Social Media

Distrusting Beijing, encountering ‘everyday China’ in the Philippines

Younger Filipinos seem to have more nuanced attitudes towards China and encounter its soft power in different ways than their parents’ generation, but this does not mean a sea change has occurred. Academic Jan Robert R Go gives his analysis.

Jan Robert R Go

13 Oct 2026

In Singapore, a woman knew her harasser. In China, 20 women never met theirs

Who should stop an online crowd? Singapore’s new Online Safety Commission helps victims get harmful posts taken down and find out who harmed them. China’s draft Anti-Cyberviolence Law would make platforms slow a crowd turning on someone before anyone complains. Victims need both, argues academic Ashton Ng. Platforms see the crowd first and should act first. But the crowd is made of individuals, and each of us can refuse to join it.

Ashton Ng

02 Oct 2026

[Video] Trump and Xi meet again: What changed and what didn’t

This year’s historic Trump-Xi state visits delivered memes and pageantry, though Xi’s trip to Washington was shadowed by protests and Trump’s media ban. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina and Lingming Lu compare the two summits to see what changed and what didn’t.

Yi Jina, Lu Lingming

29 Sep 2026

When Chinese government accounts learn to meme — and face the risks

Chinese government new-media accounts are shedding bureaucratic language to connect with younger audiences, using cheeky headlines, memes and more. However, balancing personality, popularity and public responsibility is no easy feat. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu finds out more.

Liu Liu

24 Sep 2026

[Vox pop] Why ‘light medical aesthetics’ are going mainstream in China

Cheaper and safer than plastic surgery, light medical aesthetics are increasingly accepted in China by women and men alike, reflecting a shared desire for subtle enhancement. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina finds out more.

Yi Jina

23 Sep 2026

When politics divides, can content creators bring China and Japan together?

Chinese and Japanese content creators are crossing the political divide one video at a time — challenging stereotypes and keeping the people of both sides connected, even as their influence can only go so far. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Lee Chan Hui tells us more.

Lee Chan Hui

16 Sep 2026

Why some in China want English out of the classroom

A social media influencer’s call to strip English of its core-subject status in China’s national exams has highlighted a growing tension between nationalistic rhetoric, real-world pragmatism and the need for structural educational reform. Lianhe Zaobao’s China news correspondent Lim Zhan Ting finds out more.

Lim Zhan Ting

08 Sep 2026

China’s AI idol craze: Fad or future?

China’s virtual idols are moving beyond entertainment, winning followers, landing brand deals and taking on roles once reserved for real people. As AI gives these digital characters voices, memories and agency, is China witnessing a passing craze — or the start of a new kind of celebrity? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Christine Li Yage dives into the matter.

Christine Li Yage

27 Aug 2026

Xi may meet Modi. But can China-India trust return?

Xi Jinping may meet Narendra Modi at next month’s BRICS summit, in what could mark another step in the China-India thaw. But after years of tensions, how far has the improvement in official ties extended to public perceptions? Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei examines the issue.

Sim Tze Wei

26 Aug 2026

How an American influencer exposed China’s ‘crotch nationalism’

The scandal surrounding an American influencer in China has exposed how quickly pro-China digital personas can turn sour, leaving female victims caught in a crossfire of nationalist judgment. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu dives into the matter.

Liu Liu

26 Aug 2026

How a toy bamboo cicada stung Huawei’s public image

A traditional bamboo cicada toy triggering a major PR headache for Huawei highlights how corporate overreaction can fuel massive backlash in Chinese cyberspace. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk looks into the matter.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

17 Aug 2026

China bans AI lovers, but loneliness remains

When man bonds with a machine, depends on it and feels affirmed by it, is a void filled? But what if the mirage disappears or the relationship is taken to extremes? Researcher Renwen Zhang contemplates the psyche behind the rise of AI companions.

Renwen Zhang

14 Aug 2026