For decades, propaganda was easy to recognize. Governments produced posters, speeches, slogans, and state-run broadcasts designed to persuade citizens and shape public opinion. Today, however, China appears to be pursuing a much more sophisticated approach. Rather than relying solely on overt political messaging, Beijing is increasingly using emotional storytelling, social media influencers, cultural content, and artificial intelligence to influence audiences both at home and abroad.
The shift has raised concerns among analysts and policymakers who argue that modern Chinese propaganda is becoming harder to identify precisely because it often does not look like propaganda at all.
The Dear You Debate
Few recent examples illustrate this evolution better than the surprise success of the Chinese film Dear You.
The movie follows a man tracing his family’s history through remittance letters sent home from Thailand. Shot in the Teochew dialect of southern China, the film explores migration, family sacrifice, and the struggle of overseas Chinese communities to preserve their cultural heritage. Since its release in April, it has earned more than 1.6 billion yuan, or roughly $236 million, at the Chinese box office.
On its surface, the film appears to be a touching story about family and identity. Yet it has also sparked a fierce debate across Southeast Asia.
Questions emerged after producer Luo Zhanhong publicly thanked Beijing’s United Front Work Department for supporting the project. The United Front’s mission includes building relationships with overseas Chinese communities and encouraging alignment with Communist Party goals.
Singaporean journalist Sim Tze Wei described the film as a masterclass in “non-coercive” united front propaganda. Rather than lecturing viewers about politics, the film seeks to create emotional connections to China through family memories, language, and shared heritage.
That represents a significant departure from traditional propaganda. Instead of telling audiences what to think, the film encourages them to feel something.
From Ideology to Identity
Analysts say this approach reflects a broader change in Beijing’s strategy.
In previous decades, China’s engagement with overseas Chinese communities focused largely on maintaining cultural ties while encouraging immigrants to integrate into their adopted countries. More recently, some observers argue that Beijing has increasingly sought to strengthen emotional and cultural connections that can support broader geopolitical objectives.
According to reports cited in the source material, United Front officials have described Dear You as a model for a new era of persuasion. Internal discussions reportedly emphasize moving away from ideological lectures and toward localized stories, regional dialects, and personal experiences.
One United Front publication argued that such efforts can help younger generations move from “bloodline recognition” to “cultural identity” and ultimately to “national identity.”
The strategy is subtle. Instead of promoting political loyalty directly, it cultivates a sense of belonging.
Influence Beyond China’s Borders
The film is only one example of China’s efforts to shape perceptions overseas.
According to a report from the European Digital Media Observatory, Chinese-linked social media networks have developed substantial audiences in Greece and Cyprus through lifestyle content featuring young influencers speaking fluent Greek, discussing food, culture, travel, and daily life in China.
The content often appears entirely apolitical.
Researchers say this is part of a technique known as “role concealment,” in which influencers present themselves as ordinary content creators while maintaining connections to Chinese state media organizations. The goal is not necessarily to deliver overt political messages but to create favorable impressions of China through seemingly authentic personal content.
This strategy relies heavily on trust and relatability. Audiences are more likely to engage with a travel vlogger or lifestyle influencer than a government spokesperson.
Artificial Intelligence Opens New Frontiers
China’s propaganda efforts are also adapting to emerging technologies.
According to a recent OpenAI report cited by Reuters, Chinese-linked actors used generative AI tools to create political cartoons, slogans, social media posts, and online comments designed to influence discussions surrounding tariffs, data centers, and artificial intelligence policy in the United States.
Some of the AI-generated cartoons portrayed President Donald Trump as undermining global stability. Other content attempted to influence debates surrounding data center construction and energy consumption.
While OpenAI concluded that the campaigns appeared to have little measurable impact, researchers noted that the episode demonstrates how AI can dramatically increase the speed and scale of influence operations.
Rather than employing large teams of propagandists, organizations can now use AI to generate thousands of messages, images, and comments in multiple languages almost instantly.
Propaganda at Home
China’s messaging strategy inside its own borders is evolving as well.
One example is the rise of the phrase “kill line” on Chinese social media. The term, borrowed from video games, refers to a threshold beyond which a character can be defeated with a single blow.
According to the Human Security Project article included in the source material, the phrase has been transformed into a broader narrative about American society. Stories emphasizing homelessness, debt, job insecurity, and social decline are used to portray the United States as a nation constantly on the verge of collapse.
The article argues that such narratives reinforce longstanding themes within Chinese state media that depict America as unstable and declining while presenting China’s political system as safer and more effective.
Critics contend that these messages are amplified by censorship, patriotic education, and tightly controlled information environments that limit exposure to competing viewpoints.
A New Era of Persuasion
What connects these seemingly different examples is a common shift in strategy.
Modern Chinese influence campaigns increasingly rely on culture rather than ideology, emotion rather than argument, and personal stories rather than political speeches.
A family migration film. A popular influencer. A viral meme. An AI-generated cartoon.
Each serves a different purpose, yet all reflect a broader movement away from traditional propaganda toward forms of persuasion that are more difficult to identify and potentially more effective.
As Singaporean analyst Benjamin Loh observed, questions of identity are becoming increasingly complex in a networked world. The challenge for governments is determining where cultural exchange ends and political influence begins.
That debate is likely to intensify as China continues refining its methods. The future of propaganda may not be found in slogans or posters. It may arrive through movies, social media feeds, and stories that feel entirely personal, even when they serve a larger strategic purpose.