BYD’s Brazil Scandal Sparks Rare Self-Reflection in China

When news broke that Chinese automaker BYD was being sued in Brazil for labor violations involving over 220 Chinese workers, the reaction on Chinese social media was swift and defensive. Conspiracy theories surged—some claimed Brazilian workers were jealous, others blamed foreign interference, and a few pointed ...

French President’s Southeast Asia Tour Draws Skepticism on Chinese Social Media

Chinese netizens have been buzzing about French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit to Southeast Asia, where he aimed to offer Vietnam and other regional countries a "third option" beyond the U.S. and China. One article, titled “Macron Just Arrived in ...

Chinese Netizens View Post-Assad Syria With Distrust and Geopolitical Alarm

Last week’s U.S. move to ease sanctions on Syria made headlines in China’s state media and reignited online discussion that began last December after Syria’s government collapsed. Chinese netizens voiced distrust of the new leadership, criticized U.S. intervention, noted Russia’s fading influence, and expressed renewed appreciation for ...

India’s Global PR Blitz Over ‘Operation Sindoor’ Draws Mockery from Chinese Netizens

China’s state-run Global Times (环球网) reported on Friday that the Indian government launched a sweeping international public relations campaign and aimed at promoting its narrative of a recent conflict with Pakistan. According to the report, India has dispatched seven global outreach teams, comprising over 50 political ...

Beijing Slams Video Posted by U.S. Embassy in Singapore About South China Sea

China slammed a video shared on social media by the U.S. embassy in Singapore, which criticizes Beijing's South China Sea claims, comparing them to the actions of an inconsiderate neighbor who intrudes on others' space. The roughly 90-second video shows a ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

China-Led Study Proposes Global Energy Network

A globally connected network of solar and wind energy could provide three times the global energy demand by 2050 at a lower cost than independent national power systems. This is the finding of a study led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in collaboration with researchers from the United States and Denmark.

The study focused on how areas with high solar and wind capacity (such as deserts) can be linked to ...

Chinese Netizen Mocks India’s Attempt to Emulate Beijing’s Tariff Standoff with U.S.

A day after China and the United States reached a breakthrough tariff agreement—cutting U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, and China’s tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%—India’s surprise trade move made headlines.  Last week, India ...

A Karachi Bakery Was Mobbed in India, Sparking Reflection in China

India and Pakistan may have declared a ceasefire, but the anger within India has not subsided. It needed an outlet—and a bakery, named after a Pakistani city, became the perfect target. Now, this story is circulating on Chinese social media—not just to report on tensions in India, ...

Viral Chinese Video Sparks National Debate: Is Egypt Turning from the U.S. to China?

While China and Egypt’s first-ever joint air force exercise “Eagle of Civilization” in April 2025 initially flew under the radar—mostly discussed only among military enthusiasts—a video from the popular stream platform Bilibili has brought the issue into mainstream discourse. The video, ...

China Calls for Global Stance Against U.S. “Bullying” in New Video Message

The Chinese government released a striking new video message aimed at building up global solidarity in its ongoing standoff with the Trump administration. The video is subtitled in both English and Chinese and comprises a rapid montage of images with voiceover narration.