TikTok Influencers Migrate to Xiaohongshu

Xiaohongshu seeing a surge in "TikTok refugees"

TikTok influencers who use the video platform to make short videos in the hopes of going viral are terrified the US government will force the social media app to shut down due to fears that it gives the Chinese government access to users' data.

That's because these influencers make money from their videos, and for some, that's their full-time gig.

However as a result of the impending January 19 deadline, TikTokers or content creators on TikTok are calling themselves #tiktokrefugees and "fleeing" to... another Chinese platform called Xiaohongshu.

There are fears TikTok will shut down Jan 19

Little do these influencers know that Xiaohongshu -- originally translated as "Little Red Book" -- in a satirical nod to Chairman Mao Zedong's book of quotations, is a Chinese company promoted as "RedNote" or "Red" in North America these days.

Xiaohongshu is like Instagram, where users can post pictures and videos. Initially it was called "Hong Kong Shopping Guide" to give tips to Chinese visitors to the city of where to eat, stay, and take pictures. For example they would give detailed instructions on where to have their "Instagram-worthy" shot with say a cup of Arabica coffee along the waterfront in Kennedy Town.

It was great for the cafe having lots of customers, but terrible for traffic in the area, as people blocked roads to get the perfect shot.

Started by Miranda Qu and Charlwin Mao in 2013, Xiaohongshu caught the attention of several Chinese tech giants, like Alibaba and Tencent, and last July the app was worth a staggering US$17 billion. The users are predominantly women, and as a result many beauty and cosmetic brands advertise on the app. Xiaohongshu does not have an e-commerce aspect so users need to turn to Taobao or TMall to purchase things.

Chew is invited to the inauguration

But now with so many TikTok influencers, especially those from the US trying to set up accounts on Xiaohongshu, Chinese cyber regulators may not be so keen on the flood of people, particularly those not from or in China.

Already Chinese officials have told the company it "needs to ensure China-based users cannot see posts from US users", which signals the government may see the influx of Americans to RedNote as a political security threat.

What's interesting is that already there are unfiltered interactions between Chinese and US users, sharing homework questions for example, or asking what life is like in China and getting real depictions instead of rosy pictures from government sources.

So how will Xiaohongshu get around this? Create a special area only US users can access? That might be too hard to manage, and not really beneficial to US influencers who might be providing content to a limited audience.

Or this is all moot after Donald Trump gets into office on January 20. He has already shown support for TikTok, even inviting CEO Shou Zi Chew to the inauguration on Monday. Maybe those TikTok "refugees" won't have to flee the video platform after all...

Biden Makes Last Minute Extension to Hongkongers

Biden giving his last address to the nation tonight

Counting down the days before he leaves office on January 20, US President Joe Biden has given some relief to Hongkongers in America by extending a program that allows those who want to, can stay another two years. The program was supposed to expire in a few weeks.

The extension of the Deferred Enforced Departure program allows certain Hongkongers who have stayed in the US since the program started in August 2021, to continue living and working in the country until February 5, 2027.

There are 19 activists on the wanted list

"The United States supports the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the residents of Hong Kong," Biden said on Wednesday.

"I am therefore, directing an extension and expansion of the deferral of removal of certain Hong Kong residents, regardless of country of birth, who are present in the United States."

However, this extension does not apply to those who voluntarily returned to Hong Kong or China, or have not continuously lived in the US since the program started in 2021, or when it was renewed again in January 2023.

Biden's declaration of the extension comes after the Hong Kong government announced last month the HK$1 million bounties for the arrests of six more activists who allegedly violated the national security law, and that the passports of seven others have been revoked, including Elmer Yuan Gong-yi, Frances Hui Wing-ting, and Joey Siu Nam, who have apparently settled in the US.

"The decision was made because of continued and repeated attacks by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities on the protected rights and freedoms cherished by people in the city," said Matthew Miller, a US Department of State spokesman.

Hui is an activist who allegedly violated NSL

He accused Beijing and Hong Kong authorities of targeting overseas democracy activists, citing the cancelling of their passports and the latest arrest warrants of others.

"These acts of transnational repression are a threat to US sovereignty and national security and show blatant disregard for democracy and human rights," he said.

Will Swift Perform in Shanghai?

Swift's team has had preliminary talks with Shanghai

The big question for 2025 is -- will Taylor Swift perform in China?

There are reports the Shanghai authorities are in talks with the superstar in a bid to kickstart the country's economy.

Deputy director of Shanghai's culture and tourism bureau Zhang Qi said local officials hosted her team for preliminary talks.

Swift has a massive fan base in China

"As for whether it will ultimately happen, it depends on the market and the attractiveness of our city. However, we are optimistic and think that there may be hope for this year," he said.

Swift is considered to be "walking GDP" because of her massive economic impact wherever she performs, and if she does come, there will be calls to relax restrictions on international performers.

Typically for international artists, there are numerous restrictions and stipulations, such as the song list must be approved before showtime, and the audience members must stay in their seats.

But the big question is, will she come? Swift just completed her show-stopping Eras Tour that made over US$2 billion... why do another show just for Shanghai? It seems like Chinese officials have missed the boat?

It will be interesting to see what comes out of this. Swift is a sharp businesswoman. Even though she has millions of fans in China, she also needs to justify going to a country that has a patriarchal society that represses women, isn't supportive of LGBTQ+ rights, cracks down on freedom of speech, and doesn't want its young people to be caught up in celebrities. 

Would going there endorse authoritarianism or draw Swifties' attention to try to knock down these issues with hugs and friendship bracelets?

One can only hope!

Will Former Expo Lands Finally be Developed?

Will the Plaza of Nations plot of land be finally developed?

Remember Expo 86? Way back when a part of Vancouver's False Creek area was the site of an exhibition featuring pavilions of countries around the world presenting their views of the future in transportation and communication?

We wandered around the various pavilions, traded pins, collected stamps and it was a fun carnival atmosphere for about five months.

After that an area called Plaza of Nations near BC Place was left dormant, save for a few dance parties I attended in the tall glass building in the 1990s. The site was the equivalent of four city blocks. And then nothing happened.

Leong's previous plans for Plaza of Nations

Last week there was a sudden spark of interest when developer Concord Pacific floated the idea of developing the empty land just east of Plaza of Nations to Science World, with a dozen condo towers as high as 65 stories together with various amenities. 

While it all sounds exciting, it may take a while for it to be realised, with the city having to do soil remediation before any construction begins on the site.

And then today it turns out the Plaza of Nations site has a new owner, after Singapore billionaire Oei Hong Leong sold the land to a developer called Northchild Group for an undisclosed amount, thought it is believed to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. 

Leong had bought it from Li Ka-shing for C$40 million in 1989.

Plaza of Nations has been assessed to have a value of C$412 million, but if Northchild successfully develops it, the area could be worth well over C$1 billion.

However, not much is known about Northchild, except that it is owned by Yang Weichang, who had been a minority shareholder of Plaza of Nations since 2017. Yang's daughter, Yang Miao, is the director of Northchild Developments and Northchild Holdings.

Concord Pacific's ideas for land next to Northchild

Vancouverites are tired of seeing empty land being neglected, in part because of red tape at City Hall for permits, and also developers just biding their time so that the property value of their land increases.

City Councillor Sarah Kirby-Young hopes Concord, Northchild and the province, which owns BC Place, will work together to create an area that is liveable and viable for Vancouver.

It's been almost 40 years since Expo 86... surely it's time to do something with these massive tracts of land?

Quote of the Day: Mike Rowse on Hong Kong's Deficit

Rowse wants to see some major cuts to the Hong Kong budget

Hong Kong is all talk about the upcoming budget and how it needs to tackle the massive deficit, which is currently around HK$200 billion, according to Mike Rowse, who decades ago worked in the civil service dealing with public finances.

While he understands governments around the world need to borrow money in the form of issuing bonds, Rowse says these are still debts.

We love the way he describes in his column in the South China Morning Post how the current administration has spent taxpayer dollars these days: "Simply put, for the past few years, the Hong Kong government has been spending public money like drunken sailors on shore leave."

He suggests it's time to put everything on the table and make the necessary cuts to expenditures, including reducing the number of support staff that legislators have, the number of Economic and Trade Offices that have opened not only in China but also around the world, and asking all departments and policy bureaus to reduce spending.

Taxpayers want to see their money well spent, not like drunken sailors on shore leave...

Lam to Downsize Lavish Office Space

Lam needs to downsize her office... to the Immigration Tower

The Hong Kong government needs to tighten its belt with a nearly HK$100 million deficit, and one item that will be reduced is former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's office that cost HK$9.17 million in the 2023-24 financial year.

Her current office is located at One Pacific Place in Admiralty, a sprawling 2,874 sq ft space, but after the lease ends in mid-May she will be moving to... Immigration Tower in Wan Chai.

Her office is currently at One Pacific Place

Ironically it was her administration that announced plans to demolish the tower in 2017 along with two other government buildings and develop them into convention, hotel and commercial facilities.

Alas, Lam not only has to downsize, but also downgrade.

Her new office will be occupying the one used by the director of immigration.

All previous chief executives get the perk of having their own office, though the first three share office space at an office complex on Kennedy Road.

They apparently use these offices to promote Hong Kong, such as receiving visiting dignitaries and delegations, giving media interviews, attending functions and speaking engagements.

The first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa is 87 years old and supposedly declining in health; Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was convicted of misconduct in public office in 2015, so he keeps a low profile; and Leung Chun-ying is 70 years old and likes to criticise not only incumbents but also adversaries.

Immigration Tower was planned to be demolished

And then Lam who became world famous for her performance during the 2019 protests and the Covid-19 pandemic soon after.

So do these former leaders still need office space? Maybe they can make a deal with WeWork on renting co-working spaces? It would help ease the city's budget somewhat...

Kidnapped Actor Reveals Shady Scam Centres in Myanmar

Wang (right) was rescued from Myanmar on January 7

The disappearance and subsequent rescue of a Chinese actor has shone a spotlight on the shady scam centres that have proliferated along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Wang Xing, 22, went to Thailand on January 3 on the promise of film work, but was driven 500km to a scam centre in Mae Sot, where his head was shaved and was trained to make scam calls, also known as "pig-butchering scams" to persuade victims to part with a lot of their money through text messages.

After not hearing from him for days, Wang's girlfriend went online begging for help, and after it was reposted by some famous Chinese actors, the Chinese authorities stepped in, and Wang was rescued on January 7. He returned to China on January 10, but not before thanking the Chinese and Thai authorities, but said nothing about how he was rescued.

He was held in a scam centre like this one

His swift return is not like the thousands of other people who were also lured to Thailand with promises of work, but were then swiftly kidnapped and taken across the border to places like Myanmar and Cambodia where they have been forced to scam people around the world, around the clock. 

There have been stories from former "prisoners" that if they don't perform these scams they are physically beaten and given little food, and it's near impossible to escape these camps. Only a handful of people have managed to escape and lived to tell their horrific experiences.

When news broke of Wang's rescue and return, families of other Chinese nationals started a petition to have the authorities also rescue their loved ones. Initially there were 174 cases, and now there are more than 600.

"We are desperate to know if the remaining Chinese nationals [who were] with him have been rescued," wrote one commenter on Weibo. "Other people's lives are also lives."

Wang had said there were about 50 other people who were held together with him.

Wang thought he had film work in Thailand

However, Beijing has not said whether it will follow up on these other cases, while the Thai government is keen to reassure Chinese tourists that Thailand is safe, as it relies heavily on visitors from China.

Wang is extremely lucky to have a persistent girlfriend, and for the internet community to clamour for the Chinese authorities to do something. But what about the rest of these people from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore who are essentially imprisoned and forced to scam innocent victims? 

It is believed these scam centres that get victims' money from cryptocurrencies and money transfers are run by Chinese syndicates, so why doesn't Beijing want to crack down on them? Surely it wants to protect its own citizens, who believed a job overseas could bring in money when they couldn't find work in China?

There are more questions than answers, but in the meantime Wang's harrowing story serves not only as a warning to others, but also helps bring more attention to scam centres in Southeast Asia and how they trick people into handing over millions of dollars.