Whipping is a common practice for the ruling Communist Party nationalist sentiment and deploying propaganda condemning countries deemed to be violating China’s stance on territorial issues such as Taiwan and Tibet. Sometimes, Beijing targets companies that make ideological mistakes in their maps or advertising.

In the past, friction between Japan and the United States has led to calls for mass boycotts, street protests or even vandalism of embassies or restaurants. These days, pure nationalism seems to resonate less with Chinese consumers who are used to making their own personal consumption choices.

“Chinese consumers, especially the urban middle class and younger demographics, do not make daily purchasing decisions based on nationalism,” said Jacob Cooke, CEO of Beijing-based consultancy WPIC Marketing + Technologies.

Japan still trades despite tensions

Beijing reacted ANGER in the comments of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, shortly after he took office in October, which is an attack on Taiwan, the self-governing island. Claimed by China as its territory, may require military intervention by Tokyo.

Chinese officials condemned the remarks and moved to restrict some trade with Japan. Warnings to Chinese travelers not to visit Japan, an increasingly popular destination, have had a major impact on the tourism industry.

Still, crowds flocked to the opening of a Sushiro outlet in a Shanghai mall last December.

The Japan-based conveyor-belt sushi chain has been a roaring success since it opened its first branch in mainland China in 2021.

“It’s delicious,” said Edith Xiao, a 23-year-old university student queuing outside Sushiro restaurant on a Beijing mall for more than half an hour to enter. “The quality of the ingredients is guaranteed.”

Xiao is also a fan of the Japanese manga and anime series Chiikawa, whose cherubic, hamster-like cartoon characters are popular among the Chinese.

the broader state of China-Japan relations had little effect on his own consumption of Japanese culture or restaurants, he said.

“These are just statements made by leaders. They do not represent a change in the attitude of the people of the country,” he explained.

American culture attracts Chinese consumers

The tension between the Chinese government and the US is over tariffsTaiwan and other issues are also not seen as a reason for the Chinese to punish American brands.

Disney’s Zootopia 2 was a huge hit in China, where its fans, mostly cosplaying its characters, helped make it one of the biggest global cinematic hits of 2025.

It became the highest-grossing Hollywood film in China on record with more than 4.4 billion yuan ($634 million) in revenue, according to Chinese entertainment data provider Beacon Pro.

Despite the government’s push to promote and subsidize homegrown movies to make China a “strong film power” by 2035, Chinese moviegoers say they welcome the escape of foreign cinematics.

Zootopia 2 is a bit of a choice, said Ruan Wenlin, who watched the movie in Beijing. “It’s so funny,” he said.

Many Chinese consumers are “tired, tired and worried from COVID and from the weak eCONOMY“said Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group. “People watch Hollywood movies, especially cartoons like Zootopia, because they are stressed and just want something to relax themselves,” he said.

Ralph Laurenthe New York-based fashion brand, meanwhile, is building on its “old money” and quiet luxury aesthetic to win favor with urban middle-class Chinese who prioritize quality and value over nationalism, analysts say.

American trends attract many, despite the often fraught relationship between Beijing and Washington. Ralph Lauren’s sales are growing faster in China than in Europe or North America.

“What attracted me the most was the brand’s strong image and design,” said Zhang Tianyu, who recently bought a Ralph Lauren outlet in Beijing.

American brands that succeed do so because they truly meet consumer needs or represent a lifestyle that Chinese consumers want to associate with, not because of country of origin alone, said Cooke from WPIC Marketing + Technologies.

Emerging patterns as ‘patriotic buying’ trend change

As a wave of patriotic purchases of Chinese brands — called “guochao,” or national Chinese tide — develops and matures, more consumers are becoming comfortable with both foreign and domestic brands.

“Chinese (people) have stopped buying just for the sake of buying Chinese brands,” said Rein from the China Market Research Group. Consumers are “scared of the economy, they’re worried about their job prospects. So they’ll just buy whatever brand, domestic, Chinese or foreign, fits their sense of value and lifestyle,” he said.

Compared to a decade ago, nationalist sentiment has had less influence on consumer behavior, analysts said.

In 2012, the Chinese gathered for protests against Japan over a territorial dispute, destroying Japanese brand cars and vandalizing Japanese restaurants. There are calls to avoid Japanese products.

Also in 2021, including Western brands Nike the hit by boycotts in China over disputes over political issues such as Beijing’s treatment of members of the Muslim minority in Xinjiang, in the country’s far west.

Recently, controversies such as a Pokemon card game event that originally planned to be held at a shrine to honor Japan’s war dead still sparked angry comments on Chinese social media, but there were no clear wider ramifications.

“Maybe believe that all Chinese consumers should follow Beijing’s direction to reject foreign influences, which is misleading,” said Yaling Jiang, an independent Chinese consumer analyst. “Geopolitics does not dictate the course of business at the local level.”

Shoppers often mix and match to suit their own preferences, Jiang said.

But there are limitations

The rise of strong brands in China has emerged as a significant challenge for foreign companies. From electric cars to smart phones to athletic wear, local companies are rapidly gaining market share at home and abroad.

“Chinese people choose Chinese brands because they are better, better value, better quality, better price,” Rein said.

After the government declared that travelers should avoid trips to Japan, employees of state-owned companies and government agencies, as well as travel agencies, fell in line. Hundreds of flights operated by China’s major state-owned airlines, and group tours bound for Japan, were canceled.

The number of Chinese visitors to Japan fell 45% in December from a year ago, to about 330,400. Many Chinese are still traveling to Japan individually, despite earlier warnings from officials, often while keeping a low profile on social media.

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The AP’s Beijing newsroom contributed to this story.