Labubu Craze China’s Soft Power Success – OpEd

The nation’s strong performance is reflected in statistically significant gains across six of the eight Soft Power pillars and improvements in 24 of 35 nation brand attributes. – Brand Finance

As Pop Mart’s Labubu makes its remarkable journey into the shops and showoffs of toys and collectibles around the world, we are seeing further evidence of the rise of China’s soft power.  

The Labubu story initially appeared in western media as relatively non-politicized articles and commentaries. Focused on a consumer and fashion phenomenon and with lifestyle editors sharing the latest fad hot news drawing excited crowds in the style capitals of Europe and America, the story was given little attention in the headline news and foreign policy reports of Western media and their supporting Asian media allies.

Much of the early coverage focused on Labubu’s nondescript and modest origins and how the unusual cross cultural appeal of small, fuzzy and sharp toothed dolls rapidly became a merchandising monster, making the owner and C.E.O. of Pop Mart become one of the quickest billionaires in recent times as the toy racked up millions of views and sales, especially after the dolls began to adorn the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna, Cher, Beckham and others in the west.

Responses to Labubu 

The initial stories have now moved on to delve deeper into how China’s cultural exports are serving not only as a breakthrough in fashion trends but also as a master class in behavioural economics. 

Some more ideologically partisan commentators are now taking it into the realm of geopolitics by depicting it as the latest threat to the West from China. To them, Labubu appears to be carving out an unacceptable cool image of the country, and this is defying the geopolitical and ideological headwinds that they are intent on whipping up against China. 

How long an objective and non-political response to the popularity of Labubu can continue remains to be seen.  However, with most western governments portrayal of China as a global existential threat oscillating between what is routinely put out as the poles of unacceptable dominance and imminent collapse, it will not be surprising if some new objection is found to counter Pop Mart’s development so as to stymie the growth of this new manifestation of China’s soft power.

However Western propaganda spin masters intent on countering China will have their work cut out for them. Other factors besides lovable toys and blind boxes account for China’s current position as the world’s second-most influential nation surpassing the UK in the 2025 Global Soft Power Index with a record score of 72.8/100.

Growth Of Multifaceted China Soft Power 

This ascent reflects a multi-faceted process spanning Chinese socio-economic, cultural, political and technological development and achievements which have made Western critics engaged in conventional approaches in demonizing China – sensationalism of adverse reports, focus on stories that arouse fear and insecurities, and the use of click baits as a propaganda tool – having to go back to the drawing board.

Below is a list of the key drivers and manifestations of this growth in China’s soft power.

*Rising Brand Power 

Ranked 5th for “products and brands the world loves,” Chinese brands such as BYD (EVs), TikTok, and Huawei have driven a 23-fold increase in global brand value since 2008 (currently valued at $1.4 trillion).

*Entertainment Exports

Blockbusters such as Nezha 2 (over US$2 billion in global box office) and gaming hits (e.g., Black Myth: Wukong) amplify cultural reach.

*Digital Platforms

TikTok (1 billion users) and Xiaohongshu(RedNote) are reshaping global media consumption, contributing to China’s 20-rank jump in “easy to communicate with”.

*Top Global Business Attributes

China ranks first globally for “ease of doing business” (since 2020) and “future growth potential” (since 2022), reflecting its sustained economic attractiveness.

*Belt and Road Initiative 

BRI Infrastructure projects across 100+ countries have strengthened economic ties, boosting China’s rank for “good relations with other countries” considerably.

*Global Tech and Green Tech Prowess

Ranked #2 for “advanced in technology and innovation” and #3 for “advanced in science”, DeepSeek AI’s launch triggered a $969B selloff in U.S. tech stocks, signaling China’s capacity to reshape global tech markets. Just as favourably welcomed by most of the world is China’s green tech products in electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels that are making for a more environmentally sustainable world.

*Sustainability and Governance Gains

Recent visitors to China have helped the country climb to a fifth place rank in “sustainable cities/transport”. Despite Western efforts to discourage their citizens from traveling to China, those visiting have invariably described their stays as “safe,” “well-governed,” and “trustworthy” (up 12 ranks). This contrasts with U.S. and U.K. declines in governance metrics. These favourable comments can also be  found in Western tourists’ feedback on Xinjiang and Tibet where the British and American media continue misleading their readership with unsubstantiated claims of repression against the Uyghur and Tibetan communities.

Lastly but perhaps not least is the rapid erosion of American soft power though this has not yet been fully reflected in the latest “soft power” rankings. Expect the 2026 global soft power ranking to highlight the U.S. decline.

Together with the Trump administration tariff war against the rest of the world which has spooked many countries including its traditional allies, the foreign aid cuts affecting U.S. foreign policy lobbies (e.g., Voice of America, National Endowment for Democracy), the continuing internal political division and disarray, and declining reputation of the U.S. as a reliable and trustworthy world leader will accelerate the shifting balance now taking place in global soft power performance.

What Next For China’s Soft Power 

What is evident is that China’s non-state driven soft power is starting to reshape markets, alliances, and socio-cultural norms worldwide with audiences in the global South rejecting Western narratives. However, future success is not guaranteed.

Western governments and media anti-China coverage operates through interlocking systems of ideological bias, institutional incentives, and geopolitical strategy. Recent fluctuations suggest that a tactical recalibration is taking place with structural drivers – such as regulations and legislation in the trade and commercial arenas – sustaining a distorted narrative framework. This coverage impedes balanced global understanding and underscores the need for diversified independent media ecosystems grounded in truth seeking and empirical rigor over ideological fixation and new “cold war” mindsets.