China nationalism

The recent thaw is not all rhetoric: many Chinese people, especially the youth, express strong interest in building constructive relations with the U.S. and Europe.

China’s approach to Taiwan is less about an actual invasion and more about the strategic use of tensions to gain leverage – and shore up CCP legitimacy.

Violent xenophobia and “wolf warrior” sentiments are at odds with the government’s emphasis on public opinion warfare.

In May 2024, Chinese company Xiang Piao Piao saw profits surge overnight by mocking Japan’s releasing nuclear-contaminated wastewater. But its supposed stand was all a ruse. 

Patriotic campaigns have become more common in recent years in China, as online nationalists attack journalists, writers, or other public figures they say have offended the country's dignity.

Disappointment from Hong Kong fans ballooned into a nationalistic controversy after the soccer superstar took the pitch in Japan.

The president’s speech has a clear goal of boosting Chinese people’s declining confidence amid the past difficult years.

This extreme Han ethno-nationalist sentiment, once relegated to the fringe, is increasingly influential.

Why have Sino-Indian border tensions exploded? Three factors are at work: the border disputes, the rise of nationalist leaders in both countries, and the impact of geopolitics.

Having built up the U.S. as a perceived enemy seeking to forestall China's rightful greatness, the CCP has few off-ramps from its aggressive stance.

Many of the factors that led to Putin’s disastrous decision are also present in China’s authoritarian system.

Will a post-COVID China still be committed to a policy of opening to the world?

Incidents like the recent beating of a protester in Manchester are reflective of China's new diplomatic direction under Xi Jinping.

Since Pelosi’s visit, the future of the cross-strait issue has surged toward military conflict, as the Chinese public started to dismiss the possibility of peaceful reunification.

The late Japanese prime minister was not popular in China, but some have used his death to emphasize their frustration at being unable to speak freely.

China’s youngest generation is often associated with hyper-nationalism. That oversimplifies their complex, individualized relationships with their country.

China’s censored social media environment makes it difficult to judge public opinion. But the pro-Russia narrative that has emerged is having a real impact on ordinary people.

Chinese athletes must navigate not only their chosen sports but also CCP redlines, online nationalism, and corporate demands.  

Chinese leaders must balance the current push for strategic de-escalation with the hyper-nationalism at play among average Chinese.

In China, celebrities can be blacklisted in the span of days – or even hours – for perceived offenses against national dignity.

Insights from Florian Schneider

Forced observances of Han holidays are part of the CCP campaign to remake ethno-national loyalties among Turkic groups in Xinjiang.

While China’s efforts to name and shame foreign brands sometimes work, more often than not, brands and businesses simply have to wait out the nationalist outcry.

How does China use nationalism in international brand controversies? And where are its limits?