Chinese artist Ai Weiwei made a quiet return to Beijing in mid-December 2025, his first visit since leaving China in 2015. The three-week trip, which he described as "smooth and pleasant," has raised questions about whether Chinese authorities are recalibrating their approach to high-profile critics. During his visit, Ai underwent nearly two hours of airport questioning before moving freely through the city. Days after returning, he told Reuters that "the West is not even in a position to indict China" on human rights.