This thesis explores the responses of Chinese citizens to the tarnishing of the reputation of the People’s Republic of China on the global stage, using the example of videos that emerged on YouTube under the hashtag #StopXinjiangRumors. I aim to explain the strong mass reactions of Chinese citizens in situations where China is being criticized internationally by using the Chinese social concept of mianzi, which can be translated as “face”, and refers to personal prestige and reputation. On the other hand, the term “loss of face” describes a situation where an individual’s dignity or reputation is compromised or publicly diminished. Confucianism, with its understanding of social relationships, has ingrained the perception of the country as an extended family in the minds of the public, and this thesis thus applies the concept of mianzi to the collective, national level as well. Many citizens perceive the loss of the country’s reputation in the international arena as a loss of their own face. Although analysis of the videos under the #StopXinjiangRumors campaign indicates that, unlike other reactions mentioned in the thesis, it is likely not a spontaneous action, it can still be understood as an attempt at preserving national face.
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