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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.
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
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.

Diplomacy

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

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China-France relations

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956) is among much-loved cinematic classics that have for decades been enjoyed in China dubbed into Chinese. But audiences are shifting away from dubbed productions. Photo: Paris Film Productions
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’.

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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.

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.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Members of the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University in Bailrigg, England, celebrate the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival. Photo: Handout
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.

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.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
US-China relations

Why China studies scholars in the West have been left in ‘crisis’ mode

US-China tensions, restricted access and Western-centric thinking seen as key obstacles to gaining ‘full picture of modern China’.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
US-China relations

‘Hawkish’ interpretations rise as US, China discourse gets lost in translation

In an echo of the Cold War, mistranslations are testing already strained nerves in Washington and Beijing.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | More than a tech hub, Northern Metropolis can be a cradle for culture

By focusing on creative industries, the development can enhance Hong Kong’s soft power push within the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

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