Labubu, the whimsical forest monster toy from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart, has been crowned China’s most recognizable and influential pop culture intellectual property (IP) in a newly released report. The accolade was announced at the World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit in Zhejiang province, where the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies unveiled its annual assessment of Chinese cultural IPs’ global impact. Labubu outperformed blockbuster films like *Dead To Rights* and *Ne Zha 2*, which secured second and third places, respectively. The report, which analyzed data from over 4,000 global media outlets, social platforms, and AI models like DeepSeek and ChatGPT, highlighted the growing resonance of Chinese cultural symbols worldwide. Li Yafang, head of the academy, emphasized that these IPs no longer aim to ‘preach’ but instead use high-quality products and compelling narratives to foster global understanding of China. Experts attribute Labubu’s success to its ‘cute, odd yet healing’ design and the thrill of blind-box purchases, which resonate deeply with young audiences. Meanwhile, films like *Ne Zha 2* and *Dead To Rights* have captivated international audiences by blending universal themes with Chinese cultural roots. The report also identified Chengdu’s World Games, Chongqing’s ‘cyber city’ image, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin as top local-culture hotspots with international influence. These findings underscore China’s evolving cultural footprint on the global stage.