As far as the Chinese state-run media are concerned, “democracy” is to blame for allowing a Donald Trump presidency.
According to Xinhua News Agency (via Independent), the election of the Republican candidate is proof that American democracy can cause catastrophic results, unlike China’s authoritarian rule which, it claims, has provided stability at home.
On Tuesday, Donald John Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States, defying early predictions and late polls that had Hillary Clinton with a slim but consistent lead.
Despite a number of controversies during the campaign period, Trump has kept a narrow distance in the polls leading to the election. The paper noted that it showed how “the majority of Americans are rebelling against the U.S.’s political class and financial elites.”
People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official mouthpiece, said this year’s U.S. Presidential election revealed an “ill democracy.”
Observers, however, believe that China, just like Russia, is actually favoring Trump as he seemed less keen in meddling with China’s foreign policy. Throughout the campaign, the Chinese media has made favorable comments about a possible Trump presidency.
Scholar Mei Xinyu expressed such sentiment in Global Times, saying:
“From a comprehensive view, it would make it easier for China to cope if Trump is elected. This is because under the policy line advocated by Obama and Clinton, the political and military frictions between China and the U.S. will be more frequent.”
