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.
Hong Kong street artist Chan King-fai was prosecuted three times between February 2023 and September 2025 for the same graffiti design combining Chinese characters for "freedom" with dollar signs. Despite claiming the art symbolized financial rather than political freedom, he faced 36 criminal damage charges discovered at different times. Meanwhile, overtly political graffiti and slogans have resulted in prison sentences of up to 14 months under Article 23 sedition laws, creating a stark contrast in how Hong Kong authorities prosecute street art.
Chinese actor Yu Menglong, 37, died in Beijing on September 11, 2025. Officially ruled an accidental fall, his death has made speculation online, fuelling debates across China and Taiwan. Suppressed domestic discussion collided with diaspora discourse, highlighting tensions between PRC narrative control and cross-border media scrutiny. The case reveals the limits of digital censorship, the power of global fandom, and the complexities of information in a politically charged environment
