Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

China’s soft power

China’s soft power
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China’s soft power. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
(From left) Donnie Wong, Andrew Bui and Mihi Matshingana are among a surge of Cantonese-speaking influencers making a splash on social media this year. Photos: Donnie Wong, Andrew Bui, Frites Macau
Cantonese

Want to learn Cantonese? These influencers are sparking a Canto revival

Influencers like Uncle Donnie, Andrew Bui and Mihi Matshingana are connecting a Cantonese-speaking diaspora and inspiring learning.

China economy

Opinion | China’s brands must outgrow diaspora bubble to hit soft power potential

videocam
China-Africa relations

How China is using film diplomacy to project a better image across Africa

videocam
17
Hong Kong stock market

What Labubu fatigue? Star investor buys bigger stake in Pop Mart

China’s answer to Warren Buffett now owns a 7.65 per cent stake in the toy brand, despite a lukewarm reception for the new Labubu Hair Salon series.

Art exhibition ‘Shining Journey – Tracing Molly’s Starlight Footprint’ was held at Dolphin Square in Hong Kong’s shopping district, Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Sam Tsang
Diplomacy

Opinion | Slowly but surely, China’s soft power is making itself felt

With trusted businesses, more openness, creative culture and inspiring sporting successes, China is building a foundation for influence.

videocam
4
China-France relations

China’s Shein to be ousted from Paris store after other brands flee

New BHV Marais owners say Chinese fast-fashion heavyweight should leave by Christmas after brands pulled out in protest.

23
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
China-Asean relations

Dear You – the Chinese migration film igniting a propaganda debate in Southeast Asia

Some are worried that the Teochew-language drama represents a new, softer era of propaganda targeting the diaspora.

videocam
33
Illustration: Henry Wong
US-China relations

China missed the World Cup. Its brands didn’t

From broadcast operations to sponsorships, Chinese companies hold key roles at football’s biggest event despite geopolitical friction.

6
Diplomacy

Opinion | Norman Bethune’s story still holds lessons for China-Canada relations

The Canadian doctor, hailed a hero in China, was driven by personal conviction; there are others today, tilling the soil of Sino-Canadian friendship.

US-China relations

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

New tea and coffee brands from China are winning customers across America, but their broader influence remains unclear.

videocam
16
Illustration: Brian Wang
US-China relations

As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

As China continues to thrive, Western observers are beginning to rethink past assumptions about the country’s future.

videocam
18
Tourists visit the Huangyao ancient town in Zhaoping county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on May 3. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

China urged to forge ‘spear’ for cognitive warfare amid great power rivalry

Prominent academics call on Beijing to move beyond ‘passive mindset’ and shape international public opinion favourable to its interests.

videocam
13
Chinese culture

Why are modern Chinese audiences shying away from dubbed films?

Greater subtitle literacy among streaming viewers is among factors chipping away at enthusiasm for dubbed movies in China.

videocam
China-South Korea relations

What’s behind the surge in South Koreans travelling to China?

Wave of content creators documents life on mainland, with one saying ‘the window has opened and everyone wants to take a look inside’.

videocam
9
About 3.16 million South Korean visitors travelled to China in 2025, a 36.9 per cent increase from 2024. Photo: Xinhua
US, Israel war on Iran

Why spike in fertiliser prices could boost China’s political clout

Beijing could see its regional leverage grow as the Iran war hits supply, though weaponisation of exports is unlikely, analysts say.

Farmers harvest rice in Aceh Besar, Indonesia. The first planting season of the year is just months away in much of Asia. Photo: EPA
Art Basel

How Art Basel Hong Kong is fuelling the Greater Bay Area’s cultural ambitions

Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen are lavishing money on art venues and shows, but can really this buy them lasting cultural capital?

China-Japan relations

Why Japan thinks China’s growing cultural clout is something it needs to counter

The global success of Chinese video games and animation – as well as the appeal of traditional culture – has triggered a reaction in Tokyo.

videocam
48
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
2026 Xi-Trump summits

How foreign students can amplify China’s narrative in its push for soft power

On the sidelines of Beijing’s ‘two sessions’, academic and political adviser Zhang Bo emphasises the power of personal stories.

videocam
11
Overseas visitors pose for selfies in Shanghai’s Bund area. Photo: Xinhua
China economy

Opinion | How the next China shock is shaping hearts and minds

No longer confined to trade and technology, competition between China and the West is now playing out in the realm of cultural imagination.

videocam
Pop Mart

Pop Mart balances boom and bust: can Labubu’s leap match Molly’s momentum?

As Labubu’s meteoric rise cools, Molly’s longevity highlights the challenge Pop Mart faces in turning hype into stable intellectual property.

6
China technology

Opinion | ‘Becoming Chinese’ memes reflect a world shaped by China’s ascent

The memes are really about how deeply global digital life is embedded in Chinese-built systems – and how comfortable young people are with that.

videocam
5
There is an emerging trend where foreigners are embracing aspects of Chinese culture by adopting habits such as drinking warm water, herbal teas and wearing slippers indoors. Photo: SCMP composite / TikTok
Mainland China

A very Chinese time? How memes are paving the way for a soft power shift

Western social media trends paint ‘Chineseness’ in a positive light, but observers question whether Beijing will benefit.

videocam
49
German tourists dressed in Hanfu costumes (traditional Chinese costumes) take a selfie at a Hanfu experience hall in Changchun, Jilin Province of China. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Denmark

Opinion | Cultural exchange with rivals isn’t capitulation. It’s pragmatism

Middle powers must keep their diplomatic options open and recognise that engagement with a country isn’t an endorsement of it.

videocam
Hong Kong

Chinese spy? Propagandist? Former Confucius Institute director tells his story

Memoir by former Britain-based academic rebuts accusations that the centres serve as vehicles for Beijing’s state narratives.

9
Chinese culture

From Labubu to blockbuster films, was 2025 the year of China’s soft power?

Chinese lifestyle brands and other cultural exports proved to be a hit around the world this year, here are some of our most notable stories.

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Diplomacy

Editorial | Macron faces a tough but necessary balancing act as he visits China

While trade disagreements have hampered ties between Beijing and Paris, Macron’s trip is important for the development of economic and political ties.

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the opening of a summit on artificial intelligence in Paris, France, on November 25. Photo: EPA
United States

Pop Mart’s Labubu balloons to debut at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York

A brown Labubu and a pink Mokoko will appear alongside characters such as Skullpanda, Dimoo and Molly on the toymaker’s Pop City float.

Diplomacy

Opinion | As power balance tips to China, world needs a fairer financial system

China-led macro region will have to work on independence of monetary policy and partnerships in a fairer financial and trade framework.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement