"Shanghai, City of Inspiration," a publicity video for Shanghai municipality featuring former basketball star Yao Ming, aired in Chicago, Houston and Shanghai on Tuesday, local officials said.

The 5-minute video showing Yao in a beige suit appeared on cable TV channels in Chicago and Houston, TV screens in the Chicago O'Hare International Airport and TV channels, websites, and microblog sites in Shanghai, said officials with the municipal government's information office, which paid for the spots to be aired.

Set against scenic images of Shanghai, the video shows that ordinary people -- including college students. teachers, models, businesspeople, artists, athletes and construction workers -- can achieve success in their work and personal lives in the inspiring city.

Officials hope the video showcases Shanghai as a city of inspiration, charm and vitality, they said.

The video was jointly produced by groups from China, the United Kingdom and Australia who obtained the right through an international bidding process. The production took six months to finish.

Early last year, a national publicity video was shown in New York's Times Square and on CNN.

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