The BareStory
Social media influencer Hasan Piker, who has 4.5 million followers on Twitch and YouTube, recently visited China and made an appearance on a state-controlled media network. During the interview, Piker referred to China as a “normal country” and said he was visiting to debunk “rumors” and “misunderstandings” for his Western audience. According to one summary, Piker told the outlet that seeing the country was a “dream come true.”
During his trip, Piker also watched a ceremonial flag-raising at Tiananmen gate, which he praised. In a livestream, he was seen receiving an English-language copy of Mao Zedong’s quotations, or “little red book,” from a fan, calling the gift “special.” He then read from the book’s foreword. An unnamed member of his group reportedly called the book more important than the Bible.
At another point, Piker was stopped by Chinese authorities. One summary stated this happened after a companion, streamer Will Neff, displayed a phone showing a meme of Piker’s face on the body of Mao Zedong.
The state-controlled outlet reported that Piker’s reach to young Americans is something “mainstream media could only dream of,” noting he discusses China’s governance and development. That outlet has been described in the provided summaries as working to cover up or refute accusations of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region, which critics allege include mass detentions and forced sterilizations.
The summaries also noted that Piker has previously been criticized for comments he made stating “America deserved 9/11” and for using a shock collar on his dog. In the past, he has praised China’s ability to make top-down economic decisions.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
• The influencer’s positive framing of China to his large U.S. audience may shape public perception, particularly among younger people who follow him.
• This could signal a strategy by foreign state media to use U.S. social media influencers to reach American audiences with specific government-approved narratives.
• The incident where authorities stopped the group over a meme highlights potential risks for Americans traveling in China regarding sensitivities around political imagery and expression.
