Manya Koetse

Also: the Hong Kong bookstore arrests that did not go trending, AI bank cards, Haaland becoming China’s summer meme king, and a delivery rider winning the Lu Xun Literature Prize.

How viral AI videos turn racialized outsiders into threats and violent Chinese heroes into defenders of social order, China’s first nationally broadcast AI drama, and why a newspaper is being sold for 50 times its original price.

How the two-person animated film Niu Lai turned its “ugly” visuals, dreamcore nostalgia, and remarkable cinema journey into a nationwide participatory meme.

How the Nepal–Tibet floods are being discussed on Chinese social media. From solidarity and sadness over Gyirong to censorship and anger at Taiwanese, Indian, and Western media.

Quick scrolls, zooming in, and what’s on the feed: catching up on what’s been trending.

China’s defeat against Japan at the Asian Games trended on the same day as the commemoration of the Mukden Incident—not as a separate event, but as a painful reminder of the humiliation of war.

On Chinese social media, Washington’s red-carpet reception wasn't just diplomacy but read as recognition of China's restored status on the global stage.

Starbucks rebrands as “Star-Bazaar” in Urumqi—what does it say about shifting perceptions of Western brands in China? Also: a cheating sports influencer and the souvenirs that became most hated.

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 […]

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