Featured
Weibo Watch: The Land Rover Woman Controversy Explained
‘Land Rover Woman’ is more than just the Chinese equivalent of the American ‘Karen’ meme. Understand why this viral story is shaking things up, and read about the trending topics that matter this week.
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #36
This week’s newsletter:
◼︎ 1. Editor’s Note – Landrover Woman Controversy
◼︎ 2. What’s New and Noteworthy – A closer look at featured stories
◼︎ 3. What’s Trending – Hot highlights
◼︎ 4. What’s Noteworthy – South Korean women ask for help on Weibo
◼︎ 6. What’s Popular – The contagious success of Black Myth: Wukong
◼︎ 7. What’s Memorable – Train Tyrant Woman
◼︎ 8. Weibo Word of the Week – Armless Flying Fish
Dear Reader,
One can become a meme overnight. There are many people who could tell you all about it, from the Subway Judge to the Train Tyrant. This week, it’s ‘Land Rover Woman’ who has become the latest addition to the Chinese Lexicon of Viral Incidents.
The incident, which we detailed in our recent article, occurred on August 28. In short: a woman in a white Range Rover, complete with a Chanel logo, became enraged when another driver refused to yield as she attempted to force her way into traffic while driving in the wrong direction. In the middle of a congested road, she exited her vehicle and caused a scene. She screamed, pointed, kicked the other car, and ultimately yanked open the driver’s door of the man who blocked her path, proceeding to hit him in the face. She then drove off (see video here).
Land Rover Woman during the incident.
The man, blood dripping from his nose, remained calm and did not retaliate, explaining afterward that he chose not to strike back because his children were in the back seat. The woman, identified as 36-year-old Wang from Qingdao’s Laoshan district, was subsequently handed 10 days of administrative detention and fined 1,000 yuan (approximately $140).
As footage of the incident went viral on Chinese social media, it sparked widespread debate.
The man, later revealed to be a former member of the military, spoke to reporters a day after the altercation, stating that it had left him not only physically hurt but also mentally distressed. He announced that he was preparing to take legal action against the woman and would not accept mediation.
The man, Lin, received overwhelming support from Chinese netizens, who saw the situation as an injustice on multiple levels.
Gender Dynamics
The woman physically assaulted the man, who chose not to defend himself—not because he couldn’t, but because of social norms, his responsibilities as a father, and his background in the military.
This dynamic has triggered discussions about the double standards in how aggression is viewed depending on gender and how a “real man” (真汉子) would and should respond in such a situation.
Some commenters suggested that the man “lost face” by being hit by a woman without fighting back, especially given his military background. Others argued the opposite, saying his restraint proved he truly was a “real man.”
Regardless, both perspectives agree that Chinese societal norms put the man in an unfair, vulnerable position.
Social Privilege
A major factor in the controversy revolves around social privilege. The woman’s entitled behavior—saying “So what if I hit you?” (“打你怎么了”)—and her driving a luxury 1.3 million yuan ($180,000) Range Rover with a Chanel logo contrasted sharply with Lin, a decommissioned soldier running a local guesthouse who was simply traveling with his children.
Many netizens saw this as a clear example of social class injustice, a power imbalance between a wealthy woman and a working-class man. Wang’s sense of entitlement allowed her to believe she could act violently without facing real consequences. The outrage was further amplified by Lin’s former military service, a profession meant to protect others, making the incident feel even more unjust.
Legal Disparities
Perhaps the biggest point of contention in the Land Rover Woman controversy is the perceived leniency of the punishment. The woman received 10 days of administrative detention and a small fine, but many netizens feel her actions amount to disorderly behavior (“picking quarrels and provoking trouble” 寻衅滋事罪), which has seen far harsher penalties in cases with less public impact.
The light sentence is viewed by many as a failure of the legal system to adequately address the severity of the incident, especially given the public nature of the attack and its broader social implications.
This has led to people seeking justice in their own ways. Some people started calling the Qingdao city hotline, directly expressing concerns to local authorities that the sentence given to ‘Land Rover Woman’ is too lenient. Others took matters into their own hands through digital vigilantism, attempting to track Wang’s whereabouts to ensure she was being properly detained. Earlier this week, her license plate went viral, with livestreamers filming her car as it was spotted in the streets.
Beyond the “Karen” Meme
As this incident has sparked online conversations about fairness and accountability, ‘Land Rover Woman’ has also become an internet meme.
With her black face mask, summer hat, long hair and white dress, she has become a recognizable figure, embodying the kind of woman everyone loves to hate. She’s poppping up in various photoshopped images and AI-generated videos. Even car stickers have been made featuring her image alongside the now infamous quote, “So what if I hit you?””1
Various “Land Rover Woman” AI-generated images published on Xiaohongsu.
Car sticker “So What If I Hit You?”
‘Land Rover Woman’ is more than just the Chinese equivalent of the American “Karen” meme, which depicts a stereotypically entitled, middle-aged white woman who often complains or picks fights. Land Rover Woman is not just entitled and rich, she also embodies netizens’ frustration over what they see as an imbalance in how justice is applied across gender and social class.
‘Film poster’ published on Weibo: “逆行的血案“: “The Bloody Wrong-Way Incident”
Turning her into a meme has become a form of social critique. By making Land Rover Woman part of China’s larger digital discourse, it has also become a way for netizens to seek justice. For Wang, becoming an internet meme and a target of public outrage is likely to have a far greater impact on her daily life than a ten-day detention.
Miranda Barnes contributed to the compilation and interpretation of some topics featured in this newsletter. Ruixin Zhang has authored the ‘What’s Noteworthy’ section.
Personal Note: I’ll be traveling in China for the next two weeks, so the upcoming newsletter might arrive a bit later than usual. However, rest assured, I’ll return with fresh insights. Not long ago, I covered the ‘robotaxi revolution’ in Wuhan, now the world’s largest city for driverless taxis. I’ll be heading there to explore the latest AI trends and see the developments firsthand. Have any specific questions about robotaxis? Let me know!
Best,
Manya Koetse
(@manyapan)
1 AI images from Xiaohongshu by AI老白, 忙到七点的麻辣香锅, 视野洞见PPT. Car sticker images by 小文分享.
What’s New
The Paralympic File | Following China’s golden success at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the spotlight now shifts to the Paralympics (残奥会), running from August 28 to September 8, 2024. While not as widely followed as the Olympics, the Paralympics still garnered significant attention on Chinese social media, where many athletes are celebrated not so much as national heroes, but as champions of their home regions.
Road Rage | What possessed the female driver of a Land Rover to drive against traffic, cut in line, and assault another driver? This incident has dominated trending topics on Chinese social media over the past week—not just because of the woman’s behavior, but also because of how the victim responded and the legal fallout. See article, video link included.
Bump in the Road | A viral court case in China has sparked debate after a female employee was fired shortly after announcing her pregnancy. While the company cited “poor performance,” the courts ruled in her favor. The case highlights the ongoing issue of pregnancy discrimination in Chinese workplaces, but also reveals the mixed feelings people have about women who may be seen as taking advantage of the system.
What’s Trending
🛑 Edible Oil Scandal Update & Goji Controversy
On August 25, China’s State Council Food Safety Office, alongside several other government agencies, released the results of their investigation into a cooking oil scandal that shocked the nation earlier this year. The scandal involved edible oil being transported in tankers that had previously carried chemicals and waste, raising serious food safety concerns. The investigation uncovered multiple violations of food safety laws across Hebei, Tianjin, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi, including failures to properly clean tankers before transporting food products and attempts to cover up these actions. Nationwide inspections reportedly have not found similar issues in other regions so far. The government has since imposed significant penalties, including a $400,000 fine on Sinograin Oil and a total of $1.1 million in fines on six other logistics and edible oil companies. Additionally, criminal charges have been filed against two drivers involved in the illegal activities.
While people are still concerned about the safety of their cooking oil, another food safety controversy has popped up again. CCTV-2 recently exposed that some merchants in Gansu have been illegally using industrial sulfur to fumigate goji berries to enhance their appearance and boost profits. Industrial sulfur, which contains high levels of arsenic, is not approved for food processing. Though the berries may look appealing, they are toxic, further fueling netizens’ fears about hidden dangers in other food products.
💍 Huang Zitao’s Three Years of Mourning
Chinese celebrity Huang Zitao (黄子韬) has been the center of attention lately. The former EXO member recently announced his engagement to fellow singer Xu Yiyang (徐艺洋). Both artists appeared on the reality show Dare Or Not, where Huang’s proposal to Xu was featured in the final episode. The couple had publicly confirmed their relationship in July, following years of dating rumors.
It has now come to light that Huang Zitao allegedly chose to observe a three-year mourning period in honor of his late father before announcing any major personal news. After the mourning period ended, he began preparing to publicly share his relationship and marriage plans. Huang’s father unexpectedly passed away in 2020, and the revelation about Huang observing a mourning period has sparked conversations about upholding traditional family values. However, some skeptical voices suggest that Huang is only using filial piety as a way to explain why he previously denied being in a relationship.
🙏 Man Killed at Gaomi Nightmarket
A shocking incident took place on August 28th in Gaomi (高密), a county-level city in eastern China’s Shandong Province. Videos shared online captured how a seemingly minor argument between two men at a night market escalated into a horrifying tragedy.
Initially, the altercation seemed minor, as a man argued with a market vendor who was there with his wife and child. However, the situation took a tragic turn when the man suddenly grabbed a large knife and fatally attacked the vendor in front of his family and numerous bystanders. The man was decapitated in the attack. Police have urged people to stop sharing videos of the incident. The attacker, a 36-year-old local, has been detained. Social media discussions have largely centered on the idea that the crime occurred in a moment of uncontrollable rage. While one life was lost and another family devastated, the lives of the wife and young son, who witnessed the horrific killing of their husband and dad, will be forever changed.
🐸 From Eyelid Surgery to Sad Frog
“How am I supposed to face people looking like this?” The story of a certain Ms. Yuan from Guiyang went top trending on Weibo recently. The Chinese woman spent 20,000 yuan ($2820) on a double eyelid surgery, a procedure that creates a crease in the upper eyelid to give the appearance of larger, more defined eyes – it’s very popular among women in East Asia for cosmetic reasons. However, in this case, the procedure turned out differently than expected.
The procedure was poorly executed and had created an overly wide crease, which gave the woman’s eyes a somewhat exaggerated, bulging appearance. “I look like a sad frog,” the woman told reporters. She made the news after filing an official complaint about the wide crease. The topic became popular because the “Sad frog” is a well-known online meme, but others also took this news as a warning: be careful about choosing a reputable clinic for cosmetic surgeries.
⚽ 0-7 Soccer Match Between China and Japan
One Weibo hashtag about China’s national soccer team losing 0-7 to Japan in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers garnered over 360 million views in a single day on Thursday (#国足0比7日本#). Regardless of what is said about the spirit of sports, soccer inevitably gets dragged into the political arena, and in the case of China versus Japan, this match is particularly sensitive for Chinese audiences, bringing up associations of national pride linked to historical conflicts and more recent geopolitical tensions. Perhaps losing wasn’t the biggest issue, but losing with a 0-7 score—the biggest-ever loss to Japan in Chinese soccer—certainly was.
On Weibo, many found the outcome of the match unacceptable, not just because it was against Japan, but because they felt China’s overall performance was disappointing and ill-prepared for Japan’s attacking strategies. All things considered, 0-7 isn’t too bad—there was a trending match in 2014 during the Beijing Cup between Haidian and Fangshan junior teams that ended with a 47-0 score.
What’s Noteworthy
An unusual plea recently appeared on Weibo as several South Korean accounts urgently called for help. Using translation tools, these women reached out to Chinese netizens, raising awareness and seeking support to combat the sexual exploitation of girls and women in South Korea related to the ongoing “Deepfake Room” scandal.
The deepfake scandal centers around online chat groups where AI was used to generate countless pornographic images by manipulating real photos of South Korean female students and schoolgirls, all without their consent. These images were then shared in Telegram chatrooms, some with thousands of members—one reportedly had 220,000 participants. The scandal has ignited national outrage, with growing calls for stricter regulations on apps like Telegram and harsher punishments for those involved.
These posts quickly gained significant attention on Chinese social media, sparking discussions about similar issues in China, such as the widespread problem of men secretly filming women with hidden cameras in places like dressing rooms and public transport, with the footage often shared online. Many Chinese netizens voiced their support, urging East Asian women to stand together and protect each other from such threats.
What’s Popular
The success of the Chinese game Black Myth: Wukong (黑神话悟空) continues to snowball, becoming a true national sensation. Officially released on August 20 after years in development, the game has exceeded all expectations. Within an hour of its release, it topped Steam’s “Most Played” list, with over 2 million concurrent players.
According to recent data, the game, based on the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West, has been selling around 400,000 copies per day on the American gaming platform Steam over the past two weeks, with no signs of slowing down.
Chinese brands and tourism sites are also benefiting from the success of Black Myth: Wukong, China’s first major ‘AAA’ blockbuster game. The Luckin Coffee chain collaborated with the game to launch a special drink and merchandise. The collaboration drew huge crowds, and the merchandise sold out nationwide in seconds, reportedly almost crashing Luckin’s system. Various scenic sites in Shanxi that appear in the game, from temples to gorges, have also seen a significant boost in tourism.
What’s Memorable
In light of the Land Rover Woman controversy, our archive pick this week takes us back to a popular story from September 2018. A female passenger’s refusal to give up her seat on a high-speed train ignited a wave of reactions on Chinese social media. Dubbed the “High-Speed Train Tyrant Woman” (#高铁霸座女#), her rude behavior quickly went viral. Netizens drew comparisons to a similar incident involving a male passenger earlier that year, sparking a flood of memes featuring the two “train tyrants.”
Weibo Word of the Week
Armless Flying Fish | Our Weibo word of the week is 无臂飞鱼 (wú bì fēi yú), which translates to ‘Armless Flying Fish.’
During the Paralympics, some Chinese athletes have been nicknamed “Armless Flying Fish” by Chinese netizens and media to metaphorically describe their extraordinary ability to “fly” underwater despite their disabilities.
The athlete currently receiving the most attention with this nickname is Para swimmer Guo Jincheng (郭金城), who won five medals, including three gold, at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. The 23-year-old from Hebei Province lost both arms in an accident at the age of five. Since joining the swim team at age 12, Guo has trained nearly every day, focusing not only on body strength but also on breathing techniques to help him swim longer without needing to come up for air.
Another Chinese para athlete, Lu Dong (卢冬), has also been dubbed the ‘Armless Flying Fish’ for her incredible speed in the water despite her disability. At 32, Lu continues to excel—having already won numerous medals throughout her career.
Para swimmer Yuan Weiyi (袁伟译) is another athlete who has earned the “Armless Flying Fish” nickname for transcending boundaries and winning multiple medals over the course of his career.
The original ‘Armless Flying Fish’ is Chinese swimmer Zheng Tao (郑涛), who set a world record by winning four gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Zheng lost his arms due to an electric shock when he was a child but did not let this prevent him from achieving remarkable success.
This is an on-site version of the Weibo Watch newsletter by What’s on Weibo. Missed last week’s newsletter? Find it here. If you are already subscribed to What’s on Weibo but are not yet receiving this newsletter in your inbox, please contact us directly to let us know.
China Society
China Trend Watch: From a Hospital in Crisis to Chaotic Pig Feasts
From 5,000 people crashing a rural pig feast in Chongqing to the collective effort to save Yanran Angel hospital.
🔥 China Trend Watch (1.22.26)
Part of Eye on Digital China by Manya Koetse, China Trend Watch is an overview of what’s trending and being discussed on Chinese social media. The previous newsletter was a deep dive into the Dead Yet? app phenomenon. This edition was sent to paid subscribers — subscribe to receive the next issue in your inbox.
However, there are dozens of other topics being discussed on Chinese social media that actually aren’t about the US or the shifting geopolitical landscape. From football to pig-slaughter feasts, from a Henan grandpa in Paris to the latest birth rates, there is an entire world of topics out there that’s blissfully unconnected to anything happening in Washington or Davos — with many of these discussions signaling bigger social stories unfolding in China today. Let’s dive in.
Quick Scroll
- 🐶 “Eat more dog meat,” a local Community Health Service Center in Ya’an advised in a seasonal health text, suggesting it would help people stay healthy & warm during cold weather. The message sparked controversy among dog lovers online. The center later apologized and issued a corrected version, replacing dog meat with lamb, beef, and chestnuts.
- ⚽ Chinese goalkeeper Li Hao (李昊) is the man of the moment after China’s under-23 national football team beat Vietnam (0-3) and advanced to the final of the AFC U23 Asian Cup. It marks the first time since 2004 that any Chinese men’s national team (at any level) has reached the final of a continental tournament. In the final, China will face Japan.
- 👶 China’s latest birth data for 2025 are in, showing yet another record low. The birth rate fell to 5.63 per 1,000 people, with 7.92 million babies born last year — a 17% year-on-year decline.
- 💸 An “underground” private tutoring operation in Beijing has been hit with a staggering fine of more than 67 million yuan (US$9.6 million) for offering after-school classes without official approval. It’s the highest fine so far under China’s “Double Reduction” policy, introduced in 2021 to curb private tutoring and ease academic pressure on students.
- 🕯️ He Jiaolong (贺娇龙), a Xinjiang local official who was at the forefront of Chinese officials livestreaming & promoting their regions in creative online ways, died this week after a fatal fall from a horse during work-related filming. She was 47 years old.
- 🎭 Another death that trended this week was that of renowned Chinese comedian Yang Zhenhua (杨振华, b. 1936), a crosstalk (相声) artist remembered for his classic performances and widely regarded as a cultural icon.
- 🏛️ A child abuse case that has haunted Chinese netizens for the past two years has come to a close. Xu Jinhua (许金花), the stepmother who tortured and starved her 12-year-old stepdaughter, known as “Qiqi,” to death, was executed on January 20. Xu was sentenced to death in April 2025, and her appeal was rejected last November.
What Really Stood Out This Week
1. Mass Shutdowns of Local Chinese Pig-Slaughter Feasts
Annual pig feasts are traditionally meant to be a source of community bonding and ritual exchange. But for many towns and districts, páozhūyàn (刨猪宴), traditional pig-slaughter feasts, have now become a source of concern, leading to shutdowns of local events across multiple provinces.
The story begins on January 9, when a farmer’s daughter nicknamed Daidai (呆呆) from Hezhou in Chongqing posted a lighthearted message on Douyin asking whether people could help with her family’s pig slaughter, saying her old dad would not be able to hold down the two pigs. In return, she promised to treat helpers to “pork soup and rice,” adding: “To be honest, I just want the road in front of my house to be packed with cars, even more than at a wedding. I want to finally prove myself in the village!”
Two days later, on January 11, when the pig feast took place, Daidai got more than she had asked for. Not only was the road in front of her home packed with cars — the entire village was completely blocked as over 1,000 cars and some 5,000 visitors arrived. With two pigs nowhere near enough, five pigs ended up being slaughtered. Livestreamers flooded the scene, Daidai’s name was quickly trademarked, and before she knew it, she had entered internet history — including her own Baidu page — as the girl who turned a local gathering into a national feast.
Daidai (middle) hadn’t expected her call for help with slaughtering two pigs would end up in 5000 people coming to her town.
By now, the incident has spiraled into a much bigger issue, as others in the Sichuan–Chongqing region want to replicate the viral success of Hechuan, creating chaos and sometimes unsafe situations by turning neighborhood moments into tourist activities. This has led to a series of events being canceled or shut down.
On January 14, a planned páozhūyàn, initiated by local influencer Jia Laolian (假老练) in Longquanyi District in Chengdu, had to be canceled at the last minute after thousands of people registered to attend. On January 17, an online influencer in Caijiagang Subdistrict, Chongqing, also held a free pig-slaughter feast that quickly led to potentially dangerous overcrowding. Police shut it down. Another event took place in Ziyang, where 8,000 people had registered to attend while there were only 200 parking spaces available. There were more.
The current hype surrounding these pig-slaughter events reflects a sense of urban–rural nostalgia for local traditions and human connections, but probably says more about how viral tourism in China has worked since the frenzy surrounding Zibo: at lightning speed, influencers and local tourism bureaus jump onto fast-moving trends, hoping to get their own viral moment and, quite literally, piggyback on it.
While these moments can create a moment of hype, the downsides are clear: a lack of oversight, weak crowd management, intrusion to local communities, and lives being suddenly disrupted. For now, ‘Daidai’ has gained about two million users on her social media account. She says she hopes to do “something meaningful” with her online influence and has become an organic ambassador for Hechuan. At the same time, she also wants some calm after the storm, saying:“The Zhaozhu Yan in Heichuan has concluded successfully. I hope everyone can return to their normal lives. I also hope my parents can go back to their previous life—I don’t want them dragged into the internet world.”
2. How a Hospital Crisis Won China’s Trust
Usually, when news emerges about Chinese celebrities facing debts or court papers, it signals a serious blow to their reputation. But in a case that trended over the past week involving Chinese actor/businessman Li Yapeng (李亚鹏) and singer/pop icon Faye Wong (Wang Fei 王菲), the opposite is true.
Li and Wong were previously married and are parents to a daughter born with a cleft lip and palate. Their experiences in getting treatment and surgery for their daughter led them to become deeply involved with the efforts to help other children. In 2006, they founded the Yanran Angel Foundation (嫣然天使基金). A few years later, they established the Yanran Angel Children’s Hospital (嫣然天使儿童医院), China’s first privately-operated non-profit children’s hospital, providing surgeries, orthodontics, speech therapy, and other support to thousands of children—many of them at no cost for underprivileged families.
For the first ten years that Li and his team leased the hospital location, the landlord provided them with heavily discounted rent as a sign of his goodwill. In 2019, that agreement ended, and the rent doubled to market value at 11 million yuan per year (over US$1.5 million). But then Covid hit, and while the hospital still had all of its staffing and lease costs, surgeries were postponed.
On January 14 this year, Li Yapeng posted a lengthy video on his Douyin account titled “The Final Confrontation” (最后的面对), in which he explains how they fell behind on their rent since 2022, now finding themselves in a debt of 26 million yuan (over US$1.5 million) and facing a court judgement that leaves them with little choice but to vacate the premises and shut the hospital down.
Something that struck a chord with netizens is how Li, who bears joint liability for the unpaid rent, made no excuses and openly acknowledged his legal obligations, while at the same time emphasizing his personal sense of responsibility to ensure that children waiting for surgery would still receive the help that had been promised to them.
Public perception of Li Yapeng, who was previously seen as a failed businessman, transformed overnight. He was suddenly hailed as a hero who had quietly devoted himself to charity all this time, while accumulating personal debts.
Donations started flooding in. Within two days, over 180,000 people had donated a total of 9 million yuan (US$1.3 million), and by January 19 this had grown to more than 310,000 people supporting the hospital with nearly 20 million yuan (US$2.8 million). Beyond direct donations, netizens also supported Li Yapeng by tuning into his e-commerce livestreams. One businessman from Jiangsu even offered 30,000 square meters of free space for the hospital to relocate.
Meanwhile, netizens began wondering why Faye Wong, Li’s ex-wife with whom he had founded the foundation and hospital, was staying quiet. Just as some started to label her a diva who no longer cared about the cause, a 2023 audit report revealed that since divorcing Li Yapeng in 2013, she had been anonymously donating to the fund every year for a decade, totaling more than 32.6 million yuan (US$4.6 million) to cover rent and staff salaries.
There are many aspects to this story that have caused it to go viral, and that make it particularly noteworthy. It is not just the turnaround in public sentiment regarding Li and Faye Wong, but also the fact that people are more willing to donate to a cause they genuinely believe in. Although Li and Wong’s foundation technically falls under the Red Cross system, that organization has faced significant criticism and public distrust in China over the years.
What also helps are the personal stories shared on social media by those who have had direct experience with the hospital, or who know people working there. These include deeply moving accounts from families who saw all their savings depleted while trying to get proper care for their three-year-old child born with a cleft lip, then traveling for days from Gansu to Beijing with little more than a sliver of hope—only to learn that their child would not only receive surgery for free, but that the hospital would also help cover temporary lodging and travel costs. Many feel that causes like this are rare, and deserve to continue.
After years of stories about celebrities evading taxes, good causes misspending money, and corruption getting mixed up with charity, this is a story that restores trust — showing that some celebrities truly care, that some charities do turn every penny into help for those in need, and that netizens can genuinely make a difference. “This is the most heartwarming news at the start of the year,” one Weibo commenter wrote.
For now, it remains unclear whether the hospital can remain at its current location, but operations continue, and negotiations are ongoing. Fundraising has been paused for the time being, as annual donation targets have already been exceeded.
3. The Sudden Death of a 32-Year-Old Programmer and the Renewed Debate Over China’s Tech Overtime Culture
The sudden death of a 32-year-old programmer who worked at a tech company in Guangzhou is sparking discussion these days, as his death is being linked to the extreme overtime work culture in China’s tech sector.
The story is attracting online attention mainly because his wife, using the nickname “Widow” (遗孀), has been documenting her grieving journey on social media, sharing stories about how she misses her late husband and the things she wishes had gone differently. He was always working late, and she often asked him to come home when he still hadn’t returned by 10:00, 11:00 p.m., or even midnight.
Gao Guanghui (高广辉) worked as a software engineer and department manager. Despite his “seriously overloaded” working schedule, his now-widowed wife describes their life together as “very happy.”
On Saturday, November 29, 2025, the day of his passing, Gao mentioned that although he was feeling unwell, he still had work matters with approaching deadlines to handle. Browser records show that he accessed the company’s internal system at least five times that morning before fainting and experiencing sudden urinary incontinence.
While preparing to go to the hospital, Gao reportedly urged his wife to bring his laptop with them so that he could finish his tasks. However, he collapsed before the two had even gotten into the car. Despite an ambulance arriving at 9:14 a.m. and efforts to save him, he passed away two hours later. He died of cardiac arrest, and hospital records note his high-pressure, long-hour work schedule.
Even in the final moments of his life, work continued to intrude. Gao was added to a work WeChat group at 10:48 a.m., while hospital staff were still attempting to resuscitate him. Hours after his death was declared, colleagues continued to send him work messages, including one at 9:09 p.m. asking him to urgently fix an issue.
Making matters worse, Gao’s widow says that in the second week after his death, his company had already processed his resignation and disposed of his belongings. The items that were sent to her were crushed and poorly packed. To this day, she says she has received no apology, no compensation, no replacement items, and none of her husband’s missing belongings.
Visuals dedicated to Gao, shared on Xiaohongshu.
On social media, people are angry. Reading about Gao’s life story — and how he was always a hard worker, sometimes working two jobs at a time — many comments indicate that it is often the most dedicated ones who get pressured the most. They see him as a victim of tech companies like CVTE that go against official guidelines and perpetuate a work culture where working overtime becomes the norm, only leading to more workload.
This is not the first time such a story has gone viral. In 2021, the death of an employee who worked at Pinduoduo triggered similar discussions about strenuous “996” schedules (working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days per week).
Similar deaths include the 2011 case of 25-year-old PwC auditor Pan Jie, whose story went viral on Sina Weibo after doctors concluded that overwork may have played a crucial role in her death. Likewise, the at-desk death of a 24-year-old Ogilvy employee in Beijing and the 2016 death of Jin Bo, deputy editor-in-chief of one of China’s leading online forums, also prompted calls for greater public awareness of the risks of overwork — especially among young professionals.
On the Feed
“Paris Without the Filter”
“Filter-Free Paris,” or “Paris without a filter” (素颜巴黎), unexpectedly went viral after a grandpa from China’s Henan province, traveling with a senior tour group, shared his unfiltered and casual photos of rainy Paris. In an age when European travel photos are often heavily filtered and glamorized on Chinese social media, many found the grandpa’s grey, plain images of the “City of Romance” not only amusing but also refreshingly honest.
Seen Elsewhere
• A Chinese state media editorial framed the Greenland dispute as a “wake-up call” for Europe to reduce its reliance on the US. (CHINA DAILY)
• Why Western “Chinamaxxing” and “very Chinese time” memes say more about a “decay of the American dream” than about China itself. (WIRED)
• WIRED seems to be at a “very Chinese time” itself, and also launched its China issue, introducing 23 ways you’re already living in the ‘Chinese Century.’ (WIRED)
Title/Image via Wired, Andria Lo
• As Trump sows division, China says it’s the calm, dependable leader the world needs. (CNN)
• Nostalgia for the Cultural Revolution has become one of the few legally viable means of resistance, according to Shijie Wang. (CHINATALK)
That’s a wrap! Thanks for reading.
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— Manya
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China World
Trump, Taiwan & The Three-Body Problem: How Chinese Social Media Frames the US Strike on Venezuela
How Chinese social media is making sense of the first geopolitical shockwaves of 2026.
2026 hasn’t exactly seen a peaceful start. In a shocking turn of geopolitical events, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was captured by the US on Saturday. Facing narco-terrorism charges, he was flown to New York, where he is still being held in custody alongside his wife, Cilia Flores. President Trump announced that the United States would be taking control in Venezuela, stating they are going to “get the oil flowing.”
Maduro has pleaded not guilty to the charges during an initial hearing in federal court. Meanwhile, Maduro ally Delcy Rodríguez was formally sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president, while up to 50 million barrels of oil resources are set to go to the US.
Further shaking up geopolitical tensions were Donald Trump’s comments suggesting an American takeover of Greenland, arguing that the US needs to control Greenland to ensure the security of the NATO territory in the face of rising threats from China and Russia in the Arctic.
On Chinese social media, these developments have been dominating trending lists, with “Greenland” (格陵兰岛), “military force” (武力), “Trump” (特朗普), “Venezuela” (委内瑞拉), and “Maduro” (马杜罗) among the hottest keywords across various platforms from January 6 to today.
So what is the main gist of these discussions? From official reactions to dominant interpretive frames used by Chinese commentators and bloggers, there are various angles that are highlighted the most. I’ll explore them here.
🔴 China’s Official Response: Stressing Sovereignty & Strategic Ties
Chinese officials strongly condemned the capture of the Venezuelan president. Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) stated in Beijing on Sunday that China has never accepted the idea that any country has the right to act as an “international police” or an “international judge.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for Maduro’s immediate release.
Spokesperson Lin Jian (林剑) described the strikes on Venezuela as “a grave violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations,” while spokesperson Mao Ning (毛宁) condemned what she called the United States’ “long-standing and illegal sanctions” on Venezuela’s oil sector.
These statements match the broader trajectory of China–Venezuela relations.
Over the past decades, particularly since Xi Jinping’s leadership began, the relationship between the two countries has evolved from a basic economic partnership into a more strategically significant one.
During Maduro’s 2023 visit to Beijing, the two sides elevated China–Venezuela ties to a so-called “all-weather strategic partnership” (全天候战略伙伴关系), signaling close, deep, and broad bilateral relations that go beyond a general partnership, with oil cooperation as a central pillar. (In 2025 alone, Venezuela exported around 470,000 barrels per day of crude oil to China.)
Following China’s condemnation of the US actions, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Gil expressed gratitude for China’s support, underscoring their bilateral friendship.
Beyond the official response to the recent developments, there are three main frameworks within which the ‘Trump turmoil’ is discussed on Chinese social media.
🔴 Three Main Angles in China’s Online Debate
🔷 1. Major Power Politics & US Aggression
Chinese media commentators are calling Trump’s capture of Maduro a potential “major turning point” for the world. While many described the developments as a sign that “the world has gone crazy” (这个世界太疯狂了), those trying to make sense of what happened see the US move as a warning: that relatively weak countries may increasingly become playgrounds for major powers & potential targets of US aggression.
Within this reading, China is portrayed as the most stable and peaceful superpower, increasingly important in a future multipolar world order.
On the popular podcast Qiánliáng Hútòng FM (钱粮胡同), recent developments were discussed as part of America’s dominant behavior on the world stage over decades. The hosts argued that, unlike previous US leaders, Trump is far less secretive about his goals and, in this case, no longer even follows the process of seeking UN authorization or congressional approval.
Similar views appeared elsewhere, including in a trending Bilibili video by the political commentary channel Looking at America from the Inside (内部看美国), which described the Venezuela raid not as an endpoint, but as a “signal” of what is yet to come, as the US, sensing structural decline, increasingly acts reactively rather than strategically.
Zhihu author Fēng Lěng Mù Shī (枫冷慕诗), whose post rose in the platform’s popularity charts on Wednesday, also framed the moment as pivotal. While the US may once have held the upper hand, they argue, other countries now have an actual choice in which side to take in a world ruled by superpowers. They write:
💬 “If the US truly had the strength to crush everyone and dominate everything completely, it might still be able to control global affairs. But now, with the rise of China, countries bullied by the US have new choices. If you were one of them, what would you choose? To cooperate with a bandit who might kill you with an axe at any moment? Or to cooperate with a reasonable businessman who follows the rules? I believe any rational person would make the obvious choice.“1
Social media posts made with AI featuring “Know-It-All Trump” or “The King of Understanding.”
At the same time, US behavior also became a source of banter. Some netizens, from Bilibili to Xiaohongshu, posted about “The Know-It-All King” (懂王 Dǒng Wáng—a Chinese nickname for Trump reflecting his often-quoted claims to understand complex issues better than anyone) as a comical villain on a shopping spree for new territories to conquer.
Weibo post: a creative solution to the Greenland issue?
One poster offered a creative solution to the Greenland issue:
💬 “Regarding Greenland, a simple diplomatic solution would be for Barron Trump [Trump’s son, b. 2006] to marry Princess Isabella [of Denmark, b. 2007], with Greenland given to the United States as the dowry. 😁”
🔷 2. The Taiwan Parallel
Taiwan also quickly entered the discussion. In English-language media, some commentators suggested that the raid on Venezuela could smooth and accelerate Beijing’s path toward taking Taiwan.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office firmly rejected such comparisons. Spokesperson Chen Binhua (陈斌华) emphasized that the Taiwan issue is China’s internal affair and fundamentally different from Venezuela’s situation. Many social media commenters also argued that comparing Venezuela to Taiwan makes little sense, stressing that Venezuela is a sovereign state while Taiwan is considered a province of China.
Even so, Taiwan continues to surface in discussions on Venezuela in various ways. Some users jokingly suggested that the US has now provided a “copy-paste example” of what a tactically impressive raid might look like, while others more seriously draw comparisons between the arrest of Maduro and a hypothetical arrest of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.
The central question in these debates, also raised by Taiwanese media commentator Hou Han-ting (侯汉廷), is this: if Lai Ching-te were captured alive in Beijing today, what right would the United States have to object? A common view in these discussions is that Trump’s actions lower the threshold for such scenarios and implicitly pave the way for China’s ‘reunification’ with Taiwan.
This reading seems to sharply contrast Washington’s own framing. In a speech on Monday, US Defense Secretary Hegseth described China as the US’s primary competitor and claimed that America is “reestablishing deterrence that’s so absolute and so unquestioned that our enemies will not dare to test us.”
On Chinese social media, however, this claim is openly questioned: does the raid on Venezuela actually deter China or Russia, or does it instead give them greater freedom of action?
💬 As political commentator Hu Xijin wrote on Weibo: “Americans might do well to ask the Taiwan authorities, and look at the global media commentaries, if the US military action in Venezuela has made the Democratic Progressive Party authorities pushing Taiwan independence feel more secure, or more anxious?”2
🔷 3. Little Europe and the Big Striped Wolf
A third major angle centers on Europe’s role. Hu Xijin has been particularly active in commenting on these developments, especially after Tuesday’s joint statement by the leaders of seven European countries pushing back against Trump’s Greenland remarks.
Hu described the moment as one of “unprecedented turmoil within the Western bloc” and, with Denmark (including Greenland) being a NATO member, as a signal of “the collapse of the so-called ‘values alliance’.”3 This idea was further strengthened by Trump’s withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, alongside exits from 65 other organizations, which he described as “contrary to the interests of the United States.”
On Chinese social media, Europe is, on the one hand, seen as one of the weakest actors in this geopolitical episode, while at the same time being criticized as the biggest “hypocrite.”
This week’s joint statement—and Europe’s broader position—are framed as weak due to Europe’s structural dependence on the US.
Weibo commentator Zhang Jun (@买家张俊) argues that Europe leans on a “rules-based international order” which, in reality, would amount to little more than a “US-based order” should Trump succeed in taking Greenland. At the same time, the European statement lacked economic sanctions or concrete follow-up measures, amounting to little more than mere rhetoric.
💬 As one nationalistic account put it: “Europe wonders why, even after kneeling down and licking America’s shoes, it still ends up getting hit.”4
Europe is mainly criticized for being “hypocritical” for remaining largely silent on Venezuela, while forcefully defending Greenland’s sovereignty once Trump turned his attention there.
Britain, in particular, has been singled out in Chinese media narratives surrounding the developments in Venezuela. Guancha ran a piece accusing the BBC of instructing journalists not to use the word “kidnap” when describing Maduro’s capture, suggesting the broadcaster was “whitewashing” the US’s illegal actions. It also pointed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response in a BBC interview, describing his comments on US actions against Venezuela as “playing tai chi” (打起了太极)—a Chinese idiom for being evasive and dodging the question.
One Weibo user (@突破那一天) noted that a Jan 5 speech by Foreign Secretary Cooper appeared to frame US actions as contextually justified, while simultaneously stressing that Greenland’s future is a matter solely for Greenlanders and Danes—accusing her of applying a double standard on sovereignty and speaking out clearly only when the target is a Western ally.
Other users summed up Europe’s role as one of “deceiving others and deceiving themselves” (自欺欺人).
Another commenter suggested that Europe has been so focused on perceived threats from Russia and China while throwing itself into America’s arms, that it failed to notice the real danger. “Oh Europe, little piggy Europe,” they mocked. “You’ve let the wolf into the house.”
🔴 “You Think the US Invasion of Venezuela is None of Your Concern?”
How unexpected was the American military operation in Venezuela, really? One final aspect that trended online was how eerily familiar it all felt.
In the second book of the popular 2008 Chinese sci-fi trilogy The Three-Body Problem, author Liu Cixin (刘慈欣) described a scenario in which Venezuela, ruled by the fictional President Manuel Rey Diaz, is attacked by the US. That Venezuela storyline from the sci-fi novel has become widely discussed for its parallels to the current developments.
The Three Body Problem from 2008 featured a storyline about the US invading Venezuela.
The famous Japanese anime series Black Jack (怪医黑杰克) by Osamu Tezuka (1928–89) also went trending for featuring a fictional plot that many netizens see as strikingly similar to what happened in Venezuela.
It involves the president of the United Federation, named Kelly, citing “global justice” to justify cross-border airstrikes on the presidential residence of the small, oil-rich fictional country Republic of Aldiga, before arresting its leader, General Cruz. Some netizens noted how the blond President “Kelly” even somewhat resembles Trump.
Scenes from Black Jack (怪医黑杰克) by Osamu Tezuka
(Some commenters argued that Osamu Tezuka was not predicting the future so much as drawing on an already familiar pattern of US interventions abroad, and that the character “Kelly” was more likely modeled on Ronald Reagan.)
In Liu Cixin’s Three-Body Problem, there’s a classic line told by retired Beijing teacher Yang Jinwen to former construction worker Zhang Yuanchao, who dismisses world news as “irrelevant”. In the book, Yang tells him:
📖 “Every major national and international issue, every major national policy, and every UN resolution is connected to your life, through both direct and indirect channels. You think the US invasion of Venezuela is none of your concern? I say it has more than a penny’s worth of lasting implications for your pension.”5
In the current situation, some netizens think that the quote needs to be rewritten. In 2026, it would be:
💬“Do you really think the US arresting Venezuela’s president Maduro, conflicts in the Middle East, tensions across the Taiwan Strait, or Europe’s energy crisis are none of your concern? Don’t be naive. They drive up electricity bills, food prices, and mortgage rates. In the end, what gets drained is both your wallet and your future retirement security.”
It’s clear that many people are, in fact, deeply concerned about these geopolitical developments. As some have noted, science fiction is not always about distant futures. Sometimes, it turns out, we are already living in them.
In Liu Cixin’s version of the story, ‘Rey Diaz’ drives the Americans away through a united fight of the people, breaking the streak of victories by major powers over developing countries and turning the Venezuelan president into a hero of his time.
This story, I suspect, is going to end very differently. For now, it is still being written.🔚
By Manya Koetse
(follow on X, LinkedIn, or Instagram)
1 “如果说美国人有实力碾压一切，彻底的一家独大，那或许他还可以继续操控世界的局势，但如今随着咱们的崛起，全世界被美国欺凌的国家就有了新的选择，假如你是他们，你会做出什么样的决定? 是和一个随时会砍死你的强盗合作？还是和一个讲道理讲规则的生意人合作？我觉得所有的正常人都会做出合理的判断.”
2 “美国人最好问一问台湾当局，也看一看世界媒体的评论：美军在委内瑞拉的行动究竟让推动“台独”的民进党当局更加安心了，还是更加惶恐不安了?”
3 “欧洲7国领导人和丹麦领导人共同发表声明,反对美国吞并格陵兰岛,这标志着西方集团前所未有的内乱以及 它们的所谓”价值同盟”面临崩溃.”
4 “欧洲：我都跪下舔美国鞋子了、你为什么还要打我.”
5 “我告诉你老张，所有的国家和世界大事，国家的每一项重大决策，联合国的每一项决议，都会通过各种直接或间接的渠道和你的生活发生关系。你以为美国入侵委内瑞拉与你没关系?我告诉你，这事儿对你退休金的长远影响可不止半分钱”
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