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Chinese Signals

No Quiet Qingming: From High-Tech Tomb-Sweeping to IShowSpeed & the Seven China Streams

It’s been a week where rituals met robots, IShowSpeed’s China streams got an upgrade, and quiet was nowhere to be found.

Manya Koetse

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FROM THE WEIBO WATCH PREMIUM NEWSLETTER
 

Dear Reader,

 

It’s been a tumultuous news week, with discussions and trending topics on Chinese social media going from international events like the Myanmar earthquake or the impeachment of South Korean (former) President Yoon Suk Yeol to major discussions on the safety and abuse of the autopilot feature on electric vehicles, the US trade war, and new military exercises around Taiwan.

🧹 With so much going on,…

Manya Koetse is a sinologist, writer, and public speaker specializing in China’s social trends, digital culture, and online media ecosystems. She founded What’s on Weibo in 2013 and now runs the Eye on Digital China newsletter. Learn more at manyakoetse.com or follow her on X, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

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Chinese Signals

China’s 10 Biggest Social Media Stories of 2025

From top trends to platform scandals, these were the biggest online topics of the year.

Manya Koetse

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Entering 2026, let’s take this time to reflect on a year of social media in China and the most noteworthy trending stories.

This is a list of major controversies & online moments that not only went completely viral but were also intrinsically connected to China’s social media sphere, either because they blew up on Weibo, originated on Douyin, or would not have even come to light if it weren’t for Xiaohongshu or other Chinese…

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China Brands, Marketing & Consumers

Hasan Piker’s China Trip & the Unexpected Journey of a Chinese School Uniform to Angola

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.

Manya Koetse

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🌊 Signals — Week 47 (2025)
Part of Eye on Digital China, Signals highlights slower trends and online currents behind the daily scroll. This edition was sent to paid subscribers — subscribe to receive the next issue in your inbox.

Welcome to another edition of Eye on Digital China. Different from the China Trend Watch (check the latest one hereif you missed it), this edition, part of the new Signals series,…

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Manya Koetse (@manyapan) and powered by What’s on Weibo.
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