Over the past five years, China has emerged as an unexpected player in global antisemitism, a phenomenon historically concentrated in Europe, the United States, and parts of the Muslim world. Researchers at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) have traced the rise of anti-Jewish sentiment in China from 2021 through 2025, identifying a complex mix of domestic, international, and historical factors that fuel these attitudes. While the country has almost no indigenous Jewish population and little historical antisemitism, modern China has increasingly adopted negative portrayals of Jews and Israel, particularly through media, academia, and social networks. The rapid spread of these ideas has prompted concern among Jewish organizations and governments worldwide about the potential influence of China’s narratives on global antisemitism.
Measuring antisemitism in China presents unique challenges. Opinion polls conducted by organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) report that roughly a third of Chinese respondents agree with statements such as “Jews have too much power in the business world.” Yet, cultural interpretations differ: in East Asia, references to business power are often positive, complicating the use of Western survey frameworks. Unlike Western countries, China does not permit independent public demonstrations, a common metric for gauging antisemitic sentiment elsewhere. Acts of vandalism against Jewish institutions, frequently used to measure hostility in Europe or the United States, are absent in China. Jewish museums, cemeteries, Chabad centers, and Israeli diplomatic missions remain largely untouched. Social media and online content therefore serve as the primary channels through which antisemitic ideas are transmitted, offering both a reflection and amplification of public attitudes. With 1.11 billion internet users in early 2025, China possesses one of the world’s largest digital populations, creating unprecedented potential for rapid dissemination of antisemitic narratives.
China’s role in global antisemitism extends beyond domestic expression. Experts warn that the country’s media and political influence may amplify anti-Jewish sentiment internationally. Tuvia Gering, an Israeli scholar specializing in Chinese antisemitism, notes that a nation representing one-fifth of humanity, equipped with sophisticated propaganda capabilities, can significantly affect Jewish communities worldwide. Instances of Chinese diplomats promoting antisemitic narratives abroad, such as comparisons between Israel and Nazi Germany or claims that Jews wield disproportionate global power, highlight the potential for transnational impact. China’s interactions with diaspora communities and its engagement in Western countries further complicate efforts to counter these trends. Social media platforms, including TikTok, are credited with influencing young audiences globally, creating channels through which Chinese messaging on Israel and Jews can spread rapidly.
JPPI identifies twelve primary “drivers” behind China’s current antisemitism, some shared with other countries, others unique to China. Broadly, China’s antisemitism is fueled by its geopolitical rivalry with the United States, a desire to strengthen alliances with Muslim-majority nations, economic anxieties, xenophobia, and the projection of domestic or global grievances onto Jews and Israel. The Chinese state often frames Israel as an extension of American power, portraying the Jewish state as part of a Western order China seeks to challenge. The conflation of hostility toward America, Israel, and Jews allows antisemitism to serve a dual purpose: domestically as a tool for nationalist mobilization, and internationally as a lever in great power competition.
Four drivers are specific to China. First, the country’s strategic partnerships with Russia and Iran encourage alignment with these nations’ historical anti-Israel narratives, forming a quasi-“axis” that strengthens cooperation across political, military, and cultural domains. Second, philosemitism in China, historically marked by admiration for Jewish achievement and values, can quickly flip into antisemitism when geopolitical and media narratives shift. Conversely, negative portrayals of Jews can also be interpreted positively in certain contexts, reflecting China’s unique “two-sides-of-the-same-coin” approach to Jewish stereotypes. Third, China’s ambition to challenge the existing Western-dominated global order frames Israel and the Jewish people as symbols of the established system, making them convenient targets in ideological and strategic rhetoric. Finally, the meme-like nature of antisemitism allows it to spread across Chinese society and online platforms rapidly, with language and imagery circulating widely, comparable to viral phenomena.
Experts describe antisemitism as a cultural “meme” in the Dawkinsian sense: ideas, behaviors, and imagery that replicate and transmit through imitation, sometimes across multiple societies. In China, memes portraying Jews as powerful, manipulative, or aligned with Western interests have accelerated since the October 7, 2023, Gaza escalation, coinciding with similar trends in the West and reinforcing narratives in the Muslim world. Memetic transmission, aided by social media, ensures that antisemitism is no longer confined to national borders; it can spread transnationally with unprecedented speed and reach. While the end of conflicts like the Gaza war may slow these trends temporarily, experts caution that the roots of antisemitism are deep, and China’s engagement in this global phenomenon has already created lasting impact.
Despite these challenges, diplomatic signals suggest potential shifts. Since late 2024, China has taken tentative steps to improve relations with Israel. Chinese diplomats have publicly praised Israel’s achievements while condemning extreme acts of violence, such as Hamas attacks, though these statements often go unreported domestically. This dual messaging reflects China’s broader strategy: maintaining ties with Israel while positioning itself favorably among the 50 Muslim-majority states in the Global South, part of China’s broader geopolitical ambitions. Observers note that these efforts, while symbolically significant, have yet to reverse the underlying trends of antisemitic rhetoric or reshape public perceptions meaningfully.
JPPI emphasizes several policy considerations for Israel and global Jewish organizations. These include engaging Jewish communities worldwide to raise awareness of Chinese antisemitism, coordinating with Western governments to denounce anti-Jewish sentiment, monitoring social media and academic discourse in China, and identifying specific state agencies responsible for authorizing or preventing antisemitic messaging. Cultural and academic exchanges, emphasizing Jewish history, creativity, and resilience, are seen as more effective countermeasures than polemics. Israel’s approach must also carefully balance its strategic relationships with both China and the United States, maintaining long-term engagement while avoiding unnecessary escalation or politicization of the issue.
Ultimately, China’s rising role in global antisemitism underscores a new dimension of transnational hate. While antisemitism in China shares many characteristics with global trends — such as scapegoating, conspiracy theories, and accusations of disproportionate power — the country’s unique political and cultural context amplifies its significance. The intertwining of geopolitical rivalry, media influence, and social attitudes means that China is not only a domestic actor but also a vector for shaping global perceptions of Jews and Israel. How governments, civil society, and Jewish communities respond will have lasting implications for the global struggle against antisemitism.
As JPPI notes, the real difference between Chinese and Western antisemitism lies not in its nature, but in recognition and response. Western governments formally acknowledge antisemitism as a serious societal problem, pledging policies to combat it. In China, by contrast, authorities deny the phenomenon, blur the lines between criticism of Israel and hostility toward Jews, and allow media and online platforms to propagate narratives largely unchecked. The challenge for the Jewish people and Israel is therefore not only to counter misinformation and hostility but to navigate a geopolitical landscape where antisemitism has become entangled with the rise of a global power, creating a new front in the centuries-old struggle against prejudice.
