China Spektrum

The professor's quote and its background sparked discussions on Weibo and Baidu. Netizens shared their worries for American consumers but didn’t worry too much about international trade in general or domestic affects. 6/6

On Weibo users speculate whether the outcomes are calculated. "In other words, the real goal is to inflate the U.S. dollar — and honestly, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks" says @铭记相思树夏. @艾卡艾迪’s opinion: "Gold is going to rise again". 5/6

"Americans actually dare to smear Trump's policies." notes @​​买了再说 and @墨云北的资料库 writes: "The U.S. is really overestimating itself — if anything, this is the beginning of America's darkest chapter." 4/6

"The ones really suffering are ordinary Americans—but it’s not unbearable. Essentially, it just means that Americans can no longer enjoy goods that are cheaper than what people in other countries pay.", says @文雅且恬适、瑰宝;. 3/6

On Baidu @却梦桐2z writes: "The U.S. raising import tariffs will significantly increase the prices [...]. Since many American products rely on imports, this will indirectly raise the cost of living for ordinary Americans, leading to inflation and potentially causing social instability". 2/6

On August 3rd, the phrase “a dark day in the history of global trade integration” trended on Chinese social media. It is a quote by Cornell University trade policy professor Eswar Prasad, who said it when discussing the U.S. 's newly introduced “reciprocal tariffs” in the New York Times. 1/6

The EU and U.S. agreement on a 15% tariff rate has not caused much outcry in Chinese online communities. China has been engaged in a trade war with the U.S. for several years now and it criticizes Trump's tariff policies. 6/6

@Louie questions, regarding the planned investments in the U.S., to what extent the EU Commission even has the authority to make such decisions for member states. Other users compare the EU-U.S. agreements to the recently concluded deal between Japan and the U.S. 5/6

Responding to other Zhihu users comparing the EU to a dog, user @生活到后面是沉 counters that China pays not 15% but over 40% in taxes. To this, user @钟摆 replies that unlike China, EU countries are U.S. allies. 4/6

On Weibo, user @paingod shares the press conference after the negotiations and compares Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to an elementary school student (像小学生一样). 3/6

"[...] The EU must cut ties with the U.S. America's actions in Middle East issues, including its tariff policies, have deeply disappointed the entire world. Not only that—they even put on a loud, theatrical show at the UN Security Council [...]" writes user @yu123_39925 on Zhihu. 2/6

The new trade agreement between the EU and the U.S. is being discussed only marginally on Chinese online platforms. On Zhihu and Weibo, users have shared their differing opinions on the topic. 1/6

Based on the discussion,most netizens believe the policy helps reduce childcare costs and call for more supporting measures.Although there are concerns about how well it will be carried out,these voices aim to ensure the policy truly supports families and promotes a birth-friendly environment. (6/6)

As the plan only mentions subsidies for the first, second, and third child, Baidu user @乡岸记01 said: “Families with a fourth, fifth, or sixth child should also get subsidies. There should be no discrimination—having more kids shouldn’t be punished. A birth-friendly policy must include all.” (5/6)

Some Weibo users worry about proper enforcement and want more support. “Watch out for fraud, like with low-income aid,” wrote @Melody. “Wish prenatal checkups were covered by insurance,” said @Happy223. “Send the money to whoever mainly cares for the child,” added @Bozhu i. (4/6)

Other Zhihu users say the subsidy and other policies together can cut parenting costs.“Raising kids here now is higher than in the U.S., Japan, the U.K. If we get subsidies for under-3s, free preschool and compulsory education,costs for the first 15 years a child will drop”wrote @Saka Finance. (3/6)

Some users on Zhihu believe that this policy can provide great help and motivation to people in poor areas. “It can cover two eggs and 300g of pork for the child each day—not bad,” wrote @小黄黄. “People working and farming in remote villages make about the same amount in a year,” added @路人君. (2/6)

On July 28, China announced a new plan called the “National Childcare Subsidy.” It gives 3,600 yuan per year for each child under 3 years old, if the child is born legally. The money is given once a year until the child turns 3. The news quickly caused many people to talk about it online. (1/6)

While the EU-China Summit appeared on the list of the most popular topics for Weibo and WeChat, there were only a few questions related to the topic on Zhihu. 6/6

Many Chinese Netizens seem to value the EU-China relationship. The atmosphere in the comments section on the major social media platforms is very much different from when US-China relations are being discussed. This is likely because the KPC under Xi Jinping has made the US their major rival. 5/6

On #Baidu, most comments consistently praise the “strategic choices” (战略抉择) underpinning the China–EU relationship — a perspective that appears to be deliberately framed. 4/6

On #Weibo User reactions are more friendly: “China-EU cooperation brings more stability to the world”, writes @了潇浙_7 and @句末201604 comments: “Uphold mutual respect to consolidate the partnership; maintain open cooperation and properly manage differences and frictions [...]” 3/6

There were discussions on #Zhihu ahead of the summit. User @刚正 acknowledges the importance of diplomatic meetings: “I've noticed that many diplomatic engagements seem ineffective, but the process itself is valuable. [...]” while other user call the EU weak and make fun of it. 2/6

On Thursday the #EU-ChinaSummit took place in Beijing. António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, as EU-Representatives went to meet with Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. Talking points were EU-China relations, China's support for Russia and the climate crisis. How are #ChineseNetizens reacting? 1/6

On #Baidu, most comments consistently praise the “strategic choices” (战略抉择) underpinning the China–EU relationship — a perspective that appears to be deliberately framed. 4/5

On #Weibo User reactions are more friendly: “China-EU cooperation brings more stability to the world”, writes @了潇浙_7 and @句末201604 comments: “Uphold mutual respect to consolidate the partnership; maintain open cooperation and properly manage differences and frictions [...].” 3/5

There were discussions on #Zhihu ahead of the summit. User @刚正 acknowledges the importance of diplomatic meetings: “I've noticed that many diplomatic engagements seem ineffective, but the process itself is valuable. [...]” while other user call the EU weak and make fun of it. 2/5

In this incident, netizens expressed frustration over cultural mislabeling, responding with sarcasm and anger. It also raises deeper questions about Chinese cultural identity, showing how a simple food video can spark heated comments amplified by an algorithmic echo chamber. (6/6)

Zhihu user @山顶绿 said this shows a fear some white people have toward China: “When something is mistaken for Japanese,they praise it,but lose interest once told it’s Chinese”.“It’s not discrimination,but fear—they often avoid words like ‘China’ or ‘Chinese’ because it makes them uncomfortable.” (5/6)

Other Weibo comments turned to sarcasm.“Make a video about German pork knuckle… and call it Korean pig’s feet” joked @彼岸响马. @代99 used the phrase “Eating Japanese food in Europe is a kind of fashion”to mock some Europeans who deliberately raise Japanese culture while downplaying Chinese culture.(4/6)