We came across this image circulating on X and TikTok that several viral posts are claiming shows a “bat-eating competition” taking place in China. The image depicts a row of people eating dark, oddly shaped objects.
Comments on some of these posts are a mix of scepticism and disgust, with some leaving xenophobic comments about Chinese people. Other comments also contain insinuations about the origin of the Covid-19 virus – claiming that this supposed competition took place in Wuhan and might have contributed to the pandemic.
However, while the objects on the table could look vaguely bat-shaped in the rather grainy image to those unfamiliar with Chinese cuisine, a close examination shows that they are, in fact, the distinctive wrapping of zong zi. Zong zi is a bamboo leaf-wrapped glutinous rice dish often stuffed with sweet or savoury fillings that is eaten in China and across Southeast Asia. In Singapore, they are more commonly called bachang and are often eaten during as part of yearly Dragon Boat Festival festivities.
The picture, which was posted by without context (such as naming the specific competition or location) appears to have been intentionally mislabelled to stir up anti-China sentiment by certain users. For instance, the most viewed X post has over half a million views and was posted by the account “Insightful Geopolitics” which purports to provide legitimate updates and commentary on geopolitical issues. However, we found posts that display heavy anti-China sentiment, spats with pro-China accounts, and subjective speculation alongside the claim post.
A quick search for the original picture shows that it was used in a recent Reuters article posted on 24 June 2025 reporting on China’s Consumer Association warning against extreme eating shows (which have grown very popular) as they “cause heart-breaking food waste” and “spread unhealthy ideas about food.” In this case, “extreme” refers to the volume of food rather than extreme forms of food.
In the article, the image is clearly labelled as a “zong-zi eating competition” held in 2010 in Wuhan, China as part of Dragon Boat Festival celebrations – and attributed to the Reuter’s archive. Based on what we could find, this image has not been used anywhere else prior to 24 June, which further suggests that any accounts reposting it as “bat-eating” have intentionally obscured the truth to perpetuate certain narratives about China.
Therefore, images circulating of an eating competition in China show participants eating zong zi, not bats. While certain varieties of bats are consumed by various cultures around the world, this is not a depiction of bat eating in China. We give this claim a rating of false.
The increasingly fraught geopolitical environment has led to much online discourse, conflict, and disinformation. The intentional mislabelling of images for audiences unfamiliar with the original context stokes division and negative emotions – leading to further fragmentation. Being aware of this possibility (and being critical consumers as a result) is important when navigating these topics, particularly when encountering cultures, languages, or societies we are unfamiliar with.
