China Spektrum

Overall, Chinese netizen commentary showed little consensus. Reactions ranged from understanding (geopolitical risk, waste storage) to deep skepticism, with many fearing Germany is sacrificing its industrial and AI future for a “radical” green policy. (6/6)

On Weibo, discussion shifted to Germany's "future" . @悠呦的悠游悠游 wrote: “An electricity supply that can’t sustain itself means Germany is saying goodbye to the AI era”. @苏者三皮 added: “Germany’s electricity price is 3x the U.S.’s and 6x China’s. If German industry doesn’t collapse, who will? ” (5/6)

Another user pointed to an even more practical hurdle: nuclear waste. Zhihu @James C: “Germany no longer has anywhere to store nuclear waste… No residents would agree to live next to a pile of it… Abandoning nuclear energy is a rational decision by the government based geological conditions”. (4/6)

Others focused on internal economic and political drivers. Zhihu @蔺浩南 said, “Nuclear power costs more than gas—shutting it down makes sense, right?”. @廉洁的云朵 commented, “Germany’s problem is the government rushed an environmental ‘Great Leap Forward’…Clean energy is growing far slower ...”. (3/6)

Some netizens analyzed the move from a geopolitical angle, seeing it as risk aversion. Zhihu @康毅 said, “Germany is afraid Russia might bomb its nuclear plants”. @呜喵呜喵 argued it was unwise: “Instead of seeking stability amid global turmoil, [Germany] is destroying its own productive power.” (2/6)

As part of its nuclear phase-out, Germany demolished two decommissioned nuclear plant cooling towers on October 25. （https://www.euronews.com/2025/10/25/germany-destroys-two-nuclear-plant-cooling-towers-as-part-of-nuclear-phaseout-plan）The move has garnered attention on Chinese social media. (1/6)

By online discussions on China’s five-year macro development strategy—covering technology,employment, human-centered development, nuclear energy and the Taiwan issue,we can glimpse the gap between policy direction and individuals' expectations,thus gaining a better understanding of China today.(6/6)

Netizens noted the plenum communique mentioned "advancing the cause of fatherland reunification" without the word "peaceful." In response, Douyin @中国新闻社 posted the Taiwan Affairs Office’s clarification: "We do not renounce the use of force."

The first-time mention of "controlled nuclear fusion".@有专注力的易航14 said:“With policy support of this level,will the relevant industry experience an explosive growth period?”.But others remained skeptical.@晓学 said: “Controlled nuclear fusion as clean energy—when will it actually reach daily use?”.(4/6)

Discussions on the "development model", Zhihu @古都闲云 noted: “The development model has shifted from pure construction and production to human development.”. But @用户7958490580 said: “With current population trends, the most relevant ‘human’ industries are elderly care and funerals.”. (3/6)

Netizens expressed concern over "stable employment" and "developing technology." Zhihu@水平线的彼端 said:“Stable employment demand socialized production,but it conflicts with the ‘private ownership’ of production means”.@杨先生 added: “The development of technology will inevitably lead to unemployment.”(2/6)

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee concluded in Beijing on October 23. The session adopted the proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, which immediately sparked widespread debate among Chinese netizens. (1/6)

#WordOfTheWeek
懂王 (dǒng wáng) is a Chinese nickname for Donald Trump. It translates to the “King of knowing”. The name originated on Chinese social media around Trump’s first term. It began as a sarcastic term, poking fun at how Trump always claimed to understand everything.

Trump’s visit to several Asian countries drew attention across major social media platforms. Many users joked about Japan and South Korea competing to impress him. The trade agreements were widely celebrated as a victory for China. 6/6

After the Trump–Xi meeting, netizens were celebrating what they saw as a major win. “Damn, we won — this time we really won[...]”, writes user @战刀oo7 on Weibo. 5/6

Comments on Trump's meeting with Japan's new prime minister Takaichi were full of satire and humor. @spikenai writes: “Takaichi’s behavior was completely unbecoming of a national leader — she was skipping and bouncing around Trump[...]”. 4/6

Commenting on the post many netizens point out that with Trump you can never know how long an agreement will last. User @jxjsb warns that people should not get their hopes up too soon. 3/6

On #Zhihu, user @仲生 referenced a People’s Daily article about the recent agreements on trade reached in Malaysia, titled “Jointly safeguard the hard-won results of the consultations”, claiming that China has finally reached the end of the century of humiliation. 2/6

As part of his trip to Asia, President #Trump met with President #Xi on Thursday in South Korea. Trump’s visit has become a major topic on #ChineseSocialMedia and the meeting is now one of the most searched topics on #Baidu. 1/6

#WordOfTheWeek:
豆腐渣工程 (dòufu zhā gōngchéng) literally “Tofu-dregs project”. It is used to describe a shoddy or poorly constructed project — often the result of corruption, negligence, or corner-cutting.

In China the Nobel Peace Prize is often dismissed as a vehicle of Western ideological influence. Online discussions reflect this view, criticizing not only this year’s winner but also the 2021 laureate, Maria Ressa — and citing Trump’s reaction as proof that the Prize has no credibility. 6/6

“Trump was extremely angry and dissatisfied — almost to the point of personally lashing out at the Nobel Committee. He directly reposted Putin’s criticism that the Nobel Prize had lost its credibility by giving the award to an obscure nobody [...]”, says @鸿雁复北翔. 5/6

@织工 writes: “I remember that one year the Nobel Peace Prize went to a Filipino journalist, but there wasn’t a single word about it in our domestic media. Later, I found out that she wasn’t just unpopular here — even in Southeast Asia, people didn’t like her much[...]. 4/6

Wang Jingwei was a Chinese politician who collaborated with Imperial Japan during World War II and promoted Pan-Asianism. He is regarded as a traitor in China today. By invoking this analogy, user @呀哈 implies that Machado is a “puppet” of the United States. 3/6

“When I saw the name I actually laughed out loud. Given the current U.S. pressure on Venezuela, it’s a bit like awarding the 1942 Nobel Peace Prize to Wang Jingwei in recognition of his ‘contributions to East Asian co-prosperity and peaceful development’.[...]”, writes @呀哈 on #Zhihu. 2/6

This week we also take a look at how #ChineseNetizens are reacting to the election of this year’s #NobelPeacePrize winner – Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado. 1/6

Netizens criticize #Takaichi's for her nationalist views and her downplay of Japan’s wartime past. Many have expressed skepticism about the longevity of her administration, citing persistent political factionalism. Few acknowledged her rise as a symbolic step toward greater #genderEquality. 6/6

On #Weibo netizens voice their fears of rising #JapaneseNationalism. User @酒巷痴子 asks: “[...] will she usher in a Japanese-style MAGA era?” while @用户6261144991 noted that she had made remarks in that direction: “She said ‘Japan is back’ [...]”. 5/6

@毓雅 points out that having a woman rise to leadership in Japan is remarkable: “Following South Korea’s Park Geun-hye, East Asia now has its second female leader. For a country like Japan, where gender inequality is so deeply entrenched, that’s truly no easy feat [...]”. 4/6

User @清风暖阳: “[...]Takaichi is half a puppet of Aso and she has already caused considerable trouble for the LDP. She faces two major issues: first, opposition from Kansai-based LDP lawmakers and those against the Takaichi–Aso alliance, as well as the loose cooperation with the Ishin party[...]”. 3/6