Following Weibo from afar(2)

Cultural phenomenon

No matter whether based in China or abroad, foreign stars do gain more Chinese fans by using Weibo.

"I have paid attention to many foreign Weibo accounts such as those of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy," Zhou Shen, a graduate student from the Communication University of China, told the Global Times.

According to Zhou, he hopes his favorite sports and movie stars will open Weibo accounts as it makes him feel closer to the celebrities he loves.

"Although these foreigners seldom interact with their Chinese fans, it is still great fun to check their daily lives and their interests," said Zhou.

Weibo also represents an emerging culture in China that will not only bring economic benefits for the foreigners but also help promote cross-cultural communication between countries, Wang Sixin, a Media Law professor at the Communication University of China, told the Global Times.

"Weibo has become a cultural phenomenon and its growing expansion and influence among foreigners shows that more and more people are paying attention to China and more foreigners want to maintain relationships with Chinese people," said Professor Wang Sixin.

According to Wang, most foreign stars want to market themselves or better understand China through using Weibo, and therefore it is not necessary to particularly monitor their deeds.

Fang Binxing, president of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, agreed.

"These foreigners have the freedom to express themselves on Weibo as long as they do not violate Chinese laws," Fang told the Global Times.