A highly criticized social phenomenon that has been making waves online recently. What you’re seeing in these viral incidents is exactly what it looks like: people attempting to use their national identity as a “shield of immunity” (免死金牌) during personal altercations.
Rather than a simple case of “proud patriotism,” it is a toxic mix of extreme nationalistic conditioning (“Wolf Warrior” brainwashing) and a sense of entitlement, thinking their superpower government will magically swoop in to back them up no matter what they do.
Here is what actually happened in those two cases and the psychology behind why they did it:
1. The Paris Opera House Incident (Flashing the Flag)
What happened: A Chinese hearing-impaired social media influencer named “Xue’er” and her group were taking photos on the famous marble staircase at the Palais Garnier in Paris. They blocked the area for an extended period, causing a massive backup. When European tourists lined up behind them grew impatient and a confrontation started, she pulled out her phone and flashed a large picture of the Chinese national flag.
She later used sign language in a video claiming, “While China is the best, they still bully Chinese people,” attempting to turn a simple case of bad tourist manners into a geopolitical hate crime.
- The Reality: The stunt completely backfired. Even netized observers inside China heavily slammed her on platforms like Xiaohongshu for exploiting patriotic sentiment as a shield for poor public etiquette. She was forced to issue a long public apology admitting it was “impulsive and inappropriate.”
2. The Kuala Lumpur Incident (Holding up the Passport)
What happened: A woman from China was filmed standing outside the Petronas Twin Towers (KLCC) in Malaysia, aggressively holding her Chinese passport high up in the air toward passersby and security staff before causing a scene inside the mall.
- The Reality: Netizens immediately pointed out that she seemed to be acting under the delusion that the maroon passport is a literal shield of invincibility that grants her authority or immunity abroad. Eyewitnesses also noted she appeared highly distressed and potentially not in her right mind, though the reflex to use the passport as her ultimate weapon speaks volumes about the underlying conditioning.
The “Wolf Warrior” Delusion: Where does this come from?
This behavior stems directly from a narrative aggressively pushed in domestic Chinese media and popular culture over the last decade (popularized by movies like Wolf Warrior 2): “No matter where you go in the world, a powerful motherland has your back.”
In the movies, just holding a Chinese flag allows characters to pass through active war zones untouched.
When applied to the real world, this produces a specific type of brainwashing:
- Weaponized Victimhood: The moment these individuals face a regular, everyday consequence of their actions (like being told to stop cutting lines or hogging a photo spot), they don’t see it as “I am being rude.” They instantly frame it as “They are bullying me because I am Chinese.”
- The Magical Talisman: They genuinely believe that showing the flag or the passport will terrify foreigners, force local authorities to back down, or compel their embassy to instantly intervene and validate their behavior.
Instead of looking proud, it just makes them an international embarrassment, which is why the harshest critics of these actions are often other Chinese netizens who are tired of their international reputation being dragged down by this exact brand of entitlement.