The Great Migrations

As U.S. TikTok users move to Xiaohongshu, Chinese head home for Lunar New Year

Welcome back to What’s Happening in China, your weekly update on the latest news and developments from the country.

“TikTok refugees.” Even with TikTok facing an imminent U.S. ban, no one could’ve predicted that would be the talk of the town this week. Or ever. As U.S. users prepare for the shutdown of ByteDance’s embattled app, reportedly over 3 million TikTokers are protesting by migrating to Xiaohongshu (小红书, literally “little red book”)—China’s lifestyle-sharing platform, known internationally as RedNote—in what is likely to be a short-lived but delightful moment of cultural exchange.

How are these newcomers adapting to Chinese social media norms and content guidelines? What new interactions might emerge from this unexpected digital migration? How will Xiaohongshu handle the international spotlight and user surge? And how will Chinese regulators respond to the sudden influx of foreign users? While we’re already starting to get the answers to some of these questions, whether it lasts…