Beijing Fuels Nationalist Surge Through TikTok & Blockbuster Films
BEIJING – A wave of digitally-driven patriotism is sweeping across China, fueled by viral TikTok trends and a resurgence in nationalist cinema, signaling a concerted effort by Beijing to shape national identity and historical narratives. Chinese internet users are engaging with history in novel ways, exemplified by the hashtag “网友用 ai 与先烈跨时空对话” (“Internet users use AI to dialog through time with revolutionary martyrs”), showcasing AI-generated conversations with historical figures.
This online activity coincides with a dramatic shift in the reception of Chinese patriotic films. Once derided for poor quality – exemplified by the 2009 film The Founding of A Republic (建国大业), which was so poorly received that douban, a popular online critic site, disabled its rating function – war films produced in collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party (PCC) propaganda departments are now achieving critical and commercial success. Recent examples include The eight Hundred (八佰) released in 2020, and The Battle at Lake Changjin (长津湖) in 2021.
Several films are slated for release this year focusing on Chinese resistance during the Second Sino-Japanese War, including Dongji Island (东极岛), previewed August 8th, and 731 (七三一), directed by Zhao Linshan, scheduled for release on September 18th in Mukden, focusing on the atrocities committed by the Japanese Unit 731. these films are expected to perform strongly at the box office, tapping into a growing sentiment expressed through the hashtag “让全世界知道那段历史真相” (“letting the world know”), which emphasizes the need to highlight historical facts, notably China’s role in world War II.
beijing has set ambitious goals for film production, aiming for at least 50 films generating over 100 million yuan (approximately 12 million euros) annually as part of its 14th Five-Year Plan. this target might potentially be increased during the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), to be approved by the Central Committee of the PCC this fall. The domestic film industry is already demonstrating notable success, with Ne Zha 2, produced by chinese studios, becoming the highest-grossing animated film in history, earning $2.2 billion and possibly surpassing Titanic‘s lifetime box office revenue.
The rising tide of nationalist sentiment has prompted concern from the Japanese government, which has reportedly requested its Asian and European partners not to participate in events perceived as stirring “anti-Japanese feeling” due to historical reinterpretations.
