Chinese media adopts the gaming phrase “kill line” to project China’s political edge over the US. China closed 2025 with its largest-ever trade surplus, clocking nearly $1.2 trillion
Chinese social media is buzzing with a new way to mock American poverty as the commentators have latched onto an evocative phrase from video game culture, “kill line”, to amplify images of US hardship and project China’s superiority.
In gaming, the term “kill line” marks the point where an opponent becomes so weak that a single shot can finish them off.
The term has become a staple across Chinese social media, nationalist commentary sites, and state-linked news outlets. It’s used to dramatize American poverty.
“Kill line” is being used as a metaphor to encompass homelessness, debt, addiction and economic insecurity in the US.
China, world’s second-largest economy, closed 2025 with its largest-ever trade surplus, clocking nearly $1.2 trillion.
According to Customs data released on Wednesday, China posted a $1.189 trillion surplus, crossing the trillion-dollar mark for the first time, driven by stronger-than-expected export growth despite slowing domestic demand and a prolonged property slump.
On the other hand, newly released US consumer price inflation remained unchanged at 2.7 per cent in December.
End of Article
