Hasan Piker’s China trip in 2025 has unleashed a full-blown Gen Z phenomenon called “Chinamaxxing,” that activists are slamming as cultural appropriation with a geopolitical edge. The trend, involving adopting Chinese cultural habits like drinking hot water, wearing house slippers indoors, and embracing traditional skincare routines, has exploded on TikTok and Instagram.
Activists argue it reduces Chinese identity to a set of superficial tropes while ignoring deeper historical and political complexities, as per NPR, The term “Chinamaxxing” itself is internet slang, where “maxxing” means going all-in on something. Think “looksmaxxing” for appearance optimization or “healthmaxxing” for wellness tips.
