Han Futao’s explosive report on fake patients and systemic abuse has triggered a heated online debate over hospital malpractices, the fragility of the welfare system, and the vital role of investigative reporting.
From digital stress to “dangerous Japan,” here are the trends that stood out this week on Chinese social media.
We’re at a very complicated time in our online lives. An explainer of “Chinamaxxing,” the “kill line,” and the platform politics behind them.
A virtual Viagra for a pressured generation? The real story behind China’s latest viral app.
How Chinese social media is making sense of the first geopolitical shockwaves of 2026.
How and why fetal sex testing became a national security story
From top trends to platform scandals, these were the biggest online topics of the year.
Hasan Piker's controversial China tour, a Chinese school uniform resurfaces in Africa, a new winter hotspot, why Chinese elites 'run' to Tokyo, and more.
Female comedians are taking center stage in a new era of Chinese stand-up, challenging stereotypes and turning jokes into real-life impact.
From 5,000 people crashing a rural pig feast in Chongqing to the collective effort to save Yanran Angel hospital.
From war memory to viral eggs, salty cakes, an unfortunate dinner party and farewell to an iconic actress.
As December 13 marked the 88th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, this Memorial Day trended online amid rising China–Japan tensions and sharper official rhetoric.
Russian recruitment ads, China's censorship, and how Western media sometimes guess Beijing's stance by reading between the wrong lines.
Weibo, Wechat, Douyin, or Xiaohongshu? Understanding China’s top 10 social media platforms.
From 'Chinese Twitter' to digital dinosaur, the story of Weibo reflects the shifting dynamics of China’s online media landscape.
Behind the hashtag about Nanjing's cross-dressing ‘Sister Hong’: from legal implications to viral spectacle.
Labubu is not ‘Chinese’ at all—and at the same time, it is very much a product of present-day China.
As American 'TikTok Refugees' flock to China's Xiaohongshu (Rednote), their encounter with 'Li Hua' strikes a chord in divided times.
Eye on Digital China is an independent publication by sinologist and China trend watcher Manya Koetse, offering analysis and reporting on China’s digital culture, media,...
Andrew Methven's favorite Chinese phrases of the year, a special feature by RealTime Mandarin.
The 2025 scandal surrounding Wong Kar-wai shows that public outrage only produces consequences when it aligns with official interests.
He Qing is remembered as a veteran actress, a symbol of classical Chinese beauty and literary culture.
From quick scrolls to the discussions that matter, these are the topics trending in China this week.
A look back at the three major phases of China’s social media — and why What’s on Weibo is evolving into Eye on Digital China.
"The tariff drama, directed by Trump himself with himself as the main actor, has finally come to an end."
Did tents defeat China's hotel industry during the National Day holiday?
In the year following her father's death, Zong Fuli dealt with controversy after controversy as the head of Chinese food & beverage giant Wahaha.
From the Dutch invoking a Cold War–era law to Chinese narratives about Europe, this is what gives the Sino-Dutch “Nexperia incident” its extra weight.
“We have plenty of cattle and horses in China now — just not enough donkeys” (“目前我国牛马都不缺，就缺驴”).
An unfortunate misunderstanding led to one innocent man being the only person injured in a crowd of thousands.
Whenever reports surfaced about the harsh conditions on Wong Kar-wai’s sets, mainstream media and fans often brushed off his tyrannical habits as the quirks of a...
From viral street food vendors to China’s donkey crisis and new eldercare services, here’s this week’s Weibo highlights in What’s on Weibo’s China Trend Watch.
731 was China’s most anticipated war movie of the year — how could it fail so miserably to live up to public expectations?
