Chinese Reflections: Trump, Political Division, and the Unearned Privilege of American Exceptionalism

This short article explores the opinions of Chinese people resident in China concerning Donald Trump and the 2024 US presidential election. Political thinking in China is often perceived through West-centric perspectives, which fail to capture the ways in which Chinese people perceive political events. Few Chinese people have interest in American politics, but among those who do, opinions surrounding Trump and the 2024 election are split. These opinions are split in ways that challenge West-originating ideas of left-right divides. Chinese people find reasons to support or oppose Trump on the basis of support for or opposition to elements of China’s political and economic system. It is important to avoid the exceptionalism of understanding the world through the lens of American politics.