SubscribeLog in
Connect with us

China World

From Schadenfreude to Sympathy: Chinese Online Reactions to Charlie Kirk Shooting

From mockery of his pro-gun stance to posts over America’s deepening divisions, Chinese social media responds to the Charlie Kirk shooting.

Manya Koetse

Published

1 hour ago

on

The assassination of prominent American activist and Trump ally Charlie Kirk, 31, became a trending topic on social media all over the world, including on Chinese social media platforms Weibo, Douyin, Toutiao, and Zhihu.

Kirk was shot on September 10 while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. At the time of writing, a suspect was apprehended after a manhunt of two days (#特朗普称柯克枪击嫌疑人已被拘留#).

Using hashtags such as “Trump’s Political Ally Shot While Speaking” (#特朗普政治盟友演讲时遭枪击#), Chinese media outlets, online commentators, and regular netizens have been discussing Kirk’s death, with a focus on Kirk’s ideologies and the deeper issues in the United States that may have contributed to him being shot.

Although Charlie Kirk (查理·柯克) is not widely known among the mainstream Chinese audience, avid social media users are familiar with him. His past videos, with added Chinese subtitles, are popular on platforms like Bilibili, and his persona and viewpoints have sparked debate on sites like Zhihu.

Charlie Kirk is a highly visible figure on global social media for engaging in face-to-face debates with left-leaning students (or anyone who disagrees with him) on university campuses in the United States and even in the United Kingdom. These debates often became heated, as they touched on some of the most polarizing political issues.

Kirk defended his anti-abortion, pro-gun, pro-Trump, and anti-immigration stances and criticized transgender identities and same-sex marriage.

There are various discussions on Chinese social media related to his death.

  

1. No Sympathy: Linking Kirk’s Death to His Pro-Gun Advocacy


  

A central part of the discussions surrounding Kirk’s death on Chinese social media focuses on American gun laws and Kirk’s own views on gun control.

On Zhihu and Weibo, many commenters echoed a sentiment also seen on Western social media, noting the irony of Kirk being killed while advocating for gun rights. In 2018, Kirk tweeted about a mass shooter being shot, writing: “guns save lives” (#查理柯克宣扬枪支拯救生命#).

Kirk was discussing and defending his pro-gun stance in Utah at the moment he was shot.

With this in mind, as well as taking Kirk’s other conservative viewpoints into account, many Chinese netizens do not necessarily empathize, with some even creating light banter around his death.

One popular comment on Weibo said:

“This person once publicly stated that in order to uphold the Second Amendment, having some shootings occur each year is a price worth paying.”

Others claimed that Kirk “got what he wanted”:

“This guy really achieved the gun freedom he always talked about; this is what he supported, and he got what he wanted, serving as an example.”

This sentiment was quite prevalent on Chinese social media, where others also stressed that the very gun freedoms Kirk advocated for ultimately killed him, calling it the “gunshot of freedom” (“自由的枪声”).

Another commenter (元锡损) on Zhihu even described the killing of Kirk as a form of “art,” presuming that he was shot by someone who opposed gun ownership:

“Kirk was just a sophist. The person who hit him with a bullet in the throat was an artist. What makes this art is how the actions of both sides were the exact opposite of the ideas they each claimed to support, yet this very contradiction ironically proved each side’s point. Charlie claimed guns save lives, but he died. The other side believed guns should be banned, yet they shot and killed someone. Charlie’s death shows that having guns really can be used to fight for your interests. The killer’s act shows that only banning guns can actually protect people’s lives. And the fact that the shot hit his neck — whether or not it was by chance — is deeply symbolic: guns mute people.”

But some argue it all goes beyond a pro-gun stance, like the international news commentator Zhu Xi Er Ming (@逐汐而鸣), who also showed little empathy for Kirk:

“Many people in China keep saying Kirk was “pro-gun” and that’s why he got killed, which just shows how ignorant they are about America. In my view, Charlie Kirk’s greatest offense was that for over a decade he relentlessly pushed far-right MAGA extremism and conspiracy theories to American youth, deepening social division. Let me repeat: I don’t feel even a bit of sympathy over his death. There’s no need to fake sympathy just to perform cheap correctness.”

These kinds of reactions often appear on Chinese social media whenever political unrest or major incidents occur in the United States, with netizens expressing anti-American sentiments and criticizing America’s “so-called freedom” — especially since human rights are a sensitive topic in China–US relations.

Criticism of America’s gun laws is often part of such criticism, such as after the Orlando shooting or other major shootings. This, in part, has to do with how US and China are practically polar opposites on the issue of gun control and what it means for ‘freedom.’

As one Xiaohongshu blogger (@民间观察员张向强) wrote, before news of the suspect’s apprehension came out:

“It’s 2025, and a quarter of the 21st century has passed, and yet physically eliminating a person is still somehow an option in America. And because of privacy protections and no cameras, no security checks, the shooter hasn’t even been caught yet. If this were here, first of all, it likely wouldn’t have happened at all; and even if it did, the perpetrator would have been executed and cremated within a month.”

China has some of the world’s strictest gun control laws and the ban on civilian gun ownership – as well as extensive surveillance systems for public safety – is generally supported by the public.

  

2. Calls for Compassion and Condemnation of Violence


  

But reactions are mixed; not everyone is unsympathetic toward Kirk, nor do all commenters link his pro-gun stance to his death. Many voices also pushed back against claims that Kirk “got what he deserved.”

Yan Feng (严锋), a prominent commentator and Professor of Chinese Literature at Fudan University, called for a more compassionate response. He wrote:

“American right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk has been shot dead. Regardless of one’s viewpoint or what they have said, it is never a reason to kill someone while they are giving a speech, nor to rejoice in their death. This is the bottom line of human civilization.”

In other comments, he said he opposed private gun ownership, but also suggested he did not believe Kirk was shot due to his pro-gun stance, while also stressing that Kirk never supported the use of guns to kill people with opposing views.

Luo Yiming (@罗祎明医生), a medical doctor at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, wrote:

“So what if he supported gun rights? That may seem unthinkable to many Chinese people, but in America, guns carry deep historical roots and symbolic meaning. I support banning high-powered semi-automatic rifles, but harboring such hatred for a conservative who supports gun rights is no different from the hatred spread by far-right extremists. On most issues, I support moderate Democrats and progressives, and that means there shouldn’t be double standards when it comes to opposing hate.”

There were also posts highlighting how Dean Withers, a left-wing influencer and long-time opponent of Charlie Kirk, reacted to the news of his death during a livestream — with shock and tears. That reaction also sparked discussions about how, even if you hold opposing views, you can still feel sorrow over someone being killed.

 

3. “More Charlies Will Stand Up”: American Dysfunction ad Division


 

Although the initial discussions over Kirk’s death on Chinese social media seem to remain a bit on the surface, focusing on gun control and going from questions of karma to compassion, there are also other discussions placing his assassination more into a context of American social and political polarization.

One of China’s most famous online political commentators, Hu Xijin (@胡锡进), argued that political assassination is an inherent, dark part of American modern history. He wrote a lengthy column on Kirk’s death, calling it “a crash of the software of American democracy” (“这是美国民主软件的一次死机”) and also saying:

“Political assassination has always been a shady side path in American politics: if you can’t win, can’t out-argue, and can’t beat your opponent, you just eliminate their physical existence. From Lincoln to McKinley, from the Kennedy brothers to Martin Luther King, and later Reagan and now Trump, they have all constantly faced the threat of a bullet.”

Well-known Chinese internet commentator Wanghu de Jianqiao (@王虎的舰桥) blamed American social governance for Kirk’s killing. He wrote:

“Although it is said that this young man, being part of the hard-core pro-gun clique, got ‘what he asked for’ by being killed by a gun, I’d like to repeat my stance, which I’ve said before: America’s problem never really was about guns. Even if you exclude shooting cases, the incidence of murders and other serious violent crimes in the US is still far ahead of the rest of the world, especially among industrialized nations. The number of people killed by other means than guns is ten, even nearly nine times more. What’s more, given the population distribution and natural environment of the United States, the problems and losses caused by a strict gun ban could actually be much greater. America’s real problem is actually about social governance. It’s a problem of how basic-level communities are organized, how the police is organized, how education is organized, how Wall Street is… But these real problems are all taboo topics; it is the invisible elephant in the room. So no matter how fiercely politicians and voters from both parties argue and fight, the focus of controversy can only fall back on this issue of ‘gun control.'”

Others agree with the notion that something is inherently amiss in American society, with some suggesting that the shooting shows the “unusually intense class struggle in the United States” (“凸显了美国阶级斗争的异常尖锐”).

Zhihu user Wenhou (文猴), who also runs a WeChat account focused on men’s self-improvement, blamed Kirk’s death on leftist policies and suggested that American feminism was complicit in the country’s “social decay.”

Hu Xijin, as well as other commenters, think that the Charlie Kirk shooting might be a turning point for what is yet to come. On Zhihu, some predict an ideological hardening that could push America closer to more political violence and societal fragmentation. Others think that it will weaken the radical left and unite the modern right-wing factions.

Some commentators are especially pessimistic about America’s future. One example is the active Weibo commentator, entrepreneur and public persona Xiang Ligang (@飞象网项立刚), who tied Kirk’s assassination to the recent shocking murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska while driving a train home in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Xiang wrote:

“I believe that one day the US will face major problems, and in the end this country will head toward division. A huge country like this — without a dominant ethnic group, without shared values, only believing in fists and force — when it can no longer project power outward and begins to shrink inward, they will surely start slaughtering each other within America. In fact, this has already started.”

Zhihu blogger ‘Patrick’ wrote:

“In recent years, the ideological conflict between left and right in Western societies has reached a boiling point (..) This ‘terrorist-style assassination’ allegedly led by far-left forces has placed Kirk on a pedestal, making him the first ‘saint’ of the modern right wing, on equal footing with Martin Luther King Jr. This not only strengthened the unity of the right but also exposed the weakness of the left: from verbal protests to acts of violence, the increasingly radical left is losing the support of the political center. Kirk’s death has once again widened the rift between the American left and right. (..) The right and conservatives will see a resurgence. Historically, the death of a figure has often accelerated political movements (..), and Kirk’s sacrifice will drive a revival of conservatism.”

One anonymous Weibo commenter wrote:

“Because of this one shot, more Charlies will stand up, more young people will wake up, regardless of what color.”

By Manya Koetse

(follow on X, LinkedIn, or Instagram)

Spotted a mistake or want to add something? Please let us know in comments below or email us. First-time commenters, please be patient – we will have to manually approve your comment before it appears.

©2025 Whatsonweibo. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce our content without permission – you can contact us at info@whatsonweibo.com.

Related Topics:
Manya Koetse

Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to content, including the Weibo Watch newsletter, which provides deeper insights into the China trends that matter. More about Manya at manyakoetse.com or follow on X.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

China Media

China’s “AFP Filter” Meme: How Netizens Turned a Western Media Lens into Online Patriotism

Chinese netizens embraced a supposed “demonizing” Western gaze in AFP photos and made it their own.
Ruixin Zhang

Published

2 days ago

on

September 10, 2025

By

For a long time, Chinese netizens have criticized how photography of Chinese news events by Western outlets—from BBC and CNN to AFP—makes China look more gloomy or intimidating. During this year’s military parade, the so-called “AFP filter” once again became a hot topic—and perhaps not in the way you’d expect.

In the past week following the military parade, Chinese social media remained filled with discussions about the much-anticipated September 3 V-Day parade, a spectacle that had been hyped for weeks and watched by millions across the country.

That morning, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, welcomed international guests on the red carpet. When Xi arrived at Tiananmen Square alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, office phone calls across the country quieted, and school classes paused to tune in to one of China’s largest-ever military parades along Chang’an Avenue in Beijing, held to commemorate China’s victory over Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.

As tanks rolled and jets thundered overhead, and state media outlets such as People’s Daily and Xinhua livestreamed the entire event, many different details—from what happened on Tiananmen Square to who attended, and what happened before and after, both online and offline—captured the attention of netizens.

Amid all the discussions online, one particularly hot conversation was about the visual coverage of the event, and focused on AFP (法新社), Agence France Press, the global news agency headquartered in Paris.

Typing “AFP” (法新社) into Weibo in the days after the parade pulled up a long list of hashtags:

  • Has AFP released their shots yet?
  • V-Day Parade through AFP’s lens
  • AFP’s god-tier photo
  • Did AFP show up for the parade?

 
The fixation may seem odd—why would Chinese netizens care so much about a French news agency?

Popular queries centered on AFP.

The story actually goes back to 2022.

In July of that year, on the anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding, one Weibo influencer (@Jokielicious) noted that while domestic photographers portrayed the celebrations as bright and triumphant, she personally preferred the darker, almost menacing image of Beijing captured by Western journalists. In her view, through their lens, China appeared more powerful—even a little terrifying.

The original post.

The post went viral. Soon, netizens began comparing more of China’s state media photos with those from Western outlets. One photo in particular stood out: Xinhua’s casual, cheerful shot of Chinese soldiers contrasted sharply with AFP’s cold, almost cinematic frame.

Same event, different vibe. Chinese social media users compared these photos of Xinhua (top) versus AFP (down). AFP photo shot by Fred Dufour.

Netizens joked that Xinhua had made the celebration look like the opening of a new hotel, while AFP had cast it as “the dawn of an empire.”

Gradually, what began as a dig at the bad aesthetics of state media turned into something else: a subtle shift in how Chinese netizens were rethinking their country’s international image.

Under the hashtag #ChinaThroughOthersLens (#老中他拍), netizens shared images of China as seen through the lenses of various Western media outlets.

This wasn’t the first time such talk had appeared. In the early days of the Chinese internet, people often spoke of the so-called “BBC filter.” The idea was that the BBC habitually put footage of China under a grayish filter, making its visuals give off a vibe of repression and doom, which many felt was at odds with the actual vibrancy on the ground. To them, it was proof that the West was bent on painting China as backward and gloomy.

These discussions have continued in recent years.

For example, on Weibo there were debates about a photo of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, shot by Peter Thomas for Reuters, and used in various Western media reports about Wuhan and Covid as early as 2021. The top image shows the photographer’s vantage point.

“Looks like a cockroach in the gutter,” one popular comment described it.

Top image by Chinese media, lower image by Peter Thomas/Reuters, and was used in various Western media reports about Wuhan and Covid since as early as 2021.

Another example is the alleged “smog filter” applied by Western media outlets to Beijing skies during the China visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2024.

The alleged “smog filter” applied to Beijing skies during Blinken’s visit. Top image: Chinese media. Middle: BBC. Lower: Washington Post.

AFP, meanwhile, seemed to offer a different kind of ‘distortion.’

Netizens said AFP’s photos often had a low-saturation, high-contrast, solemn tone, with wide angles that made the scenes feel oppressive yet majestic. Over time, any photo with that look—whether taken by AFP or not—was dubbed the “AFP filter” (法新社滤镜).

AFP has clarified multiple times that many of the viral examples weren’t even theirs—or that they were, but had been altered with an extra dark filter. They also refuted claims that AFP had published a photo series of Chinese soldiers titled “Dawn of Empire” to discredit China’s army.

AFP refuted claims that their photos discredited the Chinese army.

Nevertheless, the “AFP filter” label stuck. It became shorthand for a Western gaze that cast China not as impoverished or broken—as some claimed the “BBC filter” did—but as formidable, like a looming supervillain.

One running joke summed it up neatly: domestic shots are the festive version; Western shots are the red-tyrant version. And increasingly, netizens admitted they preferred the latter, commenting that while AFP shots often emphasize red to suggest authoritarianism, they actually like the red and what it stands for.

So, when this year’s V-Day came around, many were eager to see how AFP and other Western outlets would frame China as the dark, dangerous empire.

But when the photos dropped, the reaction was muted. They looked average. Some called them “disappointing.” “Where are the dark angles? Not doing it this time?” one blogger wondered. “Where’s the AFP hotline? I’d like to file a complaint!”

“Xinhua actually beat you this time,” some commented on AFP’s official Weibo account. Others agreed, putting the AFP photos and Xinhua photos side by side.

AFP photos on the left versus Xinhua photos on the right.

To make up for the letdown, people began editing the photos themselves—darkening the tones, adding dramatic shadows, and proudly labeling them with the tag “AFP filter” or calling it “The September 3rd Military Parade Through a AFP Lens” (法新社滤镜下的9.3阅兵). “Now that’s the right vibe,” they said: “I fixed it for you!”

Netizen @哔哔机 “AFP-fied” photos of the military parade by AFP.

Official media quickly picked up on the trend. Xinhua rolled out its own hashtags—#XinhuaAlwaysDeliversEpicShots (#新华社必出神图的决心#) and #XinhuaWins (#新华社秒了#)—and positioned itself as the true master of a new aesthetic narrative.

The message was clear: China no longer needs the Western gaze to frame itself as powerful or intimidating; it can do that on its own.

The “AFP v Xinhua” contest, the online movement to “AFP-ify” visuals, and the Chinese fandom around AFP’s moodier shots may have been wrapped in jokes and memes, but they also pointed to something deeper: the once “demonized” image of China that Western media pushed as threatening is now not only accepted by Chinese netizens, it’s embraced. Many have made it part of a confident, playful form of online patriotism, applauding the idea of being seen by the West as fearsome, even villainous, believing it amplifies China’s global authority.

As one netizen wrote: “I like it when we look like we crawl straight into their nightmares.”

Chinese journalist Kai Lei (@凯雷) suggested that these kinds of trends showed how the Chinese public plays an increasingly proactive role in shaping China’s global image.

By now, the AFP meme has become so strong that it doesn’t even require AFP anymore. Ultra-dramatic shots are simply called “AFP-level photos” (法新社级别).

For now, as many are enjoying the “afterglow” of the military parade, their appreciation for the AFP-style only seems to grow. As one Weibo user summed it up: “AFP tried to create a sense of oppression with dark, low-angle shots, but instead only strengthened the Chinese military’s aura of majesty.”

 
– By Ruixin Zhang and Manya Koetse
 

Spotted a mistake or want to add something? Please let us know in comments below or email us. First-time commenters, please be patient – we will have to manually approve your comment before it appears.

©2025 Whatsonweibo. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce our content without permission – you can contact us at info@whatsonweibo.com.

Follow What’s on Weibo on

Continue Reading

China Society

China Trend Watch Top 10: Putin & Kim Jong-un in Beijing, Meituan’s Upcoming Changes, Lu Xun’s Mural Controversy

From Kim Jong-un in Beijing to Lu Xun’s cigarette: what China’s talking about this week – a top 10 by What’s on Weibo.
Manya Koetse

Published

2 weeks ago

on

August 28, 2025

By

 

🔥What’s on Weibo’s Top 10: What’s Trending in China This Week (Week 35, 2025) Stay updated with China Trend Watch by What’s on Weibo — your quick overview of what’s trending on Weibo and across other Chinese social media. Trending topics curated by me, with help from my customized What’s on Weibo AI sidekick.

 

1. Putin and Kim Jong-un to Attend China’s WWII Victory Commemoration

[#普京和金正恩等出席抗战纪念活动#] [#26位外国元首和首脑出席抗战纪念活动#] (Weibo)

These days, the upcoming September 3rd military parade is trending virtually every day on Chinese social media. On August 28, it was announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are both among 26 foreign heads of state and government leaders expected to attend China’s commemorative event marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Leaders from countries including Cambodia, Vietnam, Iran, and Cuba are on the guest list, underscoring China’s global alliances amid tense geopolitical climates.

Manya’s Take: That Putin would attend the upcoming major parade is no surprise, but the presence of Kim Jong-un is more noteworthy—especially alongside other confirmed attendees, including leaders from Indonesia, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, and others. At the same time, there is a clear absence of leaders from Western countries. According to state-linked Weibo commentator “Zhu Tianxia” (@煮天下), there is strong historical justification for Kim’s attendance. Yet he also emphasized that Trump’s absence is a loss for Washington, given Trump’s repeated statements that he wished to meet Kim, while US–Russia diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine have so far yielded little progress. This makes the gathering of Xi, Putin, and Kim Jong-un in the heart of Beijing not just a commemorative event but a symbolic ‘win’ for China, underscoring its ever-growing and shifting role on the global stage.

2. ‘Not the Zong Fuli Era’: Zong Fuli on Wahaha Leadership After Zong Qinghou

[#宗馥莉谈民营企业接班#] [#宗馥莉回应娃哈哈争议问题#] (Weibo)

On the first anniversary of her appointment as chairwoman of the Chinese food & beverage producer Wahaha Group (娃哈哈集团), Zong Fuli (宗馥莉, also known as Kelly Zong) gave an exclusive interview to Caijing (财经) magazine where she addressed succession, leadership challenges, and public controversies. Responding to the label of the Wahaha Group being in its “Zong Fuli Era” (宗馥莉时代), she dismissed the notion, emphasizing that a company belongs to “everyone who works hard within it,” not just a single individual. In the interview, Zong also spoke more about her views on running Wahaha, advocating long-term strategic growth over short-term results, and sharing her determination to not let controversy distract her from business operations.

Manya’s Take:
Zong Fuli has big shoes to fill. Her father, Wahaha founder and chairman Zong Qinghou (宗庆后), was one of China’s most beloved and respected businessmen. Since his passing in March 2024, Zong has also faced one controversy after another — from outsourcing some of Wahaha’s production to a cheaper water brand, to a high-profile family inheritance dispute involving three alleged illegitimate children living in the US. These issues have dented the company’s brand image. Her latest interview is therefore a timely one, in which Zong demonstrates resilience and determination to keep this much-loved Chinese brand thriving. Especially the fact that she’s staying humble (not wanting this to be he ‘Zong Fuli era’, is something many consumers are likely to appreciate, as humbleness was one of the reasons why people loved Zong Qinghou so much. Is it enough to undo the harm done to Wahaha’s brand image? Perhaps not, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

3. Meituan To Scrap Late-Delivery Fines By End-2025

[#美团将于年底全面取消超时扣款#](Weibo)

An internal briefing from Chinese food delivery company Meituan (美团) said the platform will eliminate “overtime” penalties for delivery riders by the end of 2025. The company also highlighted “rider-friendly communities” (骑手友好社区) to ease entry to residential compounds via data-linked QR access; 24,700+ communities across 150 cities have reportedly been upgraded. The move follows long-running public concern over rider safety and algorithmic pressures. Many users welcomed the change while asking how timeliness metrics and customer expectations will be managed without fines.

Manya’s Take: In recent years, there has been more attention to the hardships faced by Chinese food delivery workers. Not only do they face many hard or unsafe circumstances while doing their job—from hot weather and thunderstorms to roads or communities that are difficult to enter—but their daily work is also monitored by algorithmic management tools that put extreme pressure on them to deliver their orders on time. Riders can get caught in “algorithm traps” (算法陷阱) because the faster they work, the stricter the algorithm tightens delivery windows, and they may face penalties or reduced earnings if they fail to meet the expected times. Although the cancellation of the late fees is good for drivers, many consumers are skeptical, arguing that their Meituan deliveries are already taking a lot of time—with late fees being canceled, people fear it will only take longer. With Meituan now facing fierce competition from others, including JD and Eleme, the new measure might end up working against Meituan in the food delivery war.

ALSO TRENDING & NOTEWORTHY:

4. Man Wearing Horror Mask on Highway Sparks Public Outrage

[#高速有人戴恐怖面具吓车#](Weibo)

A video went viral on Weibo these days showing a man wearing a horror mask on the Changshen Expressway (长深高速), allegedly scaring nearby vehicles. The incident occurred on August 24 and was captured by another driver who claimed the masked man was intentionally frightening passengers. After an investigation, Hangzhou traffic police identified the individual as Hugo, a 42-year-old foreign teacher in Hangzhou, who was a passenger and claimed the mask was a spontaneous joke while retrieving snacks in the car. Police determined the act did not constitute a criminal offense but noted it could affect road safety. Although the incident triggered some online debates over road behavior and safety, many netizens also commented that the fuss was exaggerated given the lack of malicious intent or actual danger caused. But we do wonder if Hugo got into trouble at school 😂

The masked man that triggered controversy.

5. Shenzhen’s 12,000-Drone Light Show for 45th Anniversary

[#深圳1.2万架无人机灯光秀闪耀夜空#] [#今晚的深圳人都在抬头看#] (Weibo)

On August 26, Shenzhen celebrated the 45th anniversary of its Special Economic Zone with a record-breaking drone light show featuring 12,000 drones in a dual-venue performance at Renmin Square (市民广场) and Talent Park (人才公园). The show incorporated interactivity with the city lights and featured global artistic collaborations to tell a symbolic story about the history and transformation of the Special Economic Zone. The show drew tens of thousands residents and visitors from outside of Shenzhen, with some queuing five hours in advance. You can watch the full show here.

6. Xi Jinping Meets Cambodian Royalty Ahead of Anniversary

[#习近平夫妇会见柬埔寨国王西哈莫尼#] (Weibo)

President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath at Zhongnanhai on August 26. Xi invited King Sihamoni to attend China’s upcoming Tiananmen parade for the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan and World War II. The visit is part of ongoing efforts to deepen the “ironclad” friendship between China and Cambodia.

7. Lu Xun Smoking Mural To Stay At Shaoxing Tourist Site

[#鲁迅夹烟形象墙画不会换#](Weibo)

A mural depicting Chinese famous writer Lu Xun (鲁迅) holding a cigarette at his native place in Shaoxing has sparked debate after a citizen petitioned for its replacement over youth influence concerns. Site staff clarified the mural will not be changed. The discussion touches on historical authenticity versus public health messaging in cultural heritage spaces. Many commenters argued the depiction reflects the era and the author’s real-life image, while others called for more youth-oriented guidance nearby.

Manya’s Take: Lu Xun (1881–1936) was known for his heavy smoking, which ultimately contributed to his early death. There are many images of him holding a cigarette, and today this has sparked more discussion among younger generations who are increasingly aware of the dangers of smoking, with more people actively involved in efforts to discourage it. The debate around Lu Xun and his cigarette is perhaps comparable to Walt Disney. It is known that photos of Disney at Disneyland were retouched to remove his cigarette, in order to hide his habit from the children visiting the park—a decision that remains somewhat controversial. In the end, Lu Xun is not Walt Disney, and his legacy is not about being a role model for children but about being a major cultural figure in early 20th-century China. In this context, smoking should neither be romanticized nor censored. Instead, Lu Xun’s heavy smoking—reportedly as many as 50 cigarettes a day!—should also serve as a warning about how harmful smoking is. Lu Xun died at just 56, and he smoked until the very end of his life.

The controversial Lu Xun mural.

8. Esther Yu Surrounded by Controversy, Public Calls for Transparency

[#虞书欣风波事关国有资产应有通报#] [#虞书欣风波不能只靠粉丝大字报澄清#] (Weibo)

The hugely popular Chinese actress Esther Yu / Yu Shuxin (虞书欣) is at the center of a growing public controversy. She’s lost more than 720,000 followers in just one week after two issues resurfaced. First, an old reality show clip went viral showing her making harsh remarks about co-star Zhang Haoyue (张昊玥). More significantly, Chinese financial blogger “Lao Pan Caishang” (老潘财商) accused Yu’s father of funneling RMB 1.5 billion in state funds through private companies and possibly committing tax fraud or falsifying financial data. Combined with reports about her family’s wealth and legal troubles, netizens are now questioning whether Yu’s career was helped by improper financial backing. While the original allegations surfaced months ago, *Jimu News* is now calling for Yu’s team—and state authorities—to publicly address the matter and provide transparency.

9. “Middle-Class Darling” MUJI Faces Mass Closures Across China

[#无印良品全国多地关店#] [#无印良品回应闭店潮#] (Weibo)

Japanese lifestyle brand MUJI (无印良品) is facing a “closure wave” across China, shutting down numerous stores in cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuhan, and Changsha. Multiple branch managers cited declining foot traffic and reduced profitability. In response, MUJI’s official statement described these closures as a “normal operational adjustment.” Yet for many, the downsizing of what was once considered the “white moonlight of the middle class” (中产的白月光)—a hugely popular symbol of minimalist, middle-class lifestyle—is noteworthy. The news trended alongside reports of liquidation discounts and local store shutdowns. Quality controversies, such as a student scissors product failing safety inspections, have previously added pressure to MUJI’s reputation in China. Reactions are mixed: while some express continued love for MUJI, others complain that it is more expensive in China than in Japan, despite being manufactured locally.

10. Southwest University Faces Backlash Over “Food Delivery Monopoly”

[#西南大学外卖垄断#] [#西南大学外卖风波#] (Weibo)

Southwest University (西南大学) has sparked heated debate among students after announcing that the so-called “Xiaoshenghuo” (校生活) app (the “Campus Life” app) would become the sole authorized food delivery platform on campus. Under the new policy, outside couriers from food delivery companies like Meituan and Ele.me can no longer enter dormitory zones, with orders funneled through the designated app for secondary delivery to pickup lockers. The university said the change was meant to fix problems of lost or misplaced orders, but students worry about reduced choice, higher prices, and poorer efficiency. Reports note that the chosen company previously faced fines for food safety compliance failures, further intensifying suspicions of unfair contracting. Student feedback highlights longer delivery times, fewer restaurant options, and hidden costs—raising concerns that the school’s management measures are edging into monopoly territory.

The China Trend Watch series combines AI-powered trend detection with editorial curation. AI tools — set up and customized by What’s on Weibo — help identify top trends and draft outlines, while Manya Koetse selects what’s most noteworthy, fact-checks, rewrites, and edits for context.

Continue Reading

Popular Reads