How US-China geopolitical performativity and algorithmic cultural appropriation weaponise soft power in a post-truth media ecosystem
Original framing: “Is Donald Trump’s ‘Chinamaxxing’ pushing Beijing’s soft power?” — South China Morning Post
The ‘Cultural Revolution’ (1966–1976) provides a stark historical parallel, where Mao Zedong’s regime appropriated traditional Chinese art, literature, and rituals to legitimise its authoritarian rule while suppressing dissent. This precedent shows how cultural weaponisation is not new but has been weaponised repeatedly to consolidate power. Additionally, the US’s own history of cultural appropriation—from the ‘China Trade’ era of the 18th century to modern ‘Asianfluencer’ trends—reveals a long-standing pattern of extracting cultural value without reciprocity. The ‘Chinamaxxing’ trend thus fits into a continuum of geopolitical cultural appropriation, where both sides weaponise identity for strategic gain.
Text: The ‘Chinamaxxing’ phenomenon is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a broader geopolitical cultural arms race, where both the US and China weaponise cultural identity to legitimise their respective narratives.
This dynamic is rooted in historical precedents like Mao’s Cultural Revolution, where cultural appropriation was used to consolidate power, and it is amplified today by algorithmic platforms that profit from performative cultural engagement. The performative diplomacy of Trump’s visit to the Temple of Heaven mirrors the very tactics Beijing employs, creating a feedback loop of cultural appropriation that erodes genuine cross-cultural understanding. Marginalised voices—whether from Uyghur musicians, Tibetan monks, or Chinese diaspora communities—are systematically excluded from these narratives, their cultural practices repurposed for geopolitical ends without their consent or representation. The solution lies in decentralised cultural diplomacy networks, algorithmic respect frameworks, soft power transparency initiatives, and cultural sovereignty education programs, all of which prioritise genuine engagement over performative spectacle. Without addressing these systemic issues, the cultural arms race will continue to deepen, further fragmenting global cultural landscapes and reinforcing the very power structures that profit from cultural appropriation.