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‘Wassup Beijing’: China’s Soft Power and Cultural Appeal Resurgence via Social Media

  • Writer: Olivia Qian
    Olivia Qian
  • 4 hours ago
  • 6 min read

If you asked my Chinese mother what the People’s Republic of China was like before Xi Jinping became President and General Secretary, she would answer with one word- likable. Now in 2025, the once-cancelled bully is making a comeback- and fast. 


Figure 1 - The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic.
Figure 1 - The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic.

Hu’s Golden Age

I mean what was there not to like about Hu’s China? Of course, there were indeed controversial policies such as the One Child Policy, and the increased control over both Tibet and Xinjiang. But it seemed that life was going in an upward trajectory for the average hardworking Chinese. Under the Hu Administration, China’s diplomatic relationships were growing. Relations with Taiwan warmed with the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (2009) and Hu managed to sustain friendly sentiments with influential states like the United States and United Kingdom. During Hu’s time, the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics showcased China’s culture to the world with an opening ceremony still dubbed as one of the best. Furthermore, the Confucius Institute Program was initiated with 459 Confucius Institutes worldwide by 2013. Thus, one could argue that Hu’s China was the height of sino-cultural appeal. 


Xi’s Earlier Approach 

As leadership switches from Hu Jintao to Xi Jinping in 2013, it would seem that Hu’s golden age of Chinese cultural power influence ended with his discharge from power. Since the Xi administration’s rise to power, China has become the villain in many conflicts of territorial disputes, economic coercion, and sinister agendas. Xi overturned Deng Xiaoping’s decade long diplomacy compass of “tāo guāng yǎng huì” (韬光养晦) which means to hide your strength, bide for time. Instead, Xi turned to a campaign of “zhōng huá mín zú weǐ dà fù xīng” (中华民族伟大复兴) which is the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation. This sought to overturn China’s ‘Century of Humiliation’ and the longstanding reputation of ‘Sick Man of East Asia’ (东亚病夫). The process encompassed the extended use of hard powers such as economic power as seen in the Belt and Road Initiative and military power where China holds continuous aggression to its regional relationships to present the state as a formidable force. So, why is China becoming cool again? 


Social Media and IShowSpeed

If you use any platform with a short video function such as Instagram’s reel, Youtube’s shorts, or just TikTok in general, you definitely recognise the rise of a trend- China. Whether it be the political commentator or a foreign traveller vlogging, China is trending on Western social media platforms.



Figure 2 - IShowSpeed Learning Kung Fu in Henan, China.
Figure 2 - IShowSpeed Learning Kung Fu in Henan, China.

The trendsetter guilty for this would be the 20-year-old Darren Watkins Jr- a live streamer under the username IShowSpeed (Speed). Speed visited China in March 2025 and accumulated millions of views in both Chinese and global audiences. His visit, many events facilitated by the Chinese government and some just occurred out of randomness as it does on Speed’s entertaining streams, is a great application of soft power. On the stream, Speed visited major cities and cultural hotspots, these cities may seem random, but to the Chinese people, it is the tour route of all things Chinese. Shanghai’s Xiaomi SU7 Ultra car ride, Beijing’s breathtaking cultural landmarks, Henan’s philosophical kung fu teachings, Chengdu’s adorable pandas, Chonqing’s striking infrastructure, Hongkong’s globalisation, Shenzhen’s impressive technological innovations, and Changsha’s delicious food- this is the perfect storm of Chinese traditional culture and modern advances.  



Figure 3 - Screenshots of a ‘Wassup Beijing’ TikTok that accumulated over 2.2million likes. 
Figure 3 - Screenshots of a ‘Wassup Beijing’ TikTok that accumulated over 2.2million likes. 

Now, the online attention has shifted to trends such as the ‘Wassup Beijing’ video edits, Chinese rapping audios, and an increase of vlogging travellers to China. The ‘Wassup Beijing’ trend started off with President Xi’s viral clip from a video posted at the end of 2020 for a New Years address where at the beginning he acknowledged “wǒ zài běi jīng” (我在北京) translates to “I am in Beijing”- sounding like “wassup Beijing”. This indicates a certain populist tendency in today’s youth. There are active attempts to make untouchable leaders ‘relatable’ and ‘shareable’ memes. The edits then move on to footage of China’s technological advances and key infrastructures which showcases a modern and powerful picture of China. Furthermore, people are also lip-syncing to Chinese rap songs, specifically SKAIisyourgod’s song- ‘yīn guǒ’ (因果) and ‘bā fāng lái cái’ (八方来财). These songs incorporate traditional cultural elements such as Taoism, auspiciousness, and mahjong. Trends are easy to engage with because it’s not China’s normal use of propaganda rhetoric and rigid appeals; social media trends are non-state initiated which allows people to engage authentically and are more effective in shaping international perceptions. 


A New China, Again 

The late Joseph Nye and his concept of soft power has provided a new way to evaluate a state’s sphere and method of influence. Soft power, through attracting and appealing actors to align with your agenda, is perhaps the way to influence in a peaceful manner. The numbers are undeniable, according to the Global Soft Power Index 2025, China has increased its soft power index to its highest position yet at 2nd place globally. 


The media presence and exposure of Chinese culture and growth to the world sways public sentiments and creates a new vision of China. It is an alarming wakeup call for those who still think of the Chinese public as peasants. Instead of barren rice paddies with farmers slaving away for a sack of rice, the modern China wants you to think of concrete jungles of skyscrapers, ecosystems of bullet trains, and starry nights lit by drone flight shows when you picture China’s landscape. With Donald Trump’s second term in the white house and issuing harsh tariffs, it fuels and breeds the anti-American sentiments that exists in the global community. 


There is a Chinese proverb- ‘yáng cháng bì duǎn’(扬长避短) which means to play to your strengths and avoid the weaknesses. So, China’s image started focusing on its strengths such as its cheap exports, the role of a global peacemaker, and a modern trendsetter. By appealing to international consumer through cheap exports on platforms such as TikTok, people are increasingly inclined to purchase from Temu, Taobao, and Shein. China also upholds its non-interference policy in foreign affairs, where it can stay relatively uninvolved in conflicts that challenge and question the concept of sovereignty. However, China does engage in peace efforts in politically unstable states such as Myanmar and Afghanistan. This presents the image of a global peacemaker who does not instigate conflict but rather dissolves it. 


Since the establishment of a ‘New China’ on the 1st of October 1949 proclaimed by Mao Zedong at the infamous Tiananmen Square, China has come a long way in finding its position and identity in the global community. The nation went from being bullied to a bully in the time of a century. And now with a tarnished reputation but a rocking new look, China is ready to take a seat at the cool kids’ table. 


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