Turkey-China Meme War Over Xinjiang Uyghurs Escalates
The Chosun Ilbo · Seo Bo-beom ·
Turkey-China Meme War Over Xinjiang Uyghurs Escalates Online dispute reflects ethnic tensions, historical grievances as memes target cultural, economic sensitivities
A so-called “meme war” sparked by debates over the Xinjiang Uyghur region between social media users in Turkey and China has continued to escalate, with both sides exchanging blunt criticisms that touch on historical and ethnic sensitivities. Some have even called it an “online world war.” Media outlets in both countries have extensively covered the dispute, with analysts noting it reflects deep-rooted ethnic tensions surrounding the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
On October 27, social media platform X was flooded with content from Turkish and Chinese users disparaging each other’s history and ethnic identities. Turkish users referenced the historical construction of the Great Wall by Chinese dynasties to repel northern nomadic invasions, stating, “China built the Great Wall out of fear of Turkic invasions.” Chinese users, meanwhile, cited DNA analysis to argue that modern Turks are genetically closer to Greeks and Armenians than to ancient Turkic peoples, attacking their ethnic identity. They also mocked Turkey’s economic struggles, calling the lira “scraps of paper” amid high inflation and currency depreciation.
The controversy reportedly began with a post about the ethnic identity of a Uyghur woman. According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP), on October 16, a Turkish user asked a Uyghur woman from Xinjiang if she identified as Turkic. When she replied, “I am Chinese,” the user wrote, “How can you be Chinese? Return to your roots.” The post garnered over 2 million views, triggering backlash from Chinese users, the SCMP reported.
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