Li Xiang Posts Again on WeChat Moments: Repeatedly Attacked but Must Endure

What happened

Li Xiang (李想), founder and CEO of Li Auto (理想汽车), took to WeChat Moments (朋友圈) to accuse a rival Japanese-linked automaker of orchestrating coordinated online attacks against his company. He wrote bluntly that “history shows puppet troops are often worse than the devils” — a line that has already stirred controversy — and said Li Auto has been the target of repeated smear campaigns. It has been reported that Li claims a large number of “marketing accounts” and blank or fake profiles have been used to flood Li Auto product comment sections with false information.

Evidence and response

Li posted screenshots he says show nationwide posts disparaging Li Auto and internal messaging from Dongfeng Nissan (东风日产), a major joint venture in China, which he alleges coordinated the activity. He called the alleged behavior “the worst kind of violation” of recent anti‑involution norms, and said Li Auto will both pursue legal remedies and ask regulators to step in. Reportedly, the company is asking authorities to prevent unregulated overseas brands from damaging the industry’s competitive environment — allegations that remain unverified outside Li’s posts.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights growing tensions between Chinese EV challengers and established foreign brands operating in China, where public opinion and online mobilization can quickly affect sales and reputations. Will regulators treat this as a marketing ethics case or a legal matter? With Beijing increasingly attentive to market order and national sentiment, the outcome could set a precedent for how cross‑border brand competition is policed — but for now the accusations rest primarily on screenshots and the founder’s public posts.