Guancha

For other uses, see Guancha (disambiguation).

Guancha.cn (Chinese: 观察者网; lit. 'Observer Net') is a Shanghai-based^[1][2] news site founded in 2012 by Eric X. Li, a venture capitalist and political scientist at Fudan University.^[3] It has been described by independent analysts as "one of China's most popular and influential online media portals."^[4] The website describes itself as an "online news and comments aggregator".^[5]

Guancha.cn

Native name	观察者网
Type of site	News website
Available in	Chinese
Headquarters	Shanghai
Country of origin	China
Owner	Shanghai Guanchazhe Information Technology Co., Ltd. Shanghai Chunqiu Development Strategy Research Institute
Founder(s)	Eric X. Li
Editor	Jin Zhongwei
Key people	Zhang Weiwei, Zhang Wenmu
URL	www.guancha.cn
Commercial	Yes
Registration	Optional
Launched	2012; 13 years ago (2012)
Current status	Active

Content

Guancha mainly publishes online news content in Chinese. Its homepage format consists of headline content, followed by a "left column" consisting of op-eds, a "central column" consisting of news, and a "right column", consisting of user generated content. Its content is mainly focused on international news and affairs, with an additional focus on economic issues. The website's reader demographics is "predominantly young people".^[6]

Guancha's logotype as displayed on its homepage.

Guancha also publishes content in other formats, such as video. It also has a number of other affiliated video accounts, some associated with individual content producers.^{[citation needed]}

Influence and reach

Guancha regularly hosts essays by prominent academics and public intellectuals. For example, Fudan University professor and Xi Jinping-advisor Zhang Weiwei has published widely read commentaries on the platform that are then cited in international think-tank analysis of Chinese elite discourse.^[7] It boasts 150 million total subscribers across its various Chinese and foreign-based social media platforms.

Impact and History

Guancha was launched in 2012 in Shanghai. Before its founding, an online platform known as "Social Observer" had been established in 2010 by Shanghai Chunqiu Development Strategy Research Institute. This early platform has been described as Guancha's predecessor.^[8] Originally launched as Social Observer's online arm, the two officially disaffiliated in 2014.^{[citation needed]}

Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, Guancha has played a visible role in Chinese online discourse. A key event during this period was its coverage of Guancha-cofounder Zhang Weiwei's 2011 debate with Francis Fukuyama, in which Zhang promoted the "Chinese model" and questioned Western liberal democracy.^[9] In 2013, prominent Chinese political commentators associated with the Industrial Party began contributing to the site.^[10] In 2020, Guancha criticized the suspension of Donald Trump's Twitter account, with one article describing Trump as a "key driver of clicks" for the site.^[6][11]

Guancha founder Eric Li.

Guancha has also reported on international business controversies. In 2021, the site covered Intel's decision to avoid sourcing components from Xinjiang and criticized the move; Intel later issued a public apology in China.^[12] In 2024, Guancha's coverage included criticism of stand-up comedian Yang Li, which was widely discussed on Chinese social media.^[13]

Reception

Guancha has been categorized in an Amsterdam University Press study as a privately owned internet platform outside of state-controlled media.^[14] Some Western media have characterized Guancha as nationalist^[15] or ultranationalist.^[16] It has also been referenced in academic and policy research on Chinese digital media as a significant outlet for public commentary and news aggregation.^[17][18]

Eric X. Li—venture capitalist and political commentator—founded the site and is frequently profiled in Western media and academic analysis for arguments contrasting liberal democracy with China's governance model.