China's Global Influence and Perception

As someone who frequently visits communities in different countries to read posts, I can objectively tell you that China's influence is indeed expanding, but it still has a long way to go. Many of China's actions are actually difficult for foreigners to understand.

Militarily, China has developed the sixth-generation aircraft ahead of other countries, and platforms like TikTok and YouTube continue to promote China's high-tech advancements, urban modernization, community safety, and social prosperity. However, in the eyes of foreigners, if you truly have power, you should intervene in regional conflicts like the United States to demonstrate your strength. As long as nuclear war doesn't occur, regional conflicts are the best way to showcase one's power.

For example, the ranking you mentioned where the United States is first and China is second is actually just our own perception. The real international view is that China possesses mysterious power, but its actual strength is unclear, and its true ranking can barely be considered in the top ten.

In other words, from aspects like ethnicity, language, belief, culture, and strength, China is seen by foreigners as completely non-transparent, possessing certain power but unwilling to take responsibility as a major country.

Whether it's a powerful country or a weak nation bullied and invaded, the strength visit is essentially dominated by two camps: the U.S.-led group and the anti-American group. Countries led by the U.S. know that America is a bully, but it has the power, and being exploited is natural. When they become powerful, they will exploit the world similarly.

Anti-American countries, mostly small African and Middle Eastern nations, have seen through American ideology. Since they aren't of the same ethnicity or religious belief, joining is impossible, so they can only oppose America. However, these countries don't understand why China, despite being powerful, doesn't protect them. They wonder why China doesn't station troops, and buying weapons from China is pointless without someone to maintain them or speak for them.

China's image abroad hasn't really changed. Although TikTok operates now and has widely instilled ideas of China's safety, technology, and culture, it operates independently. The existence of the firewall means most content is reposted, and there are very few international bloggers traveling to China. You might have ten positive videos about China, but not even one negative video goes viral.

Globally, regardless of religion or ideology, including ancient China, true strength must be demonstrated for others to admire and recognize you. That's why the U.S. likes to say it acts from a position of strength.

However, post-New China is an anomaly. The world actually acknowledges that ancient China was globally dominant for long periods, with the greatest strength. The last hundred years can only be considered a period of humiliation. Other ethnic groups and regions have never truly been peaceful, mainly due to their weakness. Except for the 100 years from the late Qing dynasty to the anti-Japanese war when China was invaded, for at least 3000 years, China was number one in terms of military, cultural, and historical strength. This is recognized by any international historian.

After New China, although the world gradually realized China's strength during the Korean War, using human wave tactics, the U.S. concluded that close infantry combat with China was impossible because Chinese people weren't afraid to die, which was considered abnormal. However, technologically, China was far behind.

Now that China is strong, it still doesn't want to open up the firewall to promote itself or help others. It only talks about peace and trade, which can only be considered a merchant's role.

While China keeps emphasizing that peace is hard-won and mutual non-interference in national affairs, foreigners interpret this as hypocrisy. Either you come to subdue me or protect me. Money isn't a problem, but you have to protect me. This is the most basic demand.

In reality, the entire internet is essentially dominated by Western countries. You can understand it as an international firewall; unfriendly information will be deleted, but people don't admit it. China's internet is isolated, so even positive images of China are reposts or discussions among a few foreigners against a large group of hostile foreigners.

Of course, if the global network were managed by China, unfriendly content would also be deleted. But the fact is, China can't manage the external internet, hence the firewall.

Objectively speaking, the cultural differences between China and foreign countries are huge. Qian Xuesen once said about nuclear deterrence that having a sword and not using it is completely different from not having one at all. This self-preservation mindset is understandable, but gaining international recognition is impossible. China is only seen as unfathomable, not strong, and lacking responsibility.

The entire international internet is dominated by the West. It's essentially an international firewall; dissatisfied posts are deleted cleanly. If you insult Jews or oppose the U.S. government, web police will find you. People just don't want to admit this fact.

More countries are bullied, and they only feel helpless without China stepping in to protect them, leaving them to be exploited.

For example, in the Sino-U.S. tariff war, many small countries were actually excited. Only China dared to confront the U.S. head-on, and everyone admired that, including traditional U.S. allies like Japan and South Korea.

But still, China's strength is unclear, mysterious, and peculiar. Having weapons and power but not using them is a waste. This remains the most common evaluation of China.