China Insight

“Paris is a Battlefield” – Weibo Responses to Paris Attacks (updated)

The Paris attacks on Friday 13/11, that have killed at least 40, have become trending topics all over the world. On China’s Sina Weibo, netizens are responding with shock to the shootings in France.

Published

11 years ago

November 14, 2015

Manya Koetse

The horrific Paris attacks on Friday 13/11 have become a trending topic all over the world. On China’s Sina Weibo, netizens are responding with shock to the stunning wave of violence in the capital of France. The topic is also drawing criticism from Chinese bloggers for the way Europe is handling terrorism.

The hashtags “Paris Shootings” ( #巴黎枪击#) and “Paris Terrorist Attack” (#巴黎恐怖袭击#) are trending on Weibo. As news of…

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Manya Koetse

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.

1 Comment

Sigurd

November 14, 2015 at 5:10 am

The Gov must do something,not the candles or prayers.

Reply

China Digital

How Chinese AI Videos Turned Foreigners into Villains

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Published

2 weeks ago

August 3, 2026

Manya Koetse

Welcome to China Trend Watch (Week 30–33 | 2026), where I bring you the latest trends, memes, and debates driving conversation across Chinese social media. Subscribe here to receive future editions.

Over the past few weeks, a noteworthy amount of AI-related news has been trending on Chinese social media, which is reflected in this week’s edition.

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China Insight

“Even Pigs Have AC”: The European Heatwave Through Chinese Eyes

As Europe struggles through record heat, Chinese social media is turning the story into something much bigger than the weather. Plus: the graduation speech everyone is talking about & more.

Published

1 month ago

July 5, 2026

Manya Koetse

🔥 China Trend Watch (week 26/27 | 2026) Part of Eye on Digital China, this is my premium newsletter where I explain the stories, memes, debates, and viral moments shaping online conversations in China. This edition was sent to paid subscribers — subscribe to receive the next issue in your inbox.

Here’s your weekly update on what’s been trending. In case you missed it, earlier this week I published a deep dive