The online relationship between the US and China involves mutual caricature. Chinese users see a US defined by crime and homelessness, while US users see a hyper-modern, problem-free China. Both sides are consuming and obsessed with highly skewed imagery of the other.

The "Chinamaxxing" cultural trend has two distinct streams: the consumption of authentic short-form videos from China showing daily life, and Western-produced content where creators parody or adopt these Chinese aesthetics, like Tai Chi or drinking Qingdao beer.

Young Westerners, facing narratives of economic decline, are drawn to Chinese content that depicts functionality, stability, and affordable pleasures. This imagery offers a compelling alternative to their perception of the struggling American dream.

A growing meme suggests China is becoming "hot" and "in," capturing the Western imagination with its futuristic cities and unique online culture. This cultural shift, amplified by influencers, positions China as a new center of gravity for trends, potentially supplanting the long-held cultural influence of Japan and Korea.

China's narrative of national success is contradicted by a significant diaspora of its citizens—from millionaires and creatives to ordinary workers. This flight of human capital seeking stability and freedom abroad signals a fundamental precariousness within the authoritarian system that pure economic growth cannot solve.

The online portrayal of China has fundamentally changed. A decade ago, it was dominated by content from Western expatriates. Post-COVID, this has been largely replaced by content from Chinese nationals, shifting the perspective and control of the narrative to local creators.

The primary cleavage in both Chinese and US online society is not political but based on wealth and agency. A deep pessimism exists among everyday users, who feel like "non-player characters" (NPCs) used by technology, contrasting sharply with the optimism of the tech elites building these systems.

A viral social media trend of Western youth adopting Chinese lifestyle habits reflects a growing disillusionment with American culture and a nuanced view of China. This 'China maxing' phenomenon shows an ability to appreciate Chinese culture (food, fashion, wellness) as distinct from the country's political system, representing a significant evolution in soft power dynamics.

The popular online vision of China is highly curated. Content showing poverty or social ills is not created or promoted on Chinese platforms. This censorship, combined with the nature of short-form video, projects a distorted, uniformly positive image to the West.