For a country so fiercely at odds with the US politically, commercially and even technologically, what explains the interest of China’s social media, in the US presidential election?
On Weibo, Trump was the top trending topic and the hashtag “Trump Officially Declares Victory”, drew a staggering 870 million views. There was curiosity expressed about Trump and what he represents. There were many comments, often laced with humour.
One comment went “Comrade Trump is back to the Palace,” palace meaning the White House which is the official residence of the US president. The use of the words Comrade Trump, may reflect some irony here. A billionaire like Trump is the very antithesis of comrade, a word redolent with historical meaning in China where at one time, even top leaders addressed each other as comrade, signifying equality.
Comrade is also Xi Jinping’s official title but as his political power grew, so did his titles: today he is officially Paramount Leader, General Secretary of the Communist Party, Chairman of the Central Military Commission and also head of state.
More about Trump. A verified Weibo account praised him saying “Trump is 80 years old and works so hard, despite having no lack of money or fame! This resilience is inspiring—why shouldn’t we strive for the same? Come on”
Others joked about Trump’s potential new team, asking what position Elon Musk might hold after helping Trump win. Musk’s role became a trending question, reflecting his company Tesla’s position in China where it is battling to compete with Chinese EV makers.
Analysis On Taiwan And Sino-U.S. Relations
The return of Trump has also prompted serious discussion among Chinese analysts and bloggers, about Taiwan. Some users suggested Trump might leverage support for Taiwan reunification in exchange for economic benefits.
Bloggers tracking foreign policy related developments, speculated about how Trump’s return could impact regional dynamics. Some posted videos claiming that “Trump is back in office, Japan needs to deal with it carefully, and (Prime minister) Shigeru Ishiba is facing a diplomatic test.”
Another user commented : “He (Trump) would support reunification with Taiwan in exchange for a larger “protection fee.”
Stock Surge And Other Election Surprises
Trump’s win even had unexpected financial effects. Chinese company Sichuan Wisdom Co. Ltd. (川大智胜) saw a sudden spike in stock value simply because its name sounds similar to “Trump winning.” Clearly, Trump’s influence or charisma resonated in unexpected ways, even across markets.
Back to the question: why is China’s social media so fixated on the US elections? As one user remarked, “Whoever comes to power will not be friendly to China, so why do Chinese still care so much about the U.S. election?”
Perhaps they found novelty and entertainment in the grand spectacle of American politics, with issues being fiercely and publicly debated. Certainly, it reflects the complete absence of anything similar in their own country and the secret longing that one day even authoritarian China, with no history of democracy, will also change.
