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

China-Japan relations

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

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2026 Trump-Xi summit

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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China-Africa relations

China targets Gen Z, millennials in new strategy to build its brand in Africa

Kenyan social media stars showcase China’s striking scenery, culture, history and cuisine in glitzy new promotional campaign.

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Kenyan social media influencers (from left) MC Jessy, Betty Kyallo, Terence Creative and Mulamwah during their visit to China. Photo: Instagram
US-China relations

China stakes a claim on the future with sci-fi and speculative fiction

Liu Cixin’s Three-Body trilogy and other Chinese works may challenge the West’s projection of capitalist society in fiction, experts say.

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China-EU relations

Paris’ new Chinese immigrants spawn ‘authentic’ restaurant boom

Influx of younger, more well-off immigrants to French capital leads to upgrading, expansion of Chinese dining options.

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United Nations

Opinion | Hong Kong should be China’s gateway to the United Nations

Putting the UN’s Asia headquarters in Hong Kong could help the organisation’s reforms and reinforce Beijing’s vision of global governance.

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Illustration: Stephen Case
Hong Kong stock market

Labubu fever to persist despite Pop Mart’s production surge: HSBC

The bank forecasts that by 2026, each Pop Mart member will buy an average of 1.23 Labubus, up from 0.99 this year.

Labubu toys on display. Photo: dpa
ByteDance

Editorial | China’s mini dramas may be onto something big

Audiences in Southeast Asia love Chinese micro series. In the US, interest in the format is picking up.

Cambodia

Video | Cambodia unveils new Chinese-built airport

Techo International Airport is the second Chinese-built airport in Cambodia to open in two years.

US-China relations

Opinion | No amount of China scapegoating will reverse America’s decline

The real danger is not China becoming great again, but US policymakers and commentators failing to confront the cause of domestic problems.

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A demonstrator holds a phone in front of Los Angeles County Sheriffs on horseback during a protest on June 14 in Los Angeles, US. Photo: AP
China’s military drills

China’s allies give top marks for parade but the West is not won over

Russia, Iran and Cuba credit the host with showcasing the strength of the Chinese military.

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(Left to right) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un are seen ahead of the parade. Photo: TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
Diplomacy

Opinion | China’s trade charm offensive falls on deaf ears among US security allies

Centuries of shared identity, security integration and cultural allegiance bind these nations irreversibly to the US strategic architecture.

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The rise of China’s soft power

Explore how China wields soft power through language, media and culture, reshaping global perceptions and narratives.

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