Trending Now: China's Social Media Highlights #16June-22June#

Weibo

Image Source: Baidu

Central Asia Emerges as China’s Hot New Outbound Destination China’s outbound travel to Central Asia surged 100% YoY in H1 2025. Destinations like Uzbekistan (orders up 60%) and Kazakhstan (flights up 60%) saw a spike, especially from Urumqi, Beijing, and Xi’an. Visa waivers and group-tour access are boosting appeal, especially among retirees—but young travellers are growing fast. Read more

Labubu Prices Crash After Pop Mart Restock Pop Mart restocked its Labubu blind boxes via official channels and livestreams. Resale prices plummeted—full boxes dropped from ¥2800 to ¥800. The move disrupted grey market expectations and signalled a shift in scarcity-based hype marketing. Read more

Image Source: Baidu

Indonesia’s Volcano Eruption Disrupts Travel, But Market Outlook Strong Lembata's volcano eruption sent ash 10,000m high, disrupting flights at Komodo and Bali. The Chinese consulate issued safety advisories. Despite setbacks, 1.5 million Chinese tourists are projected to visit Indonesia in 2025, making it the 3rd largest source market. Read more

Douyin

China's E-Commerce Sees Explosive Growth in First 5 Months Online retail sales hit ¥6.8 trillion in Jan–May 2025 (+15.2% YoY). Growth is driven by instant delivery (Meituan Flash now in 98% of counties) and immersive livestream shopping (Douyin’s “see-now-buy-now” feature thrives). Read more

Emotional Value Becomes China’s New Consumer Code In a shifting market, emotional resonance is emerging as the new differentiator. Young consumers prefer products with stories and emotional payoff—“products as companions.” Influencer Dong Yuhui called this “the inevitable future of consumption.” Read more

Xiaohongshu

Summer Tourism in China Heats Up to Record Highs From June to August, over 1.3 billion domestic trips are expected—an all-time high. Tuniu’s bookings are up 35% YoY, and outbound summer travel rose 60%. Xiaohongshu trends show beach, mountain, and water-play trips dominating. Read more

 

Baidu

China Expands Visa-Free Travel with Neighbours China is building a new “ASEAN visa zone,” including multi-entry 5-year permits and broader access to Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, and Thailand. Analysts hail this as a “super visa” to unlock Southeast Asia tourism and trade. Read more

Boom in Middle-Aged Household Spending During 618 Festival While young users showed less 618 enthusiasm, spending among 46+ families surged—especially in 3rd- and 4th-tier cities (up 3.3% and 6.2%). Consumption drivers include strong pension income, lifestyle upgrades, and rising use of Douyin/Kuaishou for fast-moving goods.  Read more

Mainland-HK Real-Time Transfers Go Live Launched on June 22, the new “Cross-Border Pay Connect” links 6 major banks in Hong Kong and the mainland. It supports 24/7 instant transfers (RMB & HKD), with no fees during trial. Early use cases include payroll, tuition, and medical payments.  Read more

 

Zhihu

Image Source: Zhihu

Why Japan Remains a Top Travel Magnet for Chinese On Zhihu, travellers highlight Japan’s visa policy (68 countries visa-free), bilingual infrastructure, and smart airport processes. From Osaka’s Universal Studios to urban cultural management, Japan’s “engineered experience” makes it a perennial favourite. Read more