China obsesses over America’s “kill line”
It is easier to talk about American harshness than Chinese malaise
IN CHINESE VIDEO games the “kill line” describes a perilous position for combatants. Once their virtual health falls below this line, it takes just a single punch or shot to be eliminated. Strikingly, use of the term has spread in the past month, migrating from gamers’ chatrooms to political agitprop. The “US kill line” has become shorthand for what, supposedly, is wrong with America and right with China—and it has been more successful than most state propaganda in achieving its aim. In the process, though, it has also drawn attention to some of China’s own economic vulnerabilities.
Already have an account?Log in
Continue with a free trial
Get full access to our independent journalism for free
Get startedExplore more
Handpicked stories, in your inbox
A daily newsletter with the best of our journalism
The big ambitions of China’s private space industry
Chinese firms race to catch up with SpaceX
It’s not just China’s total population that’s falling
The number of people in China’s towns and cities is in decline
China and Taiwan both see lessons in America’s raid on Venezuela
It won’t change China’s calculus but is a case study for “decapitation” strikes
Chaguan
America’s raid on Venezuela reveals the limits of China’s reach
It is not a template for Taiwan but a reality check on China’s global power
How China’s property crisis helped crash its art market
A gold-framed view into the world of China’s wealthy
People of dubious character are more likely to enter public service
A new study shows that customs and tax officials are the dodgiest
