Research Article · Vol. 24, No. 2 (2025) · pp. 121-135
Peer reviewed — at least two external reviewers, single-anonymised. Editorial process
Chinese Online Views of Sweden as a Bastion of the 'White Left'
- Kristy Bryant — Oxford School of Global Area Studies, University of Oxford
- Ralph Schroder — Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford
- Jason Chau — Dow Jones and Wall Street Journal
Published Dec 31, 2025 · https://doi.org/10.17477/jcea.2025.24.2.121
Abstract
The escalating tension between China and the West is evident in online forums where Chinese netizens criticize the US and the West, attributing Western decline to the "white left", or baizuo (白左), which is a derogatory Chinese term used against progressives and their allegedly excessively tolerant views on social issues. This wave of online ultranationalism gained momentum following the 2015 European migrant crisis and Donald Trump's election in 2016. While the US-China antagonism is well-known, Chinese netizens have also targeted Sweden as a bastion of the "white left" since Sweden is traditionally regarded as a model of progressive policies. By focusing on Chinese perceptions of Sweden, this study contributes to understanding the broader phenomenon of online anti-Westernism. The paper examines how major Chinese platforms such as Weibo, Toutiao, Douyin, and Zhihu, alongside official government media sources, shape online discourse about Sweden. Through an examination of the interplay between digital platforms and political messaging, our paper highlights how these media platforms facilitate the circulation of nationalist rhetoric, contributing to broader populist currents evident not just within China but also in Sweden. While the narrative of Western decline and disorder may be exaggerated and distorted, our findings demonstrate that it legitimizes China's rise and the purported superiority of its civilization. Although such discourse may reveal more about Chinese perceptions than Swedish realities, this paper argues that such narratives reflect not only China's increasingly nationalistic worldview but also its growing confidence in its model of governance as an alternative to the liberal Western model. We situate these perceptions within broader shifts in China's and the West's global roles, arguing that they reflect a rising bottom-up populism with implications for geopolitics.
Keywords:SwedenChinasocial mediaanti-Westernismgeopoliticspopulism