Digital representations of the United States and China: a study of Thai TikTok content production

This article examines how Thai TikTok creators construct and circulate representations of the United States and China. Drawing on a mixed-methods analysis of 10,000 videos, it explores how global powers are refracted through local cultural logics, aesthetic practices, and platform-specific dynamics. The study reveals asymmetries: while Chinese content is anchored in entertainment, tourism, and consumer culture, representations of the U.S. are more overtly political. Rather than ideological statements, these narratives reflect affective, situational, and algorithmically shaped engagements. The article contributes to debates on digital geopolitics by highlighting Southeast Asian agency in platform-mediated constructions of global power.