Trending Now: China's Social Media Highlights #19May-25May#

Weibo

Why Are Young Chinese Travelling More Often? Reasons include escaping pressure, exploring the unknown, self-expression on social media, and turning travel into a lifestyle. Travel is also seen to rebuild social connections and fight existential anxiety. According to a China Trading Desk, 56% of today’s travellers are young people. Read more

Cultural Tourism Keeps Fuelling New Spending Trends like “museum tourism” and “county hopping” are sparking fresh consumer activity. The continued evolution of creative “culture + travel” experiences is revitalising China’s economies. Read more

US Bans Harvard from Enrolling Foreign Students The US government has revoked Harvard University’s student exchange credentials, barring future international enrolments. Over 1,000 Chinese students could be affected, as they comprise nearly 20% of Harvard’s foreign student population. Read more

Image Source: Weibo

Popular Flight Deal: Buy 1 Get 1 to Japan Fliggy's 618 Super VIP campaign offers “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” ANA return flights to Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. Packages also include hotel vouchers, international deals, and premium-class options at discounted rates. Read more

Douyin

China’s Gen Alpha Shares 618 Shopping Picks Primary schoolers are now part of the shopping hype. A Chinese child shares her 618 must-buys on Douyin Mall—mostly trendy fashion finds. Read more

Travelling Abroad—But Still Feeling at Home Chinese tourists in Tokyo, Seoul, and Milan are sharing “not-quite-abroad” moments, finding Chinese restaurants and brands wherever they go. Top outbound picks for the Dragon Boat Festival include Japan, Korea, Thailand, and France. Read more

Xiaohongshu

Korea Through a RMB Lens: Price Shock for Chinese Tourists Visitors report water costing ¥10–15 in Korean convenience stores and full meals exceeding ¥100. Despite the high costs, Korea remains a top destination, with 4.326 million Chinese travellers expected in the next 6 months. Read more

Fan Travel to Cannes Gains Traction Young users are flying to France to support Chinese actor Jackson Yee at the Cannes Film Festival, signalling a new wave of “overseas fan pilgrimage” travel. Read more

Baidu

Image Source: Baidu

National Digital ID to Replace Manual Input for Online PurchasesUsers can now verify identity via a “National Digital ID App” instead of entering ID numbers manually. Supported platforms include 12306 and Taobao. Read more

Moutai Chairman: It’s Not the Liquor, It’s the Banquet Culture. According to Moutai’s CEO, young Chinese don’t reject baijiu, but dislike the social dynamics of drinking culture. Beer, fruit wine, and cocktails remain top picks for the youth. Read more

Zhihu

Image Source: Zhihu

France, Italy, or Spain? Zhihu Users Pick Italy as the preferred European destination for Chinese travellers on Zhihu. According to Travel Dashboard projections, 492,000 Chinese will visit Italy in the next 6 months. Read more

Chinese Couple Attacked in Australia A 40-year-old Chinese student and his wife were assaulted by teenagers in Sydney while searching for their keys. China remains the largest source of international students in Australia, with 189,282 currently enrolled. Read more