AI vids criticizing Trump tariffs proliferate on Chinese social media

China’s strategic use of AI-generated content reflects a new battlefront in US-China tensions, where digital propaganda leverages emerging technology to shape domestic opinion on trade issues. As President Trump implements new tariffs against China, state-backed digital content is spreading across Chinese social media platforms with narratives that mock US trade policy while bolstering confidence in China’s economic resilience. This coordinated digital response demonstrates how artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly central to modern information warfare and public diplomacy.

The big picture: Chinese social media platforms are flooded with AI-generated videos portraying President Trump as an impulsive tariff-wielder, with Beijing authorities allowing and potentially encouraging this digital propaganda campaign.

• These satirical videos and content remain largely uncensored on Chinese platforms, suggesting official approval of anti-Trump messaging.
• State media outlets have amplified these AI-generated portrayals, integrating them into broader government messaging about trade tensions.

Behind the strategy: Beijing appears to be using AI-powered content to shape domestic opinion about trade tensions while projecting confidence in China’s economic resilience.

• The AI-generated content consistently frames US trade policies as destabilizing to global markets while positioning China as a steady economic force.
• By allowing these satirical portrayals to flourish, Chinese authorities can communicate official positions through seemingly organic social media content.

Why this matters: The proliferation of state-backed AI content represents a sophisticated evolution in China’s information control apparatus, blending propaganda with emerging technology.

• Unlike traditional state media broadcasts, AI-generated content can appear more authentic and spread more organically through social networks.
• The approach allows Beijing to manage domestic perceptions about economic tensions without appearing to directly censor alternative viewpoints.

The bigger context: This digital response to trade tensions illustrates how AI is becoming a central tool in modern information warfare between major powers.

• China’s strategic use of AI for domestic messaging shows how nations are adapting propaganda techniques for the artificial intelligence era.
• The campaign suggests Beijing is confident in its ability to weather new tariffs while maintaining domestic economic stability and public support.