Pretending to Be a Japanese Female Student Studying Abroad on SNS to Criticize Own Country
Online False Rumors Subject to Administrative Punishment in China
A Chinese national who had been mocking fellow citizens while pretending to be a female university student living in Japan was caught and detained by local police. In China, individuals can be punished for posting false information online that causes social unrest.
Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on June 2 (local time) about a Chinese man using the alias "Avianca." This man created an account on the X platform, pretending to be a female student studying in Japan. Avianca claimed to be a university student living in Kanagawa Prefecture in southern Tokyo.
Japanese downtown area. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Getty Images]
In May, he announced that he had returned to China and passed the civil service exam in northern Shanxi Province. The problem was that some of his posts sparked backlash among certain Chinese netizens. Avianca wrote, "Let me update you on the recent situation. I have returned to China and am working at the National Tax Bureau," adding, "From now on, I will eat 'royal cuisine.' Everyone must pay their taxes properly."
He also disparaged the quality of Chinese food, while on the other hand, posting several messages praising Japan. He said, "My father told me when I was young, 'Enjoy life in Japan and don't come back to China; it's too complicated here.'"
After seeing multiple such remarks, Chinese netizens began to question how Avianca had passed China's strict civil service screening. As the Avianca controversy grew, Shanxi authorities launched an investigation. They later revealed that Avianca was actually a man who had been fabricating stories on X.
Local police announced on May 7, "The investigation confirmed that a 28-year-old unemployed man surnamed Shi from Shanxi repeatedly posted content online criticizing and expressing hatred toward China." Shi was reportedly detained by the police during the investigation.
After Avianca's true identity was exposed, local netizens flooded the comments with criticism such as "He is a national hater," "They should stick a Rising Sun flag on him," and "I hope he is detained longer."
Meanwhile, in China, spreading manipulated videos, texts, and other content online can lead to punishment. The Ministry of Public Security directly investigates socially disruptive rumors and minor internet gossip, and if necessary, enforces "administrative penalties."
In fact, the Chinese state-run media Global Times reported that from December last year to the end of April, the Ministry of Public Security investigated over 10,000 related cases across mainland China and arrested 1,500 suspects. The number of individuals and entities subjected to administrative sanctions reached 10,700.
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