  This paper studies conspiracy and debunking narratives about COVID-19
origination on a major Chinese social media platform, Weibo, from January to
April 2020. Popular conspiracies about COVID-19 on Weibo, including that the
virus is human-synthesized or a bioweapon, differ substantially from those in
the US. They attribute more responsibility to the US than to China, especially
following Sino-US confrontations. Compared to conspiracy posts, debunking posts
are associated with lower user participation but higher mobilization. Debunking
narratives can be more engaging when they come from women and influencers and
cite scientists. Our findings suggest that conspiracy narratives can carry
highly cultural and political orientations. Correction efforts should consider
political motives and identify important stakeholders to reconstruct
international dialogues toward intercultural understanding.
