Weibo, one of China’s most influential social media platforms, has emerged as a key battleground for gender controversies, with digital feminism growing increasingly assertive and visible. Official media, representing the party-state, frequently intervening in these online debates, act as both opinion leaders and mediators. This study examines how Weibo netizens perceive the party-state’s involvement in gender controversies and how these perceptions shape discussions around gender politics in China, shedding light on the evolving landscape of Chinese feminism. Drawing on the Scenario Approach to Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) and Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis, complemented by thematic analysis, this study analysed 3199 Weibo posts under two hashtags initiated by the party-state media. The findings reveal that netizens perceive the party-state as a betrayer of its original commitment to women, and an enforcer of double standards, favouring men while marginalising and instrumentalising women for political gain. The findings also reveal growing recognition of Chinese feminism among netizens, with particular attention to ‘pink feminists’ and their critical reflection on their dual identities. By examining the interplay between the party-state intervention and feminist discourse through the lens of netizen reactions, this study offers a unique perspective on the entanglement of party-state power, gender politics and digital activism in contemporary China.
Xiaoyi Liu (Tue,) studied this question.