When memes become diplomatic: China and "wolf warrior" diplomacy

Over the last decade, with the rise of digital platforms in the diplomatic communications ecosystem, digital diplomacy has become a central arena for geopolitical disputes. Social media has gone from being a simple information channel to a tool for shaping narratives, demonstrating power, and influencing public perceptions. In this context, memes, which previously served merely as entertainment, have become strategic communication tools, as they are capable of simplifying complex messages and rapidly and replicably viralizing political narratives, reaching national and international audiences directly.

China is among the actors that have most intensively incorporated memes and viral formats into their digital diplomacy through social media, especially through so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy," which is characterized by a combative, nationalistic, and openly confrontational tone inspired by the aesthetics of patriotic heroic films. This approach led to memes and visual montages being adopted to defend the country, oppose Western criticism, and project power globally, combining elements of soft power (such as humor and cultural appeal) with hard power strategies based on confrontation and international pressure.

Concepts

To support the analysis of Digital Communication , it is necessary to define two core topic concepts: memes and "wolf warrior" diplomacy. In the field of Digital Communication, a meme is understood as a unit of information, which can take the form of an image, video, or text, that circulates virally in different digital environments and allows users to reinterpret and adapt it, using it to express cultural or political ideas in a brief and generally humorous way. On the other hand,'wolf warrior'diplomacy marks a fundamental change in how China's foreign policy is understood. This concept describes the transition from traditionally cautious diplomacy to a firmer, more confrontational stance, aimed at assertively defending Chinese national interests and responding aggressively to Western criticism, breaking with the passive attitude of the past.

To understand the effectiveness of memes, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of power in international relations. According to Joseph Nye, hard power is traditionally associated with the use of military force or economic pressure to compel other actors to follow a certain course of action. In contrast, soft power is defined as a state's ability to influence the actions of others through persuasion and attraction, rather than coercion, relying on culture, political values, and legitimate foreign policies.

Dual function

From this theoretical perspective, it can be seen that digital content is not limited to a single category of influence. In addition to their humorous nature, the memes used by Chinese diplomats are instruments of both soft power and hard power. On the one hand, they are capable of conveying a modern image of the state and softening important messages that in other more formal contexts would be perceived as propaganda. On the other hand, they ridicule other states, mainly China's political adversaries, and help the country gain an advantage in the dispute over international legitimacy and influence over the global interpretation of events. This dual function of memes means that they are not only considered viral content typical of the digital environment, but also specific tools of diplomatic dispute, capable of contributing to direct confrontation with other countries in a simple manner.

As a result of this transition towards the 'wolf warrior' style, the use of memes by Chinese diplomats responds to the logic of the new global diplomatic scenario and is understood asa communication strategy to adapt to the dominant language of young people and digital platforms. In an environment where the attention of Username fragmented and mainly oriented towards short, visual, and impactful content, memes allow official positions to be conveyed in a more accessible way, reaching more people. They also help to reinforce China's image as a powerful actor capable of dominating the media and controlling the narrative in a digital environment, where influence is no longer measured solely in traditional diplomatic terms, but also through the reach of publications and visibility.

Official accounts

Within this context, it is important to consider the role played by official Chinese diplomatic accounts in the employment these viral formats. The accounts of important diplomatic figures, such as spokespersons for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies in Europe and North America, have incorporated memes as a regular part of their communication style, and they tend to use a similar patron saint usage.

Sarcastic humor is used as tool ridicule Western criticism and reinforce a tone of superiority. So-called "counter-memes" (which are a form of visual response) allow for immediate and simple responses to various accusations regarding human rights, cybersecurity, foreign policy, and other diplomatic issues. The combination of humor, confrontation, and communication strategy becomes especially visible in specific diplomatic situations, where memes have been used as authentic discursive weapons with international impact. Various episodes in recent years illustrate how Chinese diplomacy has employee viral employee to respond to accusations, shape global narratives, and, in some cases, provoke diplomatic crises.

Two cases of the diplomacy of the 'warrior wolf'

A notable example occurred in April 2025, during the escalation of the trade war between the United States and China, when Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning and the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States shared a meme of the red "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) cap on the X platform on their official social media accounts.

The image, showing a label made in China" label and an inflated price tag, conveyed a sarcastic message and illustrated that Donald Trump's tariffs would ultimately hurt American consumers. This meme, along with others that went viral in China and reached American social media, depicting overweight American workers in textile factories, showed how the country is capable of taking control of the narrative and influencing global opinion. By showing that even one of the most important symbols of the Trump administration (the red MAGA cap) depends on China's production chain, the meme reinforced the idea that China is not only a competitor to the US, but also an indispensable part of its Economics, thus conveying its economic importance. Prior to this case, MAGA hats had already been used by Chinese diplomats and digital actors as memes to convey a different message, focused on economic interdependence.

In previous versions, such as the one circulated at the start of the trade war in 2018, the meme's main message focused on the label in China" label on the caps to ridicule American patriotism, suggesting that even its most emblematic symbols depend on Chinese manufacturing, mocking production. Comparing the two versions of this meme, a tactical evolution can be seen. In 2025, the image no longer just highlights dependence, but uses inflation as a weapon of political pressure, directly criticizing the economic impact on the American consumer's pocketbook.

Beyond this episode, other cases show how China has used memes to intervene in international debates and dispute interpretations of events. One of the most notable examples of this strategy in "wolf warrior" diplomacy was a post by Zhao Lijan, then spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The post, made in 2020, showed an AI-generated image of an Australian soldier with a cruel expression on his face, holding a knife over an Afghan child, accompanied by the ironic text "Don't be afraid, we are coming to bring you peace!"

The image was released after it was revealed that Australian soldiers had killed Afghan civilians, some of them minors, during military operations. So, by publishing the image in this context, China was able to launch a moral attack on Australia for human rights violations committed in its military operations. However, goal was not only to denounce the crimes committed in Afghanistan, but also to discredit Australia, and by extension the West, in the discussion on human rights. By using a shocking and emotionally charged visual format, the meme reinforced the Chinese narrative that Western countries, even when they present themselves as defenders of universal values, commit serious abuses. Thus, the publication exemplifies the use of dark humor, provocation, and virality as diplomatic tools to reposition China in the international arena.

skill

Taken together, this analysis demonstrates that the incorporation of memes and viral formats into Chinese diplomacy has become an orderly and deliberate component of its communication strategy in the digital age. By adopting the confrontational aesthetics and aggressive style of "wolf warrior" diplomacy, Beijing has intentionally transformed simple and highly viral visual content into instruments of symbolic and political power.

These tools allow China not only to aggressively challenge the global narratives promoted by the West, but also to directly question the legitimacy of its critics and promote its own narrative more effectively and quickly. In addition, by choosing to communicate through informal diplomatic channels, China has the freedom to adopt a more casual and accessible language, mixing incisive sarcasm, dark humor, and explicit criticism, which allows the country to offer an immediate and forceful response to international accusations, reinforcing its external and internal image of a strong and politically resolute China .

The cases analyzed are just two good examples of how digital virality has become a central axis of skill , where communication is now a battlefield in itself. In this new scenario, memetic wars have managed to appropriate diplomatic language by replacing institutional rhetoric with short, visual, and emotionally charged messages designed to circulate, resonate, and shape perceptions on a large scale. Diplomacy thus ceases to operate exclusively in formal spaces and becomes integrated into the logic of digital platforms, where influence is measured in terms of attention, reach, and the ability to frame narratives.

China has demonstrated a B skill mastering this environment, appropriating the dynamic and informal language of the internet and using it as tool to influence international public opinion. As a result, contemporary foreign policy is no longer limited to negotiating interests, but actively competes to define meanings in a globalized and highly contested communication ecosystem.