Ivanka Trump may have recently been on the receiving end of multiple criticisms in the U.S. for being “complicit” in her father’s presidency, but in China, she is basically the perfect woman.
According to The New York Times, the presidential daughter is so widely adored in China that she has been dubbed as the “goddess Yi Wan Ka” Trump.
In a country where most people perceive material wealth as the main indicator of power and glory, many young professionals reportedly admire her education, business acumen and lavish lifestyle.
Xinhua, the county’s official news agency, described Ivanka as having an “elegant and poised style,” with many looking up to her as a leader and “a symbol of power and ambition.”
A female reality television producer in the country said of Ivanka Trump:
“She’s very independent. She represents what we’re looking for — to marry into a decent family, to look good, and to also have your own career.”
Some of her Chinese supporters also like her so-called “Confucian values,” noting that she adopted Judaism to please her husband. They also value how she defends her father, which shows her strong devotion to family.
There are even some who genuinely feel like “Ivanka is the real president.” In their words, “she has the brains, not her father.”
Meanwhile, some observers also attribute her popularity in China due mainly through her family’s interest in Chinese culture.
In fact, her 5-year-old daughter, Arabella, is also beloved in China after her video showing her speaking Mandarin went viral, amassing almost 100 million views on Chinese social media last year.
Even Ivanka’s 1-year-old son Theodore is already capturing hearts in China after she posted an Instagram photo of the boy playing with building blocks with Chinese letters on them.
Some analysts pointed out that it could at least help ease the relationship between China and the United States when tensions strike.
“Her father is a regular critic of China, so Ivanka’s moves sort of compensate for that,” Renmin University professor of international relations Shi Yinhong was quoted as saying. “The Chinese government will see there are both ugly and positive messages coming out of the U.S.”
