I'm a little confused because the comic only has two panels? Additionally, in the second panel the character's eyes are still round not any other shape - I don't see squinting at all? (If you were trying to draw a head that small with eyes that were squinting, you would use angled lines, not circles)

In any case, I believe the interpretation of the comic intended by the creator is: "Panel one represents what Western liberals say about China. Panel 2 represents the media environment they swim in"