China Insight

“This is Swedish Police!” – Sweden under Fire in China for “Brutal Abuse” of Chinese Tourists

Swedish police drag Chinese tourists out of hotel – some call them thugs, but others say it is the Chinese who were misbehaving.

Published

8 years ago

September 16, 2018

Manya Koetse

The maltreatment of a Chinese family in Stockholm earlier this month has ignited major discussions on Chinese social media, and has led to the Chinese Embassy in Sweden issuing a safety alert for Chinese tourists visiting the country. Many netizens are skeptical of the trending incident.

Over the past few days, an incident that took place in Sweden earlier this month has attracted major attention on Chinese social media.

Bystander videos going around Chinese…

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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.

17 Comments

Joachim Plahn-Andersson

September 16, 2018 at 3:52 pm

wow…china,the rest of the world is laughing at you….

Reply
- Eric
  
  September 16, 2018 at 7:12 pm
  
  Really funny bro, I am laughing at how Donald Trump is manhandling the EU with a leash around its neck like a good little doggy.
  
  Reply
youstinkofwhitepoop

September 17, 2018 at 12:55 am

why would they go to a Europe anyway if they cant even speak the local language? he can barely speak English let alone Swedish. if you’re gonna go, then you make sure you have a local Swedish guide to meet you there or you go as part of a tour group for safety. you don’t just show up with two old folks if you can’t speak the local language, you’re asking for trouble.

Reply
- World Traveler
  
  September 17, 2018 at 1:27 pm
  
  > why would they go to a Europe anyway if they cant even speak the local language?
  
  Please tell us, how many tourists going to Africa can speak the local Swahili language?
  
  What’s the percentage of tourists traveling in Japan are fluent in the Japanese language?
  
  Has there been a law requiring all tourists to India to speak and write in Hindi?
  
  Please answer. Thanks !
  
  Reply
Ingrid Lindquist

September 17, 2018 at 7:55 am

The place Skogskyrkogården is a metrostation 9 minutes drive from the center of Stockholm. They did not walk into the very beautiful cemetary close to the metro.
It would have been better if the chinese tourists communicated with the police instead of rolling around on the ground yelling. You can see how puzzled the police are. Another solution is that Chinese Embassy could set up a telephone service line to contact so the police could drive them there if the tourists want so. For chinese tourist acting normal there is no problem but if you travel alone you must be able to communicate if you cant its better to travel in a group.

Reply
Zoe

September 17, 2018 at 8:03 am

This article acts as though social media accounts are reputable sources…. They’re not. Most of this is just hear say

Reply
- admin
  
  September 19, 2018 at 5:51 am
  
  What’s on Weibo reports on Chinese social media trends and news media. We clearly state where we used what sources.
  
  Reply
Matin Smith

September 17, 2018 at 7:13 pm

ugly chinese every where, they are obnoxious, dirty and greedy people

Reply
- A.Person
  
  September 18, 2018 at 4:44 am
  
  Martin Smith what a sad and ignorant racist you are. I pity you.
  
  Reply
- Jerry
  
  September 27, 2018 at 2:45 am
  
  Please don’t make personal attacks. There are many police will help you in English, if you make trouble in China. So if the police can ask politely and gently, maybe it won’t be happened. （Advice from Chinese.）
  
  Reply
Michael

September 19, 2018 at 5:14 am

I would recommend updating this piece. As another commenter mentioned, a lot of hearsay seems to have been taken for fact. For some better reportage and details, I recommend http://inbeijing.se/bulletin/2018/09/17/all-the-details-you-need-on-the-chinese-tourists-who-were-brutality-handled-by-swedish-police/, which actually links to this piece. That article contains a lot of information, and video, that would be helpful in updating this article.

Reply
- admin
  
  September 19, 2018 at 5:54 am
  
  We’ve updated briefly; since we first published this piece on Sunday, the case has now been widely covered in international media with the latest developments. Thanks for the link.
  
  Reply
NB

September 19, 2018 at 4:34 pm

you mistranslated the swe embassy statement…

Reply
- Info@whatsonweibo.com
  
  September 20, 2018 at 4:43 am
  
  Please refresh the page. The translation has been changed on Wednesday, but the browser will cache the website. If you refresh the latest version appears. Regards, admin
  
  Reply
Mauricio

September 22, 2018 at 12:05 am

China is helping Maduro in Venezuela. I think that’s worse.

Reply
- Clive
  
  September 24, 2018 at 8:35 am
  
  What does abuse of Chinese civilians have to do with the Chinese government’s relation with Venezuela?
  
  Reply
Alex

October 2, 2018 at 5:54 am

Yup. You guys were brutalized. Not being total assholes like you normally are. Please stay home.

Reply

Chapter Dive

The French Protests, Viewed from China: Five Narratives on Chinese Social Media

From the decline of Europe to historical karma: these 5 narratives reveal how Chinese social media discusses the recent unrest in France.

Published

1 day ago

October 25, 2026

Manya Koetse

Originally published in the Eye on Digital China newsletter on Sunday, October 25, 2026.

The protests in France have been trending in China all week. The ways in which they are being discussed perhaps reveal more about Chinese views of France and Europe—and about China’s own place in the world today—than about the protests themselves. Here are five of the main narratives shaping the discussion.

Over the past week, the widespread protests and unrest in France have been trending on Chinese social media. From October 18 to today, turmoil in Paris and other cities consistently appeared in the top trending lists on Weibo, Kuaishou, and other apps, with Chinese netizens and commentators discussing the situation in various ways under numerous hashtags.

The topic remained trending all week not only because of the October 17–18 riots and their aftermath, but also because of the new round of protests on October 24, for which French authorities deployed 70,000 police officers and the Chinese embassy in France issued new warnings.

Here, we’ll take a closer look at five dominant narratives surrounding the protests in France on Chinese social media, and what this says about Chinese perceptions of France and Europe, from common ideas about the decline of Europe to the protests being a form of “historical karma.”^[1]

1. “France Has Lost Control”: A Nation in Crisis

How can a developed country like France fail to maintain basic order? One dominant framing of the recent protests on Chinese social media is that they demonstrate the French state’s inability to keep the situation under control, indicating a crisis of governance and security.

One of the highest-ranking hashtags among more than 300 trending topics on Chinese social media apps related to the unrest in France is: “France is out of control” (法国失控了). Along with hashtags like “France is in chaos again,” that hashtag first came up last Sunday on Weibo during a weekend filled with looting, arson, destruction, and violence by groups of rioters in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, and elsewhere.

The perceived weakness of President Macron’s leadership was highlighted on Chinese social media through memes and jokes mocking the leader for attending a Celine Dion concert right before the situation escalated. A commentary on Sina compared the concert to company executives holding a celebration banquet and handing out bonuses just before the firm collapses, framing the riots as a “run on…

China Insight

What Does 20 Yuan ($3) Mean Anymore? China’s Disappearing Living Rooms & the Great Laundry Debate

What does 20 yuan mean in China today? Why are traditional living rooms disappearing? And can underwear and socks be washed together? Plus, China’s latest travel trends.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 14, 2026

Manya Koetse

Welcome back to Signals, my newsletter about the slower trends, broader shifts, and cultural currents shaping Chinese society and its digital landscape. Want to receive the next edition in your inbox? Become a paid subscriber here.

It’s been some time since the last Signals newsletter, so it’s high time for a new edition. This is where I bring you the slower trends, broader shifts, and cultural currents that I’ve been keeping an eye on. Next to the more regular China Trend Watch & deeper dives, this is meant to give you a fuller picture of ongoing conversations and themes in Chinese society and the digital landscape. I hope you find it insightful!

📰 In this edition: Is Hangzhou setting an example with a ban on daytime dog-walking? China’s traditional living rooms are disappearing, what is the value of 20 yuan ($2.99) nowadays and why are people discussing it, and a resurfacing of an old debate: can socks and underwear be washed together? Also: four travel trends that stood out during this year’s National Day holiday.

📶 SHORT SIGNALS

🎬 This year has seen mind-blowing changes in the production and consumption of Chinese short dramas. Now, so many popular short dramas are AI-generated (19 out of 20 microdramas on a recent Hongguo hot list made by AI) that Chinese netizens are wondering if short-drama actors might be disappearing altogether.

💰 70% of households in China have less than 100,000 yuan (about US$14,900) in savings, according to Chinese media reports, which state that the median household savings stand at 87,000 yuan ($13,000). Only 6% – the “lucky few” (人上人) – have 300,000 ($44,800) yuan or more in liquid assets.

🐕 In main urban districts of Hangzhou, people aren’t allowed to walk their dogs during the day, and some netizens hope these strict dog-control rules will set an example for the rest of China. The local rule only allows owners of small dogs – larger breeds aren’t allowed – to walk their furry friends between 7 PM-7AM. The strict rule is supported by many, who hope other…