On the morning of January 15, 2025, I opened my phone as usual, scrolling through my favorite app, RedNote. To my surprise, my feed was flooded with tags like #tiktokrefugees.” Confused, I began piecing together what had happened. TikTok’s sudden ban in the United States had left millions of users scrambling for a new digital home. In an unexpected twist, RedNote had risen to prominence, now ranking among the top three apps in the U.S.
As a Chinese student, I’ve been using RedNote for as long as I can remember. It’s hard to describe its magic — imagine the aesthetic of Instagram, the content variety of TikTok, and the organization of Pinterest all wrapped into one. From funny videos to travel tips, and makeup tutorials to outfit inspirations, RedNote has it all. But now, I am seeing something extraordinary happen on the platform — a cultural exchange unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed.
Foreign users are flocking to RedNote, many introducing themselves with captions like, “Hi, I want to make Chinese friends.” Their presence has caught the attention of Chinese users, who satirically call themselves “Chinese spies” and humorously demand “pet taxes”— adorable cat and dog pictures—from their new friends. This playful interaction has created an atmosphere of warmth and curiosity.
For influencers, this moment is a golden opportunity. Many Chinese creators are seizing the chance to share Chinese culture with the world, especially with the Lunar New Year just around the corner. My friend Jianing Cui expressed her excitement: “I’ve always wanted to show foreigners how beautiful our country is and how rich our history and traditions are. Now they can see it firsthand through our social media. It makes me so happy.”
The connections being forged on RedNote go beyond surface-level interactions. People are sharing stories and food recipes, and even helping each other with homework. Some Chinese students have enlisted their new American friends to assist with English assignments, tasks that sometimes leave even native speakers stumped.
One Chinese user remarked, “It’s incredible to apply the language we’ve been learning in real conversations. It feels like a stage for transnational communication. Such a fascinating experience.” In China, the very end of each English exam is “write a letter to your foreign friend LiHua,” the imaginary penpal who entered our lives more than ten years ago. What really is warming is American users have started replying to a staple of Chinese students’ English exams. These thoughtful replies have moved countless Chinese students, some of them even to burst into tears, creating a sense of connection that transcends the walls and borders, finally receiving a realistic response from the other half of the world.
RedNote’s comment sections have become vibrant hubs of exchange. Under food videos, people swap recipes and culinary tips. Memes from different countries spark laughter, and Chinese users teach foreigners playful slang. It feels like the essence of a global village—people sharing and connecting without boundaries.
Many users have expressed their joy at this newfound connection. One viral video features an American old lady reflecting on the experience: “I know the technology to do this has been around for a while, but I’m not a sophisticated person. Suddenly, it feels like a wonderful time to be alive, having conversations with someone in China—in Chinese.”

Even major platforms like Duolingo and Google Translate have joined the conversation, jokingly acknowledging their newfound relevance. Duolingo quipped, “Oh, so NOW you’re learning Mandarin,” drawing laughs across the internet.
Of course, this cultural exchange hasn’t been without its challenges. Some Chinese influencers feel overshadowed by foreign creators who gain attention with simple videos, sparking debates about biases in beauty standards. Others worry that an influx of English content might dilute the platform’s uniquely Chinese atmosphere. However, these concerns have prompted meaningful discussions, with many foreign users integrating Chinese phrases into their posts to show respect for the local culture.
In the end, what’s unfolding on RedNote is a testament to the power of technology to bridge divides. As one TikTok user aptly put it, “The world has changed, literally over a single weekend. There’s so much joy in the air right now. We are uniting as one.”
How wonderful it is when people across oceans can see each other without filters or preconceived notions, discovering the beauty and humanity that lies beyond borders. Perhaps, in this global village, we are finally remembering what it means to simply be human.
This reminds me of a line from a book I once read: “Countless millennia passed, and nations drew their borders sharp and clear, while people forgot that, beneath it all, they were simply human.” Yet here, on RedNote, that humanity shines through.