As Donald Trump became the first former US president to be convicted of a felony on Thursday, the historic verdict sparked huge interest – and a fair amount of schadenfreude – in China. As a rising authoritarian superpower, China has long sought to project its political system as superior to American democracy.
Under leader Xi Jinping, China’s most assertive leader in decades, the country’s social media platforms have become increasingly dominated by anti-American, nationalistic voices. “Although he is guilty, he can still run for president. A ‘criminal’ can become president – this is the ridiculous aspect of Western-style democracy,” said another. Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of state-run nationalist tabloid Global Times, also weighed in.