The Chinese government-run Global Times newspaper published a report on Wednesday highlighting effusive celebration on regime-controlled Chinese social media over the engagement of singer Taylor Swift to athlete Travis Kelce, emphasizing the love “Chinese netizens” have for the celebrity.
The well-wishing largely occurred on Weibo, China’s most popular micro-blogging platform, which faces heavy Communist Party censorship. The regime closely controls what topics users are allowed to discuss on Weibo, rapidly deleting any content considered problematic or challenging of the political establishment in any way. Conversely, the regime elevates topics it considers favorable to its agenda on Weibo and amplifies opinions that it supports.
In the case of Taylor Swift, the regime not only allowed her engagement to become a popular Weibo topic, but reinforced support for the discussion by highlighting the topic through the Global Times.
“The related hashtags topped Sina Weibo’s trending list on Wednesday morning. The hashtag #Meimei is engaged had received over 1.2 billion views and 64,000 comments by then,” the Global Times relayed. “Countless netizens expressed their well-wishes to the singer. Meimei is a nickname of Swift used by the singer’s Chinese fans.”
The Times described Chinese fans as “flood[ing] social media with blessings” for Swift on Wednesday morning local time, following Swift publishing engagement photos on Tuesday afternoon in the West on the Facebook-owned social media site Instagram. The Chinese Communist Party does not allow its citizens to legally access Instagram, as it cannot control the content on that website, but it does allow some of its elite to use the platform to spread Beijing’s influence. In one notorious example, pro-regime skier Eileen Gu falsely claimed in 2022 that Chinese citizens can use the internet freely because Instagram is accessible through the use of a VPN. Using a VPN to circumvent Chinese censorship is illegal in China.
The Times noted that Beijing allowed Weibo users to spread photos of Swift’s engagement on the site despite them originating on Instagram, quoting enthusiastic fans celebrating the occasion.
“She has sung so many beautiful love songs, and this time she has finally found her own happiness. Best wishes to her! A true love story!!” one user wrote, according to the Times.
Swift and Kelce reportedly began dating in 2023, leading to Swift becoming a regular guest at NFL games to cheer on her partner. Swift published photos of the couple on Tuesday, including of the apparent proposal and her engagement ring.
In addition to the Global Times, the outlet Yicai Global, a subsidiary of the government-owned Shanghai Media Group, reported on both the engagement and the high level of interest on Weibo.
Swift has for years maintained a vibrant fanbase in China with the help of regime-friendly corporate partners and the seal of approval from Communist Party media. Swift made massive headlines in the country in 2019 by performing at the Alibaba Singles’ Day gala, an event to mark the most lucrative shopping day of the year. The performance, in Shanghai, prompted enthusiastic praise from the Global Times.
“Among the stellar performances by hugely popular Chinese and international celebrities, Taylor Swift stood firmly in the spotlight as she closed out the gala with three songs right before midnight,” the state news outlet declared. “Her trip to China was highly anticipated as the last time she visited China was for her Shanghai concert in 2015. After her performance on Singles’ Day, she also attended a fan meet in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province on Monday.”
The performance occurred at the peak of Alibaba’s business influence in China, at a time during which owner and founder Jack Ma remained the wealthiest man in the country. Ma would go on to disappear in January 2021 after criticizing genocidal dictator Xi Jinping’s poor handling of the country’s economy, particularly after the onset of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. Ma has since lost over half his net worth and resurfaced as a teacher in Japan.
Chinese state media continued to praise Swift in the following years. In 2023, the Global Times published an article urging Chinese pop stars to follow her lead and consider filming concerts in imitation of Swift’s successful “Eras Tour.” The regime celebrating Swift’s music film was a marked departure from its usual efforts to suppress the popularity of American media and actively diminish box office success of American films in China.
“Taylor Swift’s unquestionable influence, with over 200 million record sales globally and being Spotify’s most-streamed female artist, contributes to her brand advantage and convincing star power,” the Global Times gushed. “Additionally, high production standards and visually appealing creativity are essential for concert films. In the Eras Tour, Taylor Swift crafted spectacular scenes reminiscent of Broadway musicals, aiming for uniqueness in everything from costume to performance.”
The Global Times praised Swift in 2020 as well for criticism of President Donald Trump, celebrating her as a “true queen.” Swift also endorsed Trump’s rival, former Vice President Kamala Harris, in the 2024 election.
Follow Frances Martel on Facebook and Twitter.
Read the full article here