The Hong Kong Tourism Board invited more than 1,700 influencers from around the world to the city between 2023 and last year, with the internet personalities having a combined following exceeding 1.6 billion. Responding to an inquiry from lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said the board had invited 1,730 influencers to…
Let’s face it, Trump memes are the flavour of the season, no matter what season or where. And on China’s social media, Trump memes, cartoons and video clips do the rounds, netizens making fun of the man they heartily dislike. A current meme going viral on the web is the prayer for Trump at the…
When an ibuprofen dance challenge went viral on the Chinese social media platform Douyin in late 2022 during the Covid-19 pandemic, shares of the country’s leading ibuprofen maker surged more than 200 per cent in two weeks. Now profits at Shandong Xinhua Pharmaceutical are plunging, and it is not alone, as drug makers are hit…
Having children is a “good investment” in one’s happiness, Elon Musk’s mother has said at a Hong Kong event on fertility, encouraging more women to start families and saying they do not have to sacrifice their careers. Dietitian and model Maye Musk also said one of her greatest fears was that her 18 grandchildren would…
The once-feared Qing dynasty military commander, Oboi, is being transformed into a charming figure by young people in China, becoming a local version of Father Christmas. A recent video circulating on mainland social media showcased Oboi, portrayed by an actor, as Santa Claus at a tourist resort in Zhanjiang, in southern China’s Guangdong province. The…
A rural Chinese woman has gone viral online for her creativity, transforming farmland into a dazzling catwalk by designing dresses from natural materials such as peanut shells, corn leaves, red beans, sweet potatoes, and corn kernels. The blogger, known online as “Village Magical Treasure,” boasts over 152,000 followers on Douyin and hails from Hengzhou in…
A draft of the “Anti-Monopoly Compliance Guidelines for Internet Platforms”, published over the weekend by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), focused heavily on the sophisticated, often opaque ways in which online platforms with significant market power can exploit technological advantages to exclude rivals and harm consumer interests. The document identified eight “new risks”,…
In a move that could reshape online content creation, China has introduced a new rule requiring influencers to have official qualifications before discussing “sensitive” subjects such as medicine, law, education, or finance online. The new influencer law, which came into effect on October 25, mandates that creators must show proof of their expertise — such…
Apple CEO Tim Cook’s latest visit to China this year turned out to herald the launch of the iPhone Air on the mainland, as the country’s three major telecommunications network operators start commercial trials of the eSIM function on smartphones. According to Apple’s China website, iPhone Air pre-orders would start at 9am on Friday, while…
Rising Chinese scepticism towards Western classical history and its scholarly framework has found its latest target in ancient Egyptian treasures, adding an unexpected twist to the two countries’ long-term partnership. From July last year until August this year, the Shanghai Museum hosted a major exhibition on ancient Egypt, marking the first collaboration between a Chinese…