Global 14 April 2026 RedNote chases U.S. expansion after its “TikTok refugee” moment fades China's Xiaohongshu has an uphill climb in a saturated market as it hires in the U.S. and launches an e-commerce portal for overseas markets. By Viola Zhou
Ideas 4 February 2026 To understand China, we need to understand the Chinese internet In her new book “The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet,” journalist Yi-Ling Liu examines the country’s censorship, viral trends and growing global power. By Yi-Ling Liu
Innovation 22 January 2026 She built an AI bot of her mother to help her grieve In his new book, “Love Machines: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Our Relationships,” writer James Muldoon profiles people who use AI companion bots to grieve and love. By James Muldoon
Features 2 September 2025 My mom and Dr. DeepSeek In China and around the world, the sick and lonely turn to AI. By Viola Zhou
China Outside China 26 March 2025 Xiaohongshu’s global pivot: The surprise winner of the TikTok ban wants to keep its new users The China platform faces political risks and e-commerce challenges in its overseas push ahead of a possible IPO. By Peiyue Wu
China Outside China 24 January 2025 The secret sauce of Chinese social media apps Addictive algorithms fuse social networking with shopping and entertainment. By Tiffany Ap and Kinling Lo
China Outside China 24 January 2025 “TikTok refugees” drove a global Xiaohongshu boom People far beyond the short-lived ban’s reach are downloading RedNote in droves. By Khadija Alam
China Outside China 15 January 2025 Everything you need to know about Xiaohongshu As fears of a TikTok ban grow, Americans are turning to Xiaohongshu, which translates to “little red book.” Here’s how the lifestyle app became a global phenomenon. By Rest of World Staff
China Outside China 14 January 2025 U.S. TikTokers flock to Xiaohongshu, baffling and bonding with Chinese users Americans are joining the Chinese social media app en masse to protest an imminent TikTok ban. By Kinling Lo and Viola Zhou
China Outside China 3 October 2024 Xiaohongshu has revolutionized Chinese tourism in Southeast Asia The lifestyle and social media platform, often compared to Instagram, is turning obscure sites into must-see attractions. By Zhaoyin Feng
Creators & Communities 21 November 2023 The end of anonymity on Chinese social media Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead. By Caiwei Chen
Creators & Communities 2 October 2023 Why thousands of young Chinese people use a pink dinosaur as their alias Users adopt the alias “momo” as a way to speak more freely, evade harassment, and protect personal privacy on Douban and Xiaohongshu. By Caiwei Chen