Kerry Allen

But one of the things that people really like to do in China is they sit down and they watch a New Year's countdown show on the Chinese broadcaster CCTV.

And you get lots of song and dance performances this year.

People have been able to watch not just Chinese singers and actors put on shows, but also Westlife have been performing and John Legend.

No, sometimes they perform in English, but actually Celine Dion in previous years has performed in Chinese.

So that was really quite powerful for Chinese audiences to watch.

Yes.

China's Ministry of Commerce has said that the door is open to talks with the US, but it regards the action in recent days as bullying China. So I'm seeing messaging today from the government saying that dialogue must be conducted on equal footing and on the basis of mutual respect. And there is a hope that the US and China will meet each other halfway.

China's Ministry of Commerce has said that the door is open to talks with the US, but it regards the action in recent days as bullying China. So I'm seeing messaging today from the government saying that dialogue must be conducted on equal footing and on the basis of mutual respect. And there is a hope that the US and China will meet each other halfway.

Another message that's very strongly coming out in state media is that if the US wants to get involved in a tariff or trade war with China, it will not back down. There's a lot of messaging stressing that China will fight to the end.

Another message that's very strongly coming out in state media is that if the US wants to get involved in a tariff or trade war with China, it will not back down. There's a lot of messaging stressing that China will fight to the end.

Well, it's difficult to know online because on social media platforms like Sina Weibo, which is China's equivalent of a platform like X or Facebook, you've got a situation where you've got click farms that put out patriotic messaging. You've also got censorship. So it's difficult to gauge how ordinary people feel.

Well, it's difficult to know online because on social media platforms like Sina Weibo, which is China's equivalent of a platform like X or Facebook, you've got a situation where you've got click farms that put out patriotic messaging. You've also got censorship. So it's difficult to gauge how ordinary people feel.

But at the same time, what I'm seeing today is video footage of ordinary Chinese in Beijing talking about how they feel.

But at the same time, what I'm seeing today is video footage of ordinary Chinese in Beijing talking about how they feel.

Yeah, absolutely. And this is something that Chinese media often do. They will draw on historical clips and say that the US in particular should learn from history. So there have been clips that have been pretty much going viral today in China. One of them is historical footage of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong saying, no matter how long a war lasts, we will never yield.

Yeah, absolutely. And this is something that Chinese media often do. They will draw on historical clips and say that the US in particular should learn from history. So there have been clips that have been pretty much going viral today in China. One of them is historical footage of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong saying, no matter how long a war lasts, we will never yield.

And China's foreign ministry spokeswoman has been sharing this.

And China's foreign ministry spokeswoman has been sharing this.

Well, I think it seems very clear that China isn't afraid to back down. And there's just this messaging that if the US does want this fight, that China will keep on fighting back. And Chinese people feel that it will win. So I think we're expected to see more of this if Trump decides to up the ante even further.

Well, I think it seems very clear that China isn't afraid to back down. And there's just this messaging that if the US does want this fight, that China will keep on fighting back. And Chinese people feel that it will win. So I think we're expected to see more of this if Trump decides to up the ante even further.