甘肃敦煌融媒体中心以90万元人民币年薪聘请24岁美籍青年古爱华担任国际传播工作，年薪包含30万元年薪与60万元补贴[1]。古爱华畢業於耶魯大學東亞研究專業[1]。
該聘用公示在23日結束後引發大陸社群平台熱議[1]。網民通過查證發現，古愛華曾於2023年參加台灣大學語言中心ICLP課程學習中文[1]，並曾在美國企業研究所（AEI）任實習生[1]。這些背景資訊觸發了關於「公款養反華人士」的輿論質疑[1]。對於相關質疑，敦煌融媒體中心目前未作回應[1]。評論人士胡錫進認為，網民質疑的主要源頭在於該職位待遇過於優厚，刺激了公眾情緒[1]。
The Dunhuang Rong Media Center in Gansu province offered a 24-year-old American, identified as Gu Aihua, an annual salary of 900,000 yuan (comprising 300,000 yuan base pay plus 600,000 yuan in allowances) to serve as an international communications broadcaster [1]. The hire sparked considerable scrutiny on mainland Chinese social media platforms after netizens uncovered details of Gu Aihua's background, triggering controversy over what some characterized as "using public funds to support anti-China individuals" [1].
Gu Aihua, a Yale University graduate with a degree in East Asian Studies, had previously studied Chinese at the International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) at National Taiwan University in 2023 and interned at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a conservative think tank in the United States [1]. Public disclosure of the hiring position ended on the 23rd, coinciding with heated online discussion [1]. Commenting on the backlash, Hu Xijin suggested that public criticism stemmed primarily from the exceptionally generous compensation package [1]. As of reporting, the Dunhuang Rong Media Center had not issued any formal response to the allegations and concerns raised [1].