Wang Zheng’s Post

"The Chinese, however, seem to focus on individuals rather than effects, on shaping the personal context rather than operational tricks. It is person-to-person relationships that carry the weight of Chinese information operations...the techniques of a case officer are on display: playing to the ego, elicitation, switching between dominance and deference, and controlling the tone and tempo of the conversations.” Contrasting China's and Russia's Influence Operations, Peter Mattis The Chinese method of disinformation - and the ways we describe it - differ in distinct ways from the Russian strategy. On occasion, Russia would create a fake social media account of a personality, but rarely was the individual trained to this extent. Most of the Internet Research Agency employees, per previous readings, weren’t entirely clear on their goals, nor consistent in their mimicry of english speaking accounts. They focused on creating a general impression of issue areas, whereas the Chinese strategy seems to have a clear playbook for actions and behaviors. Mattis’s description of the strategies of the two countries as "agents of influence vs. influenced agents” is apt.

🤯哎呀 “Ai-ya!” = A LOT of meanings in China!    Your guide to *decode* different regions👇    This video by 闹腾男孩KC is pure gold, just goes to show you how China defines DIVERSITY. 😂 The simple interjection of “Ai-Ya!” (哎呀) during a Chinese New Year red pocket exchange means something different in every region.  They’re all trying to *politely* refuse the red pocket – and each make their own unique sound.    - 广州 Guangzhou - 幺幺幺 (Yao yao yao) OR 呐呐呐 (Na na na)  - 东北 Northeast region - 哎呀 (Ai ya)  in different tones.  - 北京 Beijing - 哎哟喂 (Ai yo wei) OR 嚯 (Huo)  - 潮汕 Teochew -  唛唛唛 (Mai mai mai) OR 谟谟谟, (mo mo mo) In reality, the 潜台词 (subtext) is doing all the heavy lifting! 🏋️    Foreign marketers and brands are quick to presume China is just 1 big market, but there are so many differences from region to region:    【广东 Guangdong】  “Oh, you shouldn’t have... but if you insist...” *wink wink* 😉    --> It’s polite, but there’s that unspoken understanding that they’ll probably take the money. 【东北 The Northeast Region】 “Thank you, but I really mean it—don’t push any further now...”😠 --> Northeast’s 哎呀 comes with a stronger flavour - their refusal feels more assertive + you can sense they won’t budge.    【北京 Beijing】 “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly... well, maybe if you ask again!” 😏 🚨Beijing = where the art of banter comes ALIVE.    --> Their 哎呀 is layered with humour, even in a serious moment. 【潮汕 Teochew】 If you were offered a red pocket but you didn’t prepare one to return the gesture. --> Don’t worry, your Teochew friend will be there to help you out! 讲义气 (jiǎng yì qì) = valuing loyalty/brotherhood/the moral obligation to stand by friends + family is very deeply rooted in their culture.  --> Even in tough situations, aka financially, in this scenario. 🥹 This is just a little window into the *deep* diversity within China - within a single reply.    Over 200 million people are learning Mandarin from a recent report. 🤯 💡Many countries have even started incorporating Mandarin into their national education systems. --> UK recently doubled its funding for Chinese language programs to better engage with China's rising global role. Mandarin may be China’s official language. 💬 BUT the regional dialects come with their own unique slang + idiomatic expressions.    Hence why so many foreign brands struggle to resonate locally in China.  ❌ they're applying the same brushstroke + a SINGLE strategy to work across the board! So.. if you need help with precisely hitting that mark, feel free to drop me a DM! 😉 Did you get all the subtext in the video? Which one resonates with you the most? Arnold Ma #China #Culture

The Digital Tea House is a fascinating glimpse into a fictional world where a group of people gather in a teahouse to discuss global politics and China's future. Here's a breakdown of the key elements: Setting: The Digital Tea House - This is a unique concept, a teahouse that seems to blend physical and online spaces, with characters participating in both in-person and digital conversations. Characters: Sun Qiang - A self-proclaimed strategist who appears nationalistic and cynical. Xiao Qian - A woman with a sharp wit and critical perspective. DF - A curious and thoughtful participant who raises interesting ideas. Fukuzawa - An elder statesman who offers historical context and a more balanced view. Other characters with online aliases participate in the discussion, representing diverse viewpoints within China. Themes: The rise of China as a global power The US-China rivalry The impact of technology on international relations The challenges of navigating alliances and building trust The tension between national pride and pragmatic solutions Plot: The conversation revolves around China's position in the world and how to deal with the US. Ideas range from brute force to a "digital Silk Road" strategy for building alliances and economic dominance. Overall Tone: The tone is a mix of ambition, paranoia, and a sense of urgency. The characters are aware of the challenges China faces but determined to find a path to success. Possible Discussion Prompts: Do you think the "Digital Tea House" is a realistic portrayal of how geopolitical discussions happen? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of a "digital Silk Road" strategy? How can nations balance national pride with the need for cooperation in a globalized world? What are the ethical considerations of using technology for political influence? This is just a starting point, and there's a lot to unpack in this conversation. It would be interesting to see how the story unfolds and how the characters navigate the complex geopolitical landscape.

哎呀 “ai ya” not only became part of my Chinese vocab (very limited 😅) but also my English vocabulary. In my own opinion, it covers many situations better than other English expressions. Similarly, I believe there other other Chinese words/expressions that would be good to use in English, like: 可以啊 “keyi ah”, 没有 “mei you” & 麻烦 “mafan” 😂 They can cover many situations in a succinct way. Are there any other Chinese words/expressions that you think would be good to use in English & might express things better? (Or visa versa)

I write 𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑾𝑨𝑽𝑬, a no-BS weekly newsletter that tells you what’s really going on with China — and how it’s shaking up the West. This isn’t your typical “China is rising” fluff. I’m talking about the stuff you won’t see in your news feed. The trade secrets, the tech moves, the pop culture shifts, and the quiet power plays. I’m digging into what actually matters. Like: 🟢 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞 + 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐣𝐢𝐮 𝐌𝐢𝐱 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝟓.𝟒 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐩𝐬. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐲. 🟢 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐕𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩’𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 🟢 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐲 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝. 🟢 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐮: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐘𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 — 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝. 🟢 𝐗𝐢 + 𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 (𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐭: 𝐈𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩). If you want the real story — the stuff they’re not telling you — 𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑾𝑨𝑽𝑬 is the place. Subscribe. Get smarter. Get ahead. Share it. The truth is too good to keep to yourself. https://lnkd.in/gbxEdWvC

Bridging the Gap Between China Teams and Headquarters, an insightful conversation with Zak Dychtwald, the author of Young China (St. Martin’s Press) and founder and CEO of Young China Group. Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/g_u4DdSv

After living in China for 13 years, I finally figured out why China and the US are so at odds. We interpret reality through a different lens. Facts are facts but how you react to them is a function of how you interpret them. Worldview, in fact, is the source of all conflict and disagreement – at work, in politics, and in all forms of racial and social identity. Thankfully, if you can get past the worldview, there is a lot of common ground overlapping all worldviews. That’s where progress can be achieved. Learn more.

The landscape is changing for China's domestic lessors. What does it mean for the rest of the world? Published last Friday, our premium Market Insight looked at the Chinese lessors and how things have changed. Once an aggressively growing cohort, the domestic lessors are facing some unique challenges. But, one lessor's challenge is another lessor's opportunity. This analysis dives into how the space has changed, where the attention of China's lessors may be in the future, and what opportunities it may open for Western lessors. Subscribers can view this analysis here: https://lnkd.in/gYNVfC65

Primary versus secondary information is not as essential as the proverbial lens and filter in which the information is processed when discussing China. If one is unaware of cultural or racial biases, does it matter whether the information is from a secondary source? When close family ties from China share anecdotal information regarding, for example, China's housing market crisis, I can gain valuable insights without being on the ground. Then, I chat about the same topic with new acquaintances from China and read articles like the one posted here; I can confidently draw reasonable conclusions at the intersection of these disparate information sources. Primary information is essential for some issues, but not all topics require boot-on-the-ground.