{"id":21786,"date":"2026-02-25T14:30:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=21786"},"modified":"2026-02-25T14:30:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:30:31","slug":"young-americans-are-embracing-chinamaxxing-thats-a-soft-power-boost-for-beijing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=21786","title":{"rendered":"Young Americans are embracing \u2018Chinamaxxing\u2019. That\u2019s a soft power boost for Beijing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-editable=\"content\" data-reorderable=\"content\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlueky06003027pgfnig81sl@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            This article may be meeting you at a very Chinese time in your life.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk00153b6phafo5ozz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            At least, if you\u2019ve spent enough time recently on social media, where the phenomenon of \u201cChinamaxxing\u201d has swept feeds with videos of people sipping hot water, shuffling around the house in slippers and donning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/16\/style\/adidas-tang-jacket-chinese-new-year-trend-intl-hnk\">a viral Adidas jacket<\/a> resembling historic Chinese fashion.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk00163b6pnpzw4bbv@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            These things, content creators joke, will help you \u201cbecome Chinese\u201d \u2013 reflecting a growing Western fascination with Chinese culture and aesthetics.\n    <\/p>\n<aside data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/tiktok\/instances\/cmlueu0te002v3b6pz6ogay8u@published\" class=\"tiktok\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok__post\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@notrvj\/video\/7597549752334470413\" data-video-id=\"7597549752334470413\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px;min-width:325px\">\n<section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@notrvj\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@notrvj?refer=embed\">@notrvj<\/a> Honestly tho this has helped out my morning routine so much  <a title=\"chinese\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/chinese?refer=embed\">#chinese<\/a> <a title=\"chinesetiktok\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/chinesetiktok?refer=embed\">#chinesetiktok<\/a> <a title=\"morningroutine\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/morningroutine?refer=embed\">#morningroutine<\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - alex\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7313321369772854048?refer=embed\">\u266c original sound &#8211; alex<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk00173b6pcommsb4x@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cMorning routine as a new Chinese baddie,\u201d one TikTok creator captioned a video in which he does a series of traditional Chinese exercises. Another video, viewed more than 2.4 million times as of late February, shows the creator boiling apples to make fruit tea \u2013 a supposedly old-school Chinese elixir for gut health.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk00183b6pyr31gqe0@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            We\u2019ve seen this play out before as Asia steadily accumulated global cultural capital. K-dramas, K-pop and K-beauty have become beloved worldwide, while record numbers of tourists are flocking to Japan and gushing over its pristine streets and high-speed rail.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk00193b6p933xavnm@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Now, it seems it is China\u2019s turn.\n    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmluhb4u400043b6u1armrlqs@published\" class=\"image_expandable-elevate portrait image_expandable__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-name=\"GettyImages-2238729719.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-re data-breakpoints=\"{\" data-original-ratio=\"1.5\" data-original-height=\"8256\" data-original-width=\"5504\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2238729719.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-breakpoints=\"{\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmluhb91i00063b6uu30ntn5e@published\" class=\"image_expandable-elevate portrait image_expandable__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-name=\"GettyImages-2257287173.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-re data-breakpoints=\"{\" data-original-ratio=\"1.5\" data-original-height=\"6000\" data-original-width=\"4000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2257287173.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-breakpoints=\"{\">\n       <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gettyimages-2257287173.jpg\" alt=\"A guest wears dark sunglasses, a mustard yellow suede Adidas Tang jacket with white toggle closures, oversized beige cotton trousers, and a bright yellow Vivienne Westwood heart-shaped leather handbag, outside Jeanne Friot, during the Menswear Fall\/Winter 2026-2027 as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 20, 2026 in Paris, France.\" class=\"image_expandable__dam-img image_expandable__dam-img--loading\" height=\"6000\" width=\"4000\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001a3b6pxjgu99gz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cFor the longest time, there was all this discussion about (how) China didn\u2019t really have as much soft power vis-\u00e0-vis South Korea or Japan,\u201d said Tianyu Fang, a PhD student at Harvard University\u2019s Department of the History of Science.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001b3b6psou1p44a@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cWe see that changing quite a bit over the last few months \u2013 with Chinese video games, Chinese films, and even tiny things like Labubus that are really reshaping the cultural imagination of China in the US, and more broadly in the West.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001c3b6p5b4bd1tx@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            But this feels a little different from previous Asian cultural waves. For starters, South Korea and Japan are both democracies and staunch US allies, while China is an authoritarian state and major US rival.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001d3b6psz3kc3a0@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The trend also marks a vibe shift within the American public.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001e3b6panrn57ud@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Just a few years ago, the Covid-19 pandemic fueled a surge in deadly anti-Asian hate crimes. US President Donald Trump repeatedly used racist language, calling Covid \u201ckung flu.\u201d A trade war and other tensions deepened the widespread Sinophobia.\n    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmluhe0de000e3b6u328eiygk@published\" class=\"image_large-elevate image_large__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-name=\"GettyImages-1231841621.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-re data-breakpoints=\"{\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6638608305274972\" data-original-height=\"4732\" data-original-width=\"7128\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-1231841621.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image_large__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-breakpoints=\"{\">\n       <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gettyimages-1231841621.jpg\" alt=\"Sally Sha holds up a sign during a Stop Asian Hate rally at Discovery Green in downtown Houston, Texas, on March 20, 2021.\" class=\"image_large__dam-img image_large__dam-img--loading\" height=\"4732\" width=\"7128\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001g3b6ph0797xyd@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Against this backdrop, it can seem like something of a 180 for many Gen Z Americans to now embrace \u201cbecoming Chinese.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001h3b6pokzwbwep@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            But experts say the trend reveals deeper undercurrents like dissatisfaction among many Americans with life at home \u2013 from political turmoil, gun violence, immigration crackdowns and persistent racial tensions. All this has dulled the veneer of the US, driving curiosity for American youths to see what life is like on the other side.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001j3b6pcrz31gfo@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            It\u2019s also about simple exposure, Fang pointed out. While Chinese products have long been ubiquitous across the planet, more Americans are now noticing Beijing\u2019s dominance in many fields \u2013 especially in the competitive world of tech.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001k3b6peulvykem@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            And increasingly, what they\u2019re seeing is redefining their image of cool.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001m3b6pmxm5buqn@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            This isn\u2019t the first time China has drawn intrigue from the West. In the 2000s and early 2010s, as China began opening up to the world, more outsiders began learning Mandarin, and travel and immigration to and from China spiked.\n    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmluhf6u3000g3b6uvbnk7o6z@published\" class=\"image_large-elevate image_large__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-name=\"GettyImages-1126286228.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-re data-breakpoints=\"{\" data-original-ratio=\"0.648125\" data-original-height=\"1037\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-1126286228-20260220063110593.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image_large__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-breakpoints=\"{\">\n       <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gettyimages-1126286228-20260220063110593.jpg\" alt=\"A group of American tourists from Minnesota wait for entry to the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, on 25 August 2003.\" class=\"image_large__dam-img image_large__dam-img--loading\" height=\"1037\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001n3b6p34pvtqzj@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Much of the enthusiasm to engage with the Asian giant was economically driven, said Fang.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001o3b6pn7n49qr0@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            In the past decade, however, \u201cChina became more self-sufficient, it is much more inward-looking than it used to be, especially during Covid.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001p3b6pekg9dlsq@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Relations with the US also soured drastically as China turned increasingly authoritarian under leader Xi Jinping, instead of more democratic and liberal as Western leaders had hoped.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001q3b6pqnb7l66i@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            But now, it appears people are drawn to China not purely because of money \u2013 but because of the cool factor.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001r3b6p3s7kox82@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            That may be partly fueled by China\u2019s reopening post-Covid, which included relaxing some visa policies and encouraging more tourism \u2013 as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/01\/14\/tech\/rednote-china-popularity-us-tiktok-ban-intl-hnk\">the great migration of social media users<\/a> to China\u2019s Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) platform after the US government threatened to ban TikTok.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001s3b6plpn4xpwf@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The influx of Americans to Xiaohongshu saw two vastly different populations \u2013 who normally exist<strong> <\/strong>in entirely separate online spaces \u2013 directly connecting like never before.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmlues0dk001t3b6po5qvyuvz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            And it\u2019s no coincidence the trend comes amid a broader decline in the US\u2019 global image. Though it\u2019s still the dominant cultural force globally, recent geopolitics and domestic turmoil have reshaped how people around the world view the superpower.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesc5w001v3b6pg7dmp9zh@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Just look at how the immigration crackdown has prompted many international students to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/10\/21\/us\/india-student-visas-h1b-trump-hnk-dst\">go elsewhere<\/a> for their studies; how research budget cuts have pushed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/29\/china\/china-reverse-brain-drain-science-tech-competition-us-intl-hnk\">top scientists<\/a> to work in China instead; how Canadians, angered by a trade war, are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/03\/24\/europe\/europe-american-boycott-cmd-intl\">boycotting US goods<\/a>; or how Americans themselves are choosing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/06\/03\/business\/americans-leaving-us-trump-intl\">leave the country<\/a>.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmh001x3b6pfg76k0yu@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            You can see this growing sense of disillusionment in the kinds of Chinese content young Americans are gravitating towards.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi001y3b6ptk2ouqbc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            For instance, videos showing vertiginous skylines from Chinese metropolises like Chongqing and Shanghai have gone viral for depicting a futuristic vision of urban life, \ufeffreplete with seemingly clean streets and low levels of violent crime.\n    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmluhdgxl000a3b6usd4czpze@published\" class=\"image_expandable-elevate image_expandable__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-name=\"GettyImages-2175118628.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-re data-breakpoints=\"{\" data-original-ratio=\"0.666875\" data-original-height=\"1067\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2175118628.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-breakpoints=\"{\">\n       <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gettyimages-2175118628.jpg\" alt=\"Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 passes through Liziba Station, where the track runs directly through a residential building.\" class=\"image_expandable__dam-img image_expandable__dam-img--loading\" height=\"1067\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmluhdif5000c3b6u3sfaja9a@published\" class=\"image_expandable-elevate image_expandable__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-name=\"GettyImages-2238596916.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-re data-breakpoints=\"{\" data-original-ratio=\"0.666875\" data-original-height=\"1067\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2238596916.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image_expandable__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_expandable\" data-breakpoints=\"{\">\n       <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gettyimages-2238596916.jpg\" alt=\"A Serbian tourist has fun at the viewing platform around the Liziba Station of Chongqing Rail Transit in Yuzhong District of southwest China's Chongqing, on October 3, 2025.\" class=\"image_expandable__dam-img image_expandable__dam-img--loading\" height=\"1067\" width=\"1600\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi001z3b6pno2fd5i7@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Clips showing neon-lit skyscrapers, drone shows and jaw-dropping transport systems have been topping social media algorithms. Other popular videos highlight China\u2019s electric vehicle advances and embrace of green energy.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi00213b6pz49bjjh5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            In many ways, this romanticism of Chinese progress is oversimplified. For instance, while housing costs in China are lower than in the US, average wages are also far lower \u2013 one of many real-life challenges of life in China. Despite these problems, however, the viral videos present a seductive contrast to America\u2019s<strong> <\/strong>aging infrastructure<strong> <\/strong>and high cost of living.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi00223b6pkvn2xx02@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The current trend \u201ctells us more about what Americans feel about America, than what Americans feel about China,\u201d Fang said.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi00243b6p5oosxyhs@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            With a long history of Sinophobia in the US and geopolitical tensions, it\u2019s hard to say how long \u201cChinamaxxing\u201d will last \u2013 and whether it\u2019s a sign of an increasingly Chinese future.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi00253b6po1y4gbzz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Beijing has spent years cultivating its soft and hard power in parts of Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. In certain countries, it\u2019s common to see Chinese EVs and Huawei or Xiaomi smartphones \u2013 products that are far less visible in the US in part due to policy restrictions and import controls.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi00263b6pvpkg0lzf@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cA lot of Americans (are) slowly realizing that these are the things China has been producing and they\u2019re pretty good,\u201d said Fang. \u201cThere is a lag precisely because these things weren\u2019t allowed in the US.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmluh8poh00023b6us0aqjobo@published\" class=\"image_large-elevate image_large__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-name=\"GettyImages-2256817128.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-re data-breakpoints=\"{\" data-original-ratio=\"0.7138157894736842\" data-original-height=\"3472\" data-original-width=\"4864\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2256817128.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image_large__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-breakpoints=\"{\">\n       <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gettyimages-2256817128.jpg\" alt=\"An electric vehicle charges at a charging station in Yichang, Hubei, China, on January 21, 2026.\" class=\"image_large__dam-img image_large__dam-img--loading\" height=\"3472\" width=\"4864\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi00273b6p709l4nai@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Even some of the US\u2019 closest traditional allies are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/02\/china\/china-us-europe-allies-analysis-hnk-intl\">inching closer to China<\/a> in the face of Trump\u2019s volatile foreign policy. France\u2019s Emmanuel Macron, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/29\/china\/starmer-xi-china-uk-intl-hnk\">Britain\u2019s Keir Starmer,<\/a> Finland\u2019s Petteri Orpo and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/16\/china\/china-canada-carney-intl-hnk\">Canada\u2019s Mark Carney<\/a> all visited Beijing in recent months, and were hosted by Xi.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi00293b6pxdv7naa5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Internet culture moves fast, and viral memes fade quickly. For most users, \u201cChinamaxxing\u201d was never that serious and meant to be used ironically or as a joke.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi002a3b6pxxrk91ys@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The trend has come under criticism too, with some members of the Chinese diaspora accusing it of being culturally appropriative and insensitive.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi002b3b6pl6cg0xuz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            But for a brief moment, trends like these can offer an unlikely digital bridge between two cultures often divided by politics and the decisions of their leaders.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi002c3b6pncl8pucg@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cI personally grew up or came of age in this decade when people in the US and people in China were interested in what each other had to say, and had to offer to the world,\u201d Fang said.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmluesdmi002d3b6p8gpplr0o@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cI\u2019d like to see some of that revive in this day and age.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\">\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/02\/25\/asia\/chinamaxxing-americans-soft-power-intl-hnk-dst\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article may be meeting you at a very Chinese time in your life. At least, if you\u2019ve spent enough time recently on social media, where the phenomenon of \u201cChinamaxxing\u201d has swept feeds with videos of people sipping hot water, shuffling around the house in slippers and donning a viral Adidas jacket resembling historic Chinese &#8230; <a title=\"Young Americans are embracing \u2018Chinamaxxing\u2019. That\u2019s a soft power boost for Beijing\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=21786\" aria-label=\"Read more about Young Americans are embracing \u2018Chinamaxxing\u2019. That\u2019s a soft power boost for Beijing\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Young-Americans-are-embracing-\u2018Chinamaxxing-Thats-a-soft-power-boost.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21786"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21788,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21786\/revisions\/21788"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}