Trending Now: China’s Social Media Highlights (#16 February 2026 – 22 February 2026#)

Weibo | Viral New Year Blessings, Reunion Dinner Trends, and New Year at the Frontline Storytelling

Wanshi Shengyi becomes a breakout 2026 Horse-Year New Year greeting

The phrase “Wanshi Shengyi” is spreading as a more ambitious Lunar New Year blessing and is reported to be driving sharp growth in CNY greeting-word searches, powered by themes of certainty, agency and outcomes that exceed expectations. Read more ->

CNY reunion dinner discussion splits across convenience upgrades, Gen-Z remixing, and etiquette disputes

Weibo buzz is clustering around pre-made festive meal kits, delivery-as-ritual, creative mash-ups, and overseas dining frictions, lifting SEO demand for reunion dinner trends, CNY meal kits and pre-made festive dishes. Read more ->

New Year at the Frontline reinforces everyday China and grassroots change narratives

The 2026 New Year at the Frontline series spotlights on-the-ground livelihoods, tech-enabled upgrades, and cultural innovation, sustaining search interest in Spring Festival grassroots reportage and frontline China stories. Read more ->

Douyin | US Tariff Legal Shock, CNY Traditional Culture Shorts, and Geopolitics Updates

Reported US Supreme Court tariff ruling drives Trump tariffs, IEEPA, and refund-claim searches

Short-video explainers about a reported ruling on tariff authority are pushing higher-frequency searches for tariff legality, IEEPA limits and import duty refund lawsuits. Read more ->

Spring Festival traditional culture trend turns CNY customs into teachable, shareable formats

The hashtag wave is driving a surge of short, repeatable content such as couplet tutorials, paper-cutting, temple fairs and Shehuo, strengthening discovery intent for CNY intangible cultural heritage and Spring Festival customs. Read more ->

US–Iran second-round talks update keeps red lines and nuclear issue keywords active

Talks recaps are sustaining timeline-led attention around non-proliferation framing, US red-line messaging and Iran’s stated commitment to a peaceful nuclear programme. Read more ->

Iran entering full combat readiness adds an escalation-risk layer to US–Iran coverage

Readiness headlines are boosting searches for Iran military posture, US–Iran follow-up dialogue, and Middle East escalation risk as negotiations continue in parallel. Read more ->

Ministry-linked consumption data spotlights trade-in subsidies and health-tech demand ahead of CNY

Official-style round-ups are lifting searches around Spring Festival consumption trends, trade-in programme benefits, smart wearables growth, blood glucose meter demand and car trade-in driven sales. Read more ->

Xiaohongshu | Winter Chasing-Light Photography and Family Travel Planning Narratives

Source: VJSHI

Sayram Lake winter sunrise guide lifts Xinjiang winter travel and blue ice photography searches

A pre-dawn chasing-light travel-note format combining shot spots, best timing, outfit tips and sub-zero safety reminders is driving Xinjiang winter itinerary planning and blue ice photo guides. Read more ->

Freeze-frame the golden peak intensifies snow-mountain sunrise itineraries and shot lists

Copy-ready playbooks covering viewpoints, arrival times and camera settings are raising SEO demand for snow mountain sunrise, golden peak photography and chasing-light travel routes. Read more ->

Family travel feels like a game raid reframes trips into low-stress project management

Task-based recaps that break trips into planning, transport, queues, meals, routines and contingencies are boosting searches for kid-friendly hotels, fixed-route day plans and effort-saving family travel solutions. Read more ->

Baidu | Ice-and-Snow Export Momentum, CCTV Gala Highlights, and Spring Festival Social Shifts

Source: Baidu

China-made ice-and-snow gear becomes an export breakout with orders queued to June 2026

Search and coverage momentum is lifting ski gloves, ski poles and broader winter sports equipment exports, framed by rising global demand tied to the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics cycle and fast China supply chain fulfilment. Read more ->

2026 CCTV Horse-Year Spring Festival Gala boosts tech-plus-culture showcase searches

Robot performances, stage-tech sequences and cross-cultural segments are lifting queries for CCTV Gala highlights, robot stage acts and Spring Festival show technology. Read more ->

Return-home youth choosing county hotels drives county hotel booking and occupancy searches

More 25–35-year-olds are reported to be booking county-town hotels instead of staying with parents, pushing pre-CNY demand for county hotel availability and return-home accommodation options. Read more ->

Leadership visit coverage highlights intangible cultural heritage protection during the Spring Festival period

Festival-season reporting around urban cultural districts and on-street heritage displays is strengthening searches for intangible cultural heritage experiences, Spring Festival folk customs and Beijing cultural street visits. Read more ->

Zhihu | CCTV Gala Review, Tariff-Tool Legality, Reunion Dinner Delivery, and Japan Politics

Source: JFDaily

Zhihu’s CCTV Gala debate centres on stage tech aesthetics versus content innovation

Discussion highlights robot-led visuals and national-style creative shows as major watch points, while critiques focus on weaker comedy presence and perceived advert density, keeping CCTV Gala review searches active. Read more ->

Tariff-tool legality debate spotlights IEEPA limits and whether tariffs could return via other legal routes

Users are unpacking emergency-powers boundaries, policy substitution scenarios and refund expectations, boosting searchability for IEEPA tariff authority and alternative tariff pathways. Read more ->

Reunion dinner delivery up 600%+ signals convenience-as-ritual before CNY

The surge is linked to set-menu certainty, time-saving family coordination and delivery upgrades reaching lower-tier and rural areas, strengthening CNY reunion dinner delivery and pre-made reunion dinner keywords. Read more ->

Japan’s new prime minister selection discussion focuses on governance stability and policy expectations

Zhihu commentary is clustering around a steadier governing outlook, stronger execution capacity, and policy focus on the economy and security, while noting that real change hinges on cabinet appointments, faction balance and fiscal constraints. Read more ->