Chinese netizens vent anger at Trump's trade war with memes

While China's leaders use their economic and political might to fight US President Donald Trump's trade war "to the end", its social media warriors are embarking on a more humorous campaign online.

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BEIJING —

China's online warriors have been taking advantage of the strides in artificial intelligence to create memes highlighting that many of the goods bought by Americans, such as shoes and smartphones, are made using cheap Chinese labour.

Defiant posts have shot to the top of most-searched lists on social media, flooding platforms with patronising comments and jokes.

In one video, a Chinese internet user opens his hands to reveal what goods he buys from the US — nothing. His dozens of videos railing against the US have accumulated tens of millions of views on TikTok, officially blocked in China but accessible through a virtual private network.

The user, based in north-eastern China's Liaoning province and who asked to be identified by his online persona "Buddhawangwang", told AFP the posts were a way of "venting my anger".