Huawei Mocked Across China as ‘Zhuzhilia’ Toy Ignites State Media Feud - Vision Times
Chinese technology company Huawei has recently become the focus of public controversy over the traditional Chinese bamboo toy known as “Zhuzhilia” (竹知了). A Zhejiang state-affiliated media outlet published. . .
Chinese technology company Huawei has recently become the focus of public controversy over the traditional Chinese bamboo toy known as “Zhuzhilia” (竹知了). A Zhejiang state-affiliated media outlet published anarticlethat implicitly criticized Huawei, which was subsequently republished by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) media outletBanyuetan. Soon afterward, a Jiangsu state-affiliated media outletpublished an articledefending Huawei and pushing back against the Zhejiang outlet. A Chinese scholar has pointed out that Huawei has long enjoyed “immunity from public opinion. ”The traditional Chinese bamboo toy Zhuzhilia has recently become popular online. The toy produces a “wa-wa” sound when shaken, which resembles the audience’s exclamations of amazement at Huawei product launches. It subsequently became material for mainland Chinese internet users to mock Huawei in videos. 「华为封口引众怒，全网疯玩"竹知了"嘲讽（2026. 07-08）」近期，一种名为"竹知了"的传统竹制玩具在网络走红，相关视频播放量迅速破千万，各社交平台上"哇哇"声此起彼伏。据悉，起因是7月下旬，有网友发现转动"竹知了"发出的"哇哇"声，与2023年问界M9发布会上余承东宣称"1000万元以内最好的SUV"后现场观…pic. twitter. com/KI47hxPUYY— 昨天 (@YesterdayBigcat)August 3, 2026Huawei later filed a complaint alleging damage to its business reputation, resulting in large numbers of the videos being removed from online platforms and triggering a wave of criticism on the internet. According toLianhe Zaobao, a Singapore based Chinese language media, Chinese technology giant Huawei has become embroiled in a “Zhuzhilia” public-relations crisis, with government-affiliated accounts and state media publishing differing views and openly pushing back against one another. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERFor the best of our weekly content！There is something wrong, please try again laterSuccessYou are now signed up for our newsletterSuccessCheck your email to complete sign upOn Aug. 5, the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the CCP’s Propaganda Department, through its new-media account “Zhejiang Propaganda,” published alengthy articlearguing that “the more powerful an enterprise is, the more open-minded it should be toward public discussion” and that “being able to tolerate ‘noise’ is itself a form of confidence. ”The article, which was republished by the CCP journalBanyuetan, directly named Richard Yu Chengdong, Huawei’s Executive Director, Chairman of the Product Investment Review Committee, and CEO of the Consumer Business Group. Yu has been given controversial nicknames such as “Chief Bragging Officer” and “Big-Mouthed Yu. ” The article argued that his repeated use of phrases such as “the strongest” and “without equal” had been so emphatic that it helped trigger a shift in public reaction—from cheering Huawei to turning its claims into internet memes. Subsequently, after the Jiangsu state-affiliated media outlet “Litchi News” posted multiple Weibo messages promoting Huawei’s new products, it published a commentary asking: “Those telling Huawei to be more magnanimous—are you yourselves appropriate [to say so]?”The commentary said Huawei had been subjected to malicious attacks and that its counterattack “demonstrated its unyielding backbone. ” It accused those urging Huawei to show tolerance of giving legitimacy to “malicious traffic,”and argued that Huawei had repeatedly broken through external sanctions. It called for private companies to be judged from a broader perspective and for society to respect and show tolerance toward companies that possess a strong sense of national responsibility. The article surged onto the hot-search list on Aug. 6. Chinese communications scholar Wei Wuhui toldLianhe Zaobaothat the Zhejiang Propaganda article was written in a very restrained manner. “I would describe it as a gentle questioning of Huawei,” he said, adding that it might nevertheless give people the impression that the official side believed Huawei was “making too much of a small issue. ”Wei pointed out that Huawei faced widespread criticism in 2019 over the case of a former employee who was wrongly imprisoned for 251 days. However, after “Meng Wanzhou’s return” in 2021—when Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was released after being detained in Canada for nearly three years and returned to China in a triumphalist manner—Huawei became a symbol of Chinese nationalism. “It was as if this company had become somewhat beyond criticism,” Wei said, creating a prolonged period of “suppression. ” The current controversy over a toy then triggered those pent-up feelings of “public grievance” through what was essentially an entertainment-driven incident. Wei said the “Zhuzhilia” controversy would blow over in a couple of days and would not affect Huawei’s organizational management, internal governance, or its relationships with society and the government. “At most, it gives you the impression that Huawei can’t take a joke and refuses to be turned into entertainment. That’s about it,” he said. Chinese technology commentator Li Huanxin wrote on his WeChat public account that Huawei has long enjoyed “immunity from public opinion” under the protection of the country’s broader great-power narrative. Criticizing Huawei could invite accusations of “undermining the position of using technological development to strengthen the nation. ” But following the “Zhuzhilia” controversy, he said, “the situation appears to have reversed. ”READ MORE:Huawei’s ‘Tau Law’ Faces Skepticism as China Struggles to Close Chip GapFCC Rejects Chinese-Controlled Telecom Firm’s US License Application Over National Security RisksWhy the US Government Blacklisted China’s HuaweiHuawei’s attempt to silence critics angers the public; ‘Zhuzhilia’ becomes an internet-wide mockeryIn late July, some Chinese internet users discovered that the “wa-wa” sound produced by rotating the traditional bamboo toy Zhuzhilia closely resembled the distinctive verbal tics, pauses, and repeated exclamations heard during Huawei product launches, particularly when Richard Yu Chengdong, chairman of Huawei’s Consumer Business Group, speaks. This prompted large numbers of netizens to use the toy to poke fun at Huawei. Huawei’s new-product launches have long emphasized creating an enthusiastic atmosphere. Whenever Yu announces a new feature, reveals a price, or uses signature phrases such as “遥遥领先” (“far ahead of the competition”) and “the best SUV under 10 million yuan,” the audience frequently responds with synchronized, repeated cries of “wa. ”Some netizens turned the phenomenon into short videos featuring the Zhuzhilia toys “talking” to one another like children, with lines such as “My name is Far Ahead; my name is Leading; my name is [the] best under 10 million yuan” and “the best toy under 10 million yuan. ” The videos were posted across social media platforms. Huawei subsequently filed complaints with multiple platforms, accusing the videos of vilifying the company and its executives and damaging its commercial reputation. Some videos were consequently removed or had their distribution restricted. However, netizens refused to back down. Large numbers joined the wave of mockery, with some even using pot lids, bottle caps, wrenches, medicine bottles, and other objects to imitate the sound of the Zhuzhilia. As the controversy gained momentum, sales of Zhuzhilia toys surged on Chinese e-commerce platforms, with some sellers reportedly unable to keep up with demand. Many merchants capitalized on the trend by adding coded marketing labels such as “same model,” “遥遥领先” (“far ahead of the competition”), or “Voice of Xuanwu” to their listings. One netizen bluntly summed up the phenomenon: “The whole internet is playing with ‘Zhuzhilia. ’”Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Headlinequoted analysis from mainland Chinese media saying that some Chinese netizens have developed growing resentment or resistance toward Huawei in recent years, driven by multiple underlying factors. The analysis argued that Huawei often forcefully links purchasing its products with patriotism, effectively subjecting consumers who choose not to use its products to a form of moral pressure. Critics also say its promotional style has become excessively “fan-circle” oriented, frequently elevating commercial competition into disputes over nationalism and political loyalty, which can lead to “audience fatigue. ”There are also concerns that some Huawei products are overpriced relative to their specifications, while some consumers remain skeptical of the company’s claims about its technological self-reliance. Some users onX commented: “Isn’t this just the ‘Zhuzhilia’ version of the White Paper Revolution? The blank sheets of paper said nothing, yet those who are ‘far ahead’ seemed to think you had said everything. The logic is exactly the same. ”Another said, “Think about it—back then it was ‘We are all Meng Wanzhou. ’ Wasn’t that disgusting?”“You can’t silence the public. Huawei will soon be finished,” said another social media user. Yet another said, “This is so characteristically CCP: the first instinct is always to deal with the person who raises the problem. They never think about whether they themselves actually have a problem. ”