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Beijing’s Propaganda Push Meets Public Pushback Amid Economic Uncertainty
As the National Day and Mid-Autumn holidays concluded, China’s state media launched an ambitious campaign to bolster economic confidence. People’s Daily published eight sweeping essays celebrating China’s economic “resilience” and “potential,” but instead of reassuring the public, the effort triggered widespread derision online.
The essays, bearing grandiose titles like “China’s Economic Transformation from a Global Perspective” and “Understanding the Logic of Long-Term Stability,” acknowledged challenges only to quickly reaffirm the Party line. Their central message urged citizens not to judge the entire economy by the struggles of a few businesses—to see “both the trees and the forest.”
This metaphor backfired spectacularly on social media, where users responded with cutting sarcasm. “You can’t say the economy’s bad just because restaurants are empty, factories idle, and apartments unsold,” mocked one comment. “Don’t let your misery negate the leaders’ happiness—officials and tycoons are doing just fine,” read another.
The online backlash revealed deeper societal tensions between what netizens call “taxpayers” and “tax-eaters.” While private entrepreneurs and workers bear the brunt of economic stagnation, government officials remain largely insulated. This divide has driven millions of young people to seek stability through civil service positions rather than private sector careers.
Economic analysts note a paradoxical situation: the more forcefully Beijing emphasizes “certainty,” the more uncertain the situation appears. “The obsession with stability reveals a system deeply unsure of itself,” one economist told The Epoch Times. Many citizens interpreted the propaganda blitz not as genuine domestic policy analysis but as foreign-facing messaging designed to project calm.
Against this backdrop, economist Wang Xiaolu has emerged as a rare voice of candor within China’s system. He has drawn uncomfortable parallels between current trends and the pre-1978 planned economy era, when China’s per capita GDP was just $200. “Relying on the government to solve everything simply doesn’t work,” Wang cautioned.
While China’s per capita GDP has climbed to around $12,000 today—a remarkable improvement—Wang warns against complacency. With a median disposable income of approximately $360 per month, half of Chinese citizens still struggle with basic necessities. Boasting about being “the world’s No. 2 economy,” he suggests, creates “a dangerous illusion.”
Wang identifies inequality as China’s most corrosive problem. The official Gini coefficient of 0.46 already exceeds that of the United States, and the real disparity may be even wider as high-income groups often conceal earnings. “This isn’t just inequality,” Wang notes. “It’s a credibility crisis for the entire data system.”
The property sector represents another self-created trap. Local governments have relied on “land finance”—monopolizing land sales and inflating housing prices—while using real estate as a default stimulus tool. This has created unsustainable debt and a surplus of empty apartments. “Relaxing restrictions might ease the pain,” Wang warned, “but it won’t cure the disease.”
Consumption remains at the heart of China’s economic challenges. Household spending constitutes only 38 percent of GDP, compared to over 60 percent in developed economies. Half of China’s 460 million urban workers are migrants without local welfare coverage, forcing them to save rather than spend. “Consumption isn’t stimulated,” Wang observed. “It’s earned—through security and trust.”
The recent “Golden Week” holiday data illustrates these concerns. While domestic trips reached 880 million during the eight-day National Day–Mid-Autumn holiday, average daily spending per person fell 13 percent to just 114 yuan—the lowest in a decade. Tourist attractions were packed, but restaurants and hotels remained half-empty as travelers opted for budget alternatives like sleeping in cars and eating self-heating meals.
Entertainment spending followed a similar pattern. This year’s National Day box office hit just 1.8 billion yuan—its weakest showing since 2015, excluding pandemic years. Even the stock market’s 50 percent surge since 2024 has failed to lift consumer confidence, as equities make up only 15 percent of household assets.
Wang’s prescription for China’s economy is straightforward yet radical: redraw the boundary between state and market. Government should function as a service provider delivering public goods rather than manipulating industries. Fiscal reform should redirect spending from showcase projects to social welfare, while land and household registration reforms must accelerate.
As Beijing continues promoting “high-quality development” and “spiritual wealth,” the disconnect between official narratives and everyday experiences widens. The true challenge for China’s leadership may not be external economic pressures but the growing gap between propaganda and reality—a gap that no amount of confident rhetoric seems able to bridge.
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13 Comments
This situation underscores the delicate balancing act China’s leadership must perform as it navigates economic challenges and public sentiment. The party’s inability to rally the public behind its rosy messaging could be a sign of deeper cracks in the government’s authority.
Absolutely. The public’s willingness to openly mock the government’s propaganda efforts suggests a growing sense of disillusionment with the party’s ability to effectively manage the economy and address the concerns of ordinary citizens.
This episode highlights the challenges China’s leadership faces in maintaining its grip on information and public discourse, even as the economy shows signs of strain. The public’s sarcastic responses demonstrate a growing willingness to push back against the government’s propaganda efforts.
Absolutely. The party’s inability to effectively manage the public narrative in the face of economic uncertainty could be a worrying sign of a broader loss of faith in the government’s competence and credibility.
This propaganda push by Beijing seems like a desperate attempt to shore up confidence in the economy, but the public’s mocking responses suggest it’s backfiring spectacularly. The government’s inability to address the real challenges facing businesses and citizens is clearly eroding its credibility.
Agreed. The party’s heavy-handed tactics are only serving to further alienate the public and undermine their trust in the government’s handling of the economic situation. This could have serious long-term consequences if the disconnect continues to grow.
The online backlash to Beijing’s propaganda campaign is a fascinating window into the growing tensions between the government and the people. It’s clear the public is no longer willing to simply accept the party’s reassurances, especially when the economic realities on the ground tell a very different story.
The backlash from netizens shows how savvy the Chinese public has become at seeing through the government’s propaganda. Phrases like “don’t let your misery negate the leaders’ happiness” are scathing indictments of the disconnect between officials and the people.
Absolutely. The public’s sarcastic responses demonstrate a growing unwillingness to simply accept the party line, even in the face of heavy-handed messaging. This could be a sign of increasing frustration with the government’s handling of the economy.
It’s fascinating to see how China’s state media is struggling to maintain its grip on the narrative as economic uncertainty grows. The public’s skepticism towards the government’s rosy depictions of the economy suggests a worrying loss of faith in the party’s ability to manage the situation.
Interesting to see the public pushback against Beijing’s heavy-handed propaganda tactics. It seems the economic realities on the ground don’t align with the party’s rosy messaging. I wonder how long they can keep up this disconnect before people lose faith entirely.
You’re right, the public seems increasingly skeptical of the government’s overly optimistic rhetoric. This propaganda surge is likely an attempt to distract from the very real economic challenges China is facing.
The public’s scathing reactions to Beijing’s propaganda campaign are a testament to the growing sophistication and skepticism of the Chinese people. The government’s heavy-handed attempts to shape the narrative are clearly failing to convince an increasingly discerning audience.