Chinese still crazy about Trump despite scandals

While many American voters are angry with Donald Trump after a series of scandals, the majority of Chinese people still show support for the real estate billionaire.

Chinese people gathered to watch the debate between two US presidential candidates. Photo: SCMP.

Donald Trump’s White House campaign has been tumultuous, with some senior Republicans withdrawing their support for him after his vulgar remarks about women. But according to SCMP, the real estate tycoon’s fans in China have not turned their backs on him.

His support across the Pacific has become an internet phenomenon in China, with countless social media accounts created just to update the Republican candidate's campaign.

These people form groups, follow foreign news sites, repost articles that interest them, and write their own editorials expressing support for Mr. Trump.

FounderGreat American Human Rights Observation,One of Mr Trump's online support groups with nearly 55,000 followers on the social network Weibo said the scandals had little impact on their "idol".

"Mr. Trump is a strong, masculine and charming man," this person joked.

Another Trump supporter, James Pan, said that what Trump said was wrong, but "doesn't everyone say the wrong thing in private?" He said that the Western media's war on Trump's moral character was reminiscent of the torture of ancient Chinese literati and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).

"Trump just said a few rude words and the media is ganging up on him, while Hillary Clinton has put their national interests at risk and the media is turning a blind eye," Pan said.

Donald Trump’s appeal comes from his captivating reality TV shows, his thriving real estate business, his regal lifestyle, and his gorgeous daughters and wife. However, it seems that his bold, outspoken statements are what appeal the most to the Chinese.

"He says whatever he wants and never cares about 'choosing his words to please others'. He often speaks the naked truth and hits the heart of the people," the founder of the Great American Human Rights Observation forum affirmed.

"I didn't follow the election until January or February, when I first heard Trump pitch his idea of ​​building a wall on the border with Mexico. It sounded funny, but I gradually realized that his ideas actually made a lot of sense."

An anonymous user on the popular Chinese question-and-answer site zhihu.com wrote that like Trump supporters in the US, many Chinese people favor policies that promote indigenous peoples. Trump is the “spokesperson” they have been waiting for.

A user named Pan, in his 20s, who has translated some of Mr. Trump’s speeches into Chinese, said that as an “outsider” in American politics, daring to challenge the traditional leadership in Washington and supporting the concerns of the people, Mr. Trump possesses some of the “revolutionary” traits seen in early Chinese leaders.

This person said that if he ran for election in China, Mr. Trump would win easily with a majority of votes.

"The Chinese people's liking for someone is not much different from that of Americans. Mr. Trump is attractive to a certain segment," gProfessor Shi Yinhong, director of the Center for Aesthetics, Renmin University in Beijing, commented.

Although the real estate tycoon has vowed to wage a trade war against China, calling it a currency manipulator and a thief of American jobs, his Chinese fans see it as a campaign tactic, believing that a self-styled dealmaker like Trump would be unlikely to be too tough if elected.

A supporter named Tony Liang said Mr. Trump is a pragmatist and that helps him have many fans in China.

"As a businessman, Mr. Trump has fully demonstrated pragmatism - a personality trait that is also deeply rooted in the Chinese mind," Mr. Liang emphasized.

However, among the Chinese "crazy" Donald Trump supporters, there are also individuals who are skeptical about whether Mr. Trump can "make America great again" as the Republican candidate's campaign slogan.

Junius Lu, a video designer, believes that China wants and needs a strong America in a stable world, for China's own development.

"Our generation, the 8X citizens, more or less share the same feeling about America, that it is a model of a strong country that we should learn from," Lu said.

According to VNE