China Digital Digest Weekly: Exploring the Chinese Digital Landscape

Hi folks, we are back with our weekly edition of China’s Digital Digest, wherein we bring you weekly updates on China’s digital space. The report takes a quick glance at China’s complex and rapidly evolving social media landscape by providing updates on the latest happenings across the social media industry. Here are the major highlights of the report.

1. ByteDance’s China Head of Content Quality Leaves Amid Stricter Censorship

https://www.vietnam.vn/en/sep-lon-o-tiktok-mat-vi-tri

ByteDance has parted ways with a senior executive who oversaw content moderation and data labelling for its China-focused apps, according to sources and media reports, as the Beijing-based company advances content security amid Beijing’s strict censorship requirements.

Li Tong, who led the Content Quality and Data Service (CQC) team under Douyin Group, was no longer listed in ByteDance’s internal employee system, according to people familiar with the matter. Douyin, one of ByteDance’s core business units, operates several flagship products, including its namesake short-video platform – the Chinese version of TikTok – and the news aggregator Jinri Toutiao.

2. Frequent TikTok Users in Taiwan More Likely to Agree With Pro-China Narratives, Study Finds

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/06/frequent-tiktok-users-in-taiwan-more-likely-to-agree-with-pro-china-narratives-study-finds

Taiwanese people who spend large amounts of time on TikTok are more likely to agree with some pro-China narratives, a survey has suggested.

The study, conducted by the Taiwan-based DoubleThink Lab, surveyed people across Taiwan in March, asking a series of questions about politics and democracy in Taiwan and China, and their views on unification of the two sides. It found that among the respondents, agreement with criticisms of Taiwan’s domestic issues, and with the prospect of unifying with China, rose as TikTok use increased, before dropping again among the heaviest users of more than 14 hours a week.

3. RedNote Opens Hong Kong Office, Its First Outside Mainland

https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1808092-20250608.htm

Chinese social media giant RedNote has opened an office in Hong Kong, its first outside mainland China, a move the city’s finance chief hopes will provide a boost to local businesses and the platform’s international expansion.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said that he had personally invited the company, also known as Xiaohongshu, to set up a base in the city. Chan was officiating an opening ceremony, where he said the company’s presence in Hong Kong would foster closer connections with the city’s community, offering new perspectives and channels for local businesses in product design, marketing and promotion.

4. RedNote Sees Valuation Soar With Backing From GSR Ventures

https://www.netinfluencer.com/rednote-valuation-jumps-to-26-billion-as-chinese-platform-gains-momentum-with-us-investors/

RedNote’s valuation surged to US$26 billion in recent market transactions via a major fund, an unusually fast ascent that underscores how the Chinese social media phenomenon is making headway against TikTok in the US.

The start-up’s price tag emerged through a document from a GSR Ventures Management vehicle that showed shares of the fund changing hands. RedNote comprises 91 percent of the GSR fund’s assets, according to the internal document reviewed by Bloomberg News. The portfolio’s stated net asset value as of end-March translated to a big jump in the fledgling social media firm’s valuation over its last-reported US$20 billion.

5. Tmall Global Teams Up With Pamela Reif to Promote A “New Lifestyle” at West Lake

https://daoinsights.com/news/tmall-global-teams-up-with-pamela-reif-for-new-lifestyle/

Tmall Global has kicked off its 618 Shopping Festival with a high-energy pop-up at Hangzhou’s Xihu Tiandi, teaming up with global fitness icon Pamela Reif to spotlight a fresh take on modern living.

With over 100 million fans worldwide, Pamela is a symbol of health, energy, and wellness. Her broad appeal—especially among Gen Z and lifestyle-driven consumers—makes her a natural fit for the campaign. The partnership reflects Tmall Global’s strategy to position itself at the forefront of global lifestyle trends. Hey Tea has adopted a similar approach by appointing Pamela as its Healthy Lifestyle Advocate.

6. Olympic Champion Wang Manyu Named Longchamp Brand Ambassador

https://min.news/en/entertainment/57948a46a63c98fa20d0e44aae60c96f.html

French luxury brand Longchamp has named Chinese table tennis champion Wang Manyu as its new brand ambassador, citing her fearless attitude on and off the court as a perfect match for the brand’s spirited and authentic identity.

In a new campaign shared on Longchamp’s official Weibo, Wang appears effortlessly stylish with the off-white Le Pliage Xtra XS bucket bag slung over her shoulder. The announcement also ties in with the brand’s “Map of Inspiration” event at Taikoo Li Sanlitun in Beijing, where fans can check in at Wang’s campaign spots and pick up a Longchamp-branded coffee.

7. Chinese AR Glasses Maker Rokid is Going Global With Alibaba Partnership

https://www.techedt.com/rokid-to-launch-new-ar-glasses-globally-on-aliexpress-during-the-618-summer-sale

Rokid, a Chinese maker of augmented reality (AR) glasses, is set to launch its latest AR Spatial eyewear globally through Alibaba Group Holding’s AliExpress e-commerce platform, as the company pushes into overseas markets amid rising competition in the industry.

The Hangzhou-based company will debut the glasses overseas on June 16 during the AliExpress 618 summer sale period this month, leveraging the e-commerce giant’s “BigSave” programme to offer a nearly US$100 discount, bringing the cost down to US$568 for a limited time, Rokid announced.

8. Hong Kong’s Food Delivery Scene Soars With Drone Services to Ma On Shan

https://www.marketing-interactive.com/is-keeta-drone-delivery-launch-a-hype-or-the-new-normal-for-hk

Food delivery in Hong Kong has reached a new height as a major provider has started to use drones to send out orders, cutting the waiting time by 35 minutes.

The service, provided by Keeta Drone, a subsidiary of mainland Chinese food delivery giant Meituan, delivers orders from two fast-food restaurants in Science Park to a landing zone on Ma On Shan Promenade. The operator said it was planning to expand the service to other locations in the new town using the company’s automatic kiosk system.

9. Alibaba, JD.Com Sales Surge During 618 Shopping Festival on the Back of Subsidy Programme

https://www.ainvest.com/news/china-618-shopping-festival-sees-strong-sales-government-subsidies-2506/

Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com are seeing strong sales momentum in their respective campaigns for this year’s 618 shopping festival, on the back of the government’s national subsidy programme.

Preliminary 618 retail data from Taobao and Tmall Group (TTG), Alibaba’s domestic e-commerce unit, showed sales of categories that benefit from government subsidies – including consumer electronics products and home appliances – surged 283 percent during the campaign’s initial checkout period from May 13 to May 26, compared with the initial checkout period of its Singles’ Day campaign last year. For JD.com, sales of home appliances and electronics rose about 380 percent year on year in the first hour of its 618 campaign, which started on May 30, according to the latest data on the company’s website.

Wrapping Up

The vast and diverse nature of the Chinese Social Media space makes it incredibly challenging to keep a tab on the rapid developments taking place. However, China’s Digital Digest brings you all the latest updates from there to keep you abreast of all the evolving trends.

To delve deeper into the findings of our latest report, click here.