The US USclaims that Chinese apps and online activities pose a threat to Americans' security. However, US internet users are fascinated by Chinese memes.
Industrial food-grade glycine isn't a topic you'd expect to capture anyone's imagination. But since the summer of 2024, a Chinese amino acid manufacturer has become the center of a TikTok sensation in the US. American users on the platform have been captivated by posts from the company, Donghua Jinlong, turning them into hugely popular memes as the company playfully joined in. As a result, news about Chinese industrial glycine spread quickly.
Recently, a potential ban on TikTok in the US led Americans to flock in large numbers to another popular Chinese social media app called RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, which translates to Little Red Book. About three million users in the US signed up for RedNote in the days before a law banning TikTok over national security concerns briefly took effect, until President Donald Trump granted a 75-day reprieve.
These self-proclaimed "TikTok refugees" joined about 300 million active Xiaohongshu users, mostly in China. This led to a growing connection between Chinese and American users as they shared jokes, memes, and even helped each other with homework.
This is happening at a time when tensions between the US and China are high due to national security concerns and fears of a trade war. Yet, social media seems to be giving American and Chinese people a chance to bridge the "Great Firewall" that usually divides their internet activities. Could this mix of two rich but very different meme cultures be more than just fun? Can it offer common ground for people often divided by their political leaders' rhetoric?
Certainly, while the move to RedNote is recent, American interest in Chinese memes is not.
In 2024, Chinese memes and content made a surprising entry into American digital culture. During the summer, "glycine girlies" unexpectedly turned Donghua Jinlong, a glycine manufacturer from Hebei, into a celebrity. Glycine is an amino acid used in various food products. Meanwhile, meme creators also enjoyed strange videos about a character named "Little John," who uses galvanized steel beams for absurd home renovations—a joke that started on China's BiliBili platform.
Have you heard of "u swan, he frog"? In August 2024, influencer YourKris shared a post on RedNote about relationship issues with her boyfriend. She received many supportive comments from Chinese users, including phrases like "you swan, he frog." This literally translated idiom was later used by Americans online to describe everything from celebrity relationships to political candidates.