I don't see people discussing this enough. But in my opinion this is big, and needs to be amplified.
The Chinese are by and large irreligious, and yet they are trying to send money to the Islamic Republic to the point that the embassy in Beijing had to release a statement saying basically 'thank you but we're not seeking donations at this time'.
Meanwhile western 'marxists' can't help but preface whatever they have to say about Iran with "but remember guys it's a theocratic fascistic regime". To their 10,000 twitter followers who all hail from Langley, Virginia, because that will surely change the tide.
Now, where did these netizens get the idea from that they support Iran? It doesn't come out of nowhere. People who live/have been to China will be able to say more on this and how world politics are represented in Chinese media, but we see that even as the PRC takes a step back so to speak on the world stage (at least publicly), the masses in China still know what's what. Nobody in the west wants to send money to the Islamic Republic right now, I can tell you that much (not that we could, it's illegal in most western countries.)
China is very diplomatic in how they talk. They trade with 'Israel', because they will trade with anyone (and the Chinese will be quick to point out that trading is a neutral act). And conversely, the PRC is not very public about what they do behind the scenes. During this war, we have seen Chinese satellite imagery of the strikes against US bases. What's interesting is that these were released publicly, likely as a flex to say "FYI if you were thinking of attacking us this is some of what we can do."
This has led some to speculate that China is helping Iran in some ways, but that's the thing: they're not flashy about it. The White House publicizes every strike they make because they want to strike fear in your hearts, while China works diligently at the desk. That's the difference. That's why we think everything is resolved through bombs and guns - that's just what we grew on.
When Yemen announced a blocus through the Gulf of Aden, Chinese and Russian ships were the only ones they allowed through. It has been reported that it is the same situation in Hormuz but the situation is still foggy so don't jump to conclusions too quickly. IR mission to the UN denied that Iran blocked the Strait just earlier.
Still this doesn't prevent the ever-so-righteous western communists from saying 'but China does nothing, but China is not helping'.
First of all: a- did Yemen and Iran even ask China to participate in the war? No, they did not. And b- why should China help and not you? Is it because you don't want to be on the receiving end of a bombing run? Well neither do the Chinese. So why should they die on your western word?
Frankly at this point anyone in the west that still follows the routine is not worth listening to anymore. They have become utterly irrelevant, just like that. Western marxism will not save us, it never has. It's never produced anything other than, well, nothing. If your opinions begin with "well Iran is not great but-" I don't wanna hear it. Everything that you say will be nonsense.
This goes for those highly-theoretical communists that think China is revisionist or dogmato-liberal-scato-whatever too. You have become completely irrelevant, just living in a very peculiar niche of "I think I'm helping!" but also "how come we can never rally more than 10 people who want to form a cult before exploding??"
Meanwhile the people in China know exactly what's going on. Do you think they receive top-class political education in school? No, like every other student in the world, they just coast by until the exam and then promptly forget the material. And yet they still arrive at the correct conclusion.
If you want to be a marxist in the west, become an eastern marxist. that's what 'western marxism' means: the ineffectual, CIA-approved ant mill that keeps you running in circles until you die of exhaustion.
Oh and this goes for ignorantly believing whatever western media prints about China too when it fits your preconceptions and stereotypes.
The problem isn't that they take the sponsorship deals. It's that a lot of them don't do productive shit with that money and even when they do they're disorganized. It's like a hivemind of individuals who all agree on doing "good", but not oh how to do it. There's no organized plan.
I don't understand who they're trying to reach out with the videos either or if they even think of the target audience. Like before even making the video they should ask who is watching them? They could take the sponsorship money and use it to sponsor the works of others, that can't survive without them, because no sponsor will dare to approach them. But instead they just cope with treating themselves. Like please I'm trying to make a book humanizing people that are suffering under sanctions and I either have to do dull it down or get sponsored, but nah they'd rather go to a cinema watch another idealist slop or read another superhero comic.
If they really wanted to be like China they'd trademax and put the money into human beings, but they're doing this bullshit 3rd way politics. Which is never going to work. I literally just want my rent covered and I eat the most basic beans and rice foods it would cost basically nothing to sponsor that, but there just isn't anywhere I can go. Where is the do stuff club? Where is the writers club? I'm sick and tired of book consumption clubs and they'll just throw another one of "Haha do it yourself!" at me again. They're like narcissistic abusers, offer two impossible choices.