Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

In recent years, with the continuous adjustment and optimization of China's visa-free transit policy, the convenience for foreigners to travel to and within China has steadily improved, attracting an increasing number of foreign tourists. Throughout 2024, a total of 20.115 million foreign nationals entered China under visa-free policies, marking a year-on-year increase of 112.3 percent. People-to-people exchanges between China and the world have become increasingly frequent.

Earlier this year, one of American internet celebrities, IShowSpeed, visited China for a livestream tour. He showcased China's modern societal development to global audiences, allowing countless foreigners to witness a real, multidimensional and comprehensive China. Misunderstandings about China, previously shaped by biases in mainstream Western media, are gradually being corrected through the growing momentum of people-to-people exchanges. More productive and constructive interactions between Chinese and Western communities are emerging as an important way to break through the Western media filter and foster mutual understanding.

People-to-people exchanges between China and the West are breaking the "echo chamber" that Western youth have had regarding China. In the processes of their respective development and historical evolution, China and the West are bound to face natural ideological divides due to differences in cultural origins, geographical strategic positions, as well as civilizational traditions and institutional backgrounds. This divide has been further amplified in the context of China's rise, challenging the West's traditional dominance. At the same time, internal social divisions in the US have deepened, with increasing tensions surrounding race, social classes and ethnic issues. The intertwining of external pressures and internal anxieties has led to a growing sense of hostility in the West's perception of China.

As channels for people-to-people exchanges between China and the West have expanded, particularly with the widespread use of social media, Western youth are now able to engage with a more direct and immediate view of real China. This experience has provided a new channel for the rapid spread of information and fundamentally undermined the monopolistic control that mainstream Western media once held over discourse related to China. 

Through their own observations and experiences, Western youth are able to independently compare and analyze the facts versus the media propaganda. Many of the lies woven by mainstream Western media about China have unraveled on their own. As the narrative spun by mainstream Western media is continually punctured, and the gap between reality and reporting grows ever wider, the once impenetrable "echo chamber" is beginning to crack. 

People-to-people exchanges between China and the West are helping to de-stereotype China's image. In the past, due to language barriers and limited channels of communication, Western youth were more easily influenced by the mainstream media's portrayal of China, passively accepting the labels imposed upon it. Western media have long been actively setting the agenda and manipulate the discourse framework, creating a plethora of false labels about China. 

With the rapid development of social media, every active "blogger" or "podcaster" has the potential to become a key node in the information transmission process, alongside traditional mainstream media. The widespread use of platforms, such as Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, podcasts, Zoom, and efficient real-time translation apps, has accelerated the decentralization and de-monopolization of information flow. Through continuous, vibrant interactions, these platforms have stripped away distorted labels with real details, reshaping Western youth's understanding and perception of China.

In the face of the negative "China threat" and "China collapse" narratives, which have long been propagated by some Western media outlets, our traditional approach has been to disprove them with rigorous content, aiming to refute prejudice through logic and facts. However, in the realm of mass communication, emotions often precede reason, and impressions come before logic. Rather than tirelessly correcting misconceptions, it is more effective to turn the tide by proactively shaping new and positive narratives for ourselves. Since foreign users flocked to Xiaohongshu, there have been heated discussions on wages, rent, and healthcare costs. The interactions break down stereotypes with real-life details. 

Technologies such as artificial intelligence are empowering Western youth to independently construct their own perceptions of China. With the support of AI and other technologies, video games, the metaverse and cross-border e-commerce have become efficient channels for cultural exchange and the integration of interests between Chinese and Western youth. Taking cross-border e-commerce as an example, these platforms allow Western youth to conveniently purchase Chinese goods, which not only promotes economic exchanges but also enhances their understanding of Chinese products and brands.

The environment and conditions for removing the Western lens in people-to-people exchanges are now fully in place. As long as exchanges between China and the West continue to maintain two-way interaction and momentum, focusing on fields conducive to promoting mutual understanding and fostering empathy and recognition, a more objective and rational consensus about China will gradually emerge among Western youth. 

Li Haidong is a professor at China Foreign Affairs University. Zhang Qing is a researcher at the Communication University of China. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn