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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.
Lindsay Shaw sits outside her home in Sterling, northern Virginia, located across from a huge data centre. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

Trump says China drives anger at US data centres. These residents disagree

Community living near AI facility in Virginia reports invasive levels of noise, fumes and gas turbines – and it’s not Chinese propaganda.

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Chinese history

Why Chinese media says US historians are giving ‘ammunition’ to separatists

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US-China relations

US immersion schools expand across country for early-age Chinese language study

Chinese culture

China challenges Western ‘tribute system’ theory in push for narrative control

Article by US billionaire investor Ray Dalio puts spotlight back on English term used to describe Chinese diplomatic and economic posture.

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Illustration: Mario Rivera
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

Only through commercial independence and deep localisation can Chinese firms abroad forge a durable soft power that state policy can’t produce.

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China-Africa relations

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

From Burundi to Kenya to Morocco, film screenings, co-productions and cultural exchanges are helping to shape a new frontier of influence.

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Burundian drummers play at an event to open China Film Week, organised by the Chinese embassy in Bujumbura on July 15. Photo: Handout
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

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

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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.

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The BHV Marais department store in Paris, whose new owners plan to end a controversial partnership with Shein after describing it as a strategic mistake. Photo: AFP
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.

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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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.

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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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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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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.

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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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