Despite growing tensions between the United States and China over national security and trade, Chinese internet culture is experiencing an unexpected surge in popularity among American social media users. From viral memes about industrial chemicals to an influx of U.S. users on Chinese platforms, the digital space has become an unlikely bridge between the two nations.
One of the most surprising trends of 2024 was the rise of Donghua Jinlong, a Hebei-based manufacturer of industrial glycine, an amino acid used in food production. Though an obscure company, its advertisements on TikTok unexpectedly went viral, transforming the brand into an internet sensation. American users, dubbing themselves “glycine girlies,” embraced the meme, creating influencer-style content about a product they had no actual use for.
Diana R., the creator behind the popular meme account CitiesbyDiana, explained the phenomenon. “We spent an entire month pretending we were buying industrial chemicals from China and making videos as if it were a luxury brand,” she said. The meme became so widespread that it was covered by major publications, including The Washington Post and The New Yorker. Donghua Jinlong even played along, sending merchandise to online creators.
TikTok Ban Sparks Migration to RedNote
The viral fascination with Chinese memes coincides with a new wave of American users flocking to RedNote (Xiaohongshu), China’s version of Instagram. This sudden migration was triggered by the brief implementation of a TikTok ban over national security concerns, before President Donald Trump granted the platform a 75-day reprieve.
In just a few days, around three million Americans joined RedNote, integrating into a platform with 300 million predominantly Chinese users. The result was an unexpected cultural exchange, as users swapped jokes, shared memes, and even helped each other with homework.
American internet users have long speculated about what lies beyond China’s “Great Firewall”, which restricts access to many Western social media platforms. But RedNote has emerged as one of the few Chinese apps accessible overseas, allowing U.S. users to engage with Chinese netizens in a way that was previously rare.
A Cultural Exchange Beyond Politics
Even as U.S. leaders push for restrictions on Chinese tech companies, internet culture appears to be bridging the geopolitical divide. One of the most popular viral phrases to emerge from RedNote is “you swan, he frog,” a Chinese idiom originally used to describe relationships with mismatched expectations. After being posted by an American influencer, it quickly spread across English-speaking social media, applied to everything from celebrities to politicians.
The rise of Chinese memes in the U.S. reflects a growing curiosity about Chinese internet culture, despite political narratives urging division. Jianqing Chen, an East Asian languages and cultures researcher at Washington University in St. Louis, believes social media plays a crucial role in fostering connections between everyday citizens. “Grand political narratives lose their power at the level of everyday interaction,” he said. “Personal engagement online allows people to see beyond tensions and recognize shared human experiences.”
Even amid discussions of trade wars and national security threats, social media continues to show that humor—and memes—transcend borders.
