A recent video showing Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov joking about the viral “Labubu” doll during a visit to China has reignited focus on the plush toy’s role as a soft-power tool for the Chinese Communist Party. The doll, produced by Beijing-based Pop Mart and heavily promoted by Chinese state media, has become a pop culture sensation both in China and abroad — and a calculated effort by Beijing to improve its international image.
