By Stephanie Li丨SFC, 21st Century Business Herald

“You’ve met me at a very Chinese time in my life.” Maybe you recognize this as an homage, a spoof, of “You met me at a very strange time in my life,” from the 1999 movie “Fight Club.” Or maybe, you associate this with a growing lifestyle trend dedicated to celebrating Chinese culture and heritage through good-natured parody and humor.

If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ve probably noticed the viral hashtag #IWantToBeChinese, where people wearing slippers in the house instead of bare-footed, swapping iced drinks for hot water and teas with TCM ingredients, eating congee, and simmering apples instead of blending smoothies, in a respectful way to adopt Chinese traditions to actually improve their life.

While many creators are participating, the movement has largely been led by Sherry Zhu, a 22-year-old in New Jersey with family roots in China. Zhu has 711,000 TikTok followers, and her “Chinese baddie starter kit” playlist includes multiple posts, some of which have received between 2 million and 6 million views.

Zhu has emerged as the de facto trendsetter, when she decided to assertively tell everyone on the internet, regardless of their race or ethnicity, that they are Chinese. People gleefully ran with it. Videos are now everywhere, with ostensibly non-Chinese TikTokers actively sharing their routines and tips. This cohort of newly inducted Chinese people are taking the cultural identity seriously.

For some, becoming a “Chinese baddie” is a way to reclaim a sense of control of their life in chaos. And, further, in a wellness economy dominated by pricey supplements, memberships, and other elaborate wellness routines, the idea that a measure of well-being may be achieved by simply boiling sliced apples in water feels refreshing.

To dig deeper, it’s another case of China’s "soft power" having changed dramatically over the past few decades. Remember those “TikTok refugees” that flooded in Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, precisely one year ago? Within two days after U.S. President Donald Trump extended the TikTok ban grace period, over 700,000 American users opened accounts on China’s popular lifestyle platform. What was intended as a political restriction inadvertently became a bridge for people-to-people connection. 

This “online migration” shattered the information echo chambers that had long distorted Sino-U.S. perceptions. American users posted videos asking for tips on making congee or practicing Tai Chi; Chinese netizens responded with patience, sharing recipes and wellness hacks.

An American user joked, “My Chinese netizen friends taught me to use a rice cooker to make hot pot—I’ll never go back to microwave meals!” For Chinese citizens, the interaction demystified the so-called “American dream” portrayed in Western media, while Americans gained a firsthand view of China’s vibrant, everyday reality—safe streets, convenient online shopping and mobile payments, and warm community bonds.

At a traditional Chinese music concert held alongside "Ni Hao! China" tourism promotion in Philadelphia, US state of Pennsylvania, on January 28, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng described this phenomenon as “a testament to the power of people-to-people exchange.” He noted that many Americans now “take pride in showing off their Chinese-style lives, even livestreaming competitions to see who lives more Chinese.” This spontaneous dialogue, unscripted by governments or media, proves that mutual respect and curiosity can overcome political divides.

The online trend further translates into a surge in inbound tourism, driven by China’s expanded visa-free policy. In 2025, over 82 million foreigners visited China, a year-on-year increase of 26.4%, with 30 million entering visa-free. The 2026 New Year holiday alone saw 828,000 foreign entries and exits, with 292,000 using visa-free policies, up 35.8% from the previous year.

Beyond sightseeing, foreign visitors are immersing themselves in Chinese life. In Harbin, inbound tourist numbers rose 77.9% year-on-year, with spending jumping 88.1% as travelers experienced ice sculptures and local delicacies. In Hainan, which now offers visa-free access to 86 countries and 92 international air routes, foreign tourists join square dances with locals and learn to make Cantonese soups, while enjoying instant tax refund shopping on the tropical island.

The economic benefits extend beyond tourism. The Ambassador highlighted that China’s animated film “Nezha 2” screened in over 900 North American theaters, becoming one of the highest-grossing Chinese films in the region in 20 years. Meantime, Disney’s “Zootopia 2” earned over USD600 million in China, its largest global market. This mutual success disproves the myth of “cultural zero-sum games” and underscores how cultural exchange drives economic growth.

At the heart of the “becoming Chinese” trend lies China’s cultural confidence that built on the tangible strength of hard and soft power. Hard power provides the foundation: China’s industrial prowess and infrastructure have redefined global perceptions of “Chinese quality.” Its visa policies—240-hour transit visa-free access for 55 countries—remove barriers to in-person engagement.

Soft power amplifies this appeal: Cultural products like the video game “Black Myth: Wukong" and Labubu toys have become global sensations, while Chinese wellness practices offer a counterpoint to Western burnout. The 2025 Global Soft Power Index ranks China first in multiple categories, with 18-24-year-olds worldwide rating its culture and lifestyle most highly.

From TikTok refugees to Chinese baddies, from foreign tourists dancing square dances in Harbin to US Youtuber IShowSpeed’s livestreamed tours in China, global audiences crave connection rooted in authenticity, not stereotypes, as China’s cultural confidence has turned everyday rituals into bridges across borders.

As Ambassador Xie Feng aptly put it, “The hope of Sino-U.S. relations lies with the people, and the future with youth.” In a world often divided by politics, these small, human moments—sharing a recipe, practicing Tai Chi together—remind us that common aspirations for happiness and security transcend differences.

Editor: LI Yanxia

Host: Stephanie LI

Writer: Stephanie LI

Sound Editor: Stephanie LI

Graphic Designer: ZHENG Wenjing, LIAO Yuanni

Produced by 21st Century Business Herald

Presented by SFC