Chinese Netizens are Split Over Donald Trump’s Presidential Victory

November 9, 2016

Despite China’s restricted coverage of the U.S. presidential election, netizens responded quickly to Donald Trump’s victory — and they all did so differently.

The Republican candidate’s success left many Americans in considerable shock. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, but the presidency is decided by winning the majority of the country’s 538 electoral votes. This appears to be the fifth time a popular vote winner has failed to win the White House.

[Resized] Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)Trump is arguably more popular in China, and as events turned out, President Xi Jinping expressed his desire to cooperate with America’s new head of state (via Xinhua):

“I highly value the relations between China and the United States, and I am looking forward to working together with you to expand China-U.S. cooperation in every field, at the bilateral, regional and global levels, on the basis of the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, with differences controlled in a constructive manner, so as to push China-U.S. relations further forward from a new starting point, better benefiting the peoples of the two countries and other countries.”

[Resized] Photo by Gage Skidmore / FlickrIt’s been a long journey for Trump and Clinton — much like a TV drama that took Americans, even the world, in polarizing seasons. Like many, Chinese netizens had mixed reactions over the election results.

Some cheered for Trump’s victory (via Shanghaiist):

“Once again this proves that the strategy of ‘encircling the cities with the rural’ is the correct revolutionary road to seizing ultimate national victory.”

“Trump has become America’s Mao Zedong!”

“This is a transcendent victory! It’s a victory for Chinese netizens! It’s a victory for mysterious Eastern forces!”

Photo by Michael Vadon / Flickr

(CC BY-SA 2.0)

Others expressed regret for America’s choice (via Billboard):

“It shows that the U.S. government and democracy have weakened. And at the same times it provided our country with a prosperous opportunity — it will make China more powerful.”

“I think Trump is the tragedy of the American people. How did he win? It must be a scam. Now I think cats and dogs can be president!”

But at the end of the day, whether Trump means triumph or tragedy remains to be seen. As Clinton stated in her concession speech today:

“Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.”

What do you think about the new POTUS?

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