck, to a certain extent, represents cultural common ground and the childhood memories of many people.

However, when imitation ducks spring up in mainland cities without the approval of the creator, it is self-evident that imitation is not necessarily the sincerest form of flattery. The poorly imitated ducks are used to increase the appeal of these cities, but they also show a lamentable lack of creativity.

China is a country that abounds in great literary and artistic works with unique Chinese characteristics, and the Chinese nation never fails to demonstrate its creative ability. Unscrupulous imitation of others is simply not the path for a country that wants to boost cultural confidence and build soft power.