George Floyd and China
Part of a series on China.
George Floyd’s cries for help has been heard all over the world. China is no exception. Chinese media have locked onto the event, and reports on it and the subsequent riots are presented almost daily. The tone, of course, is accusatory of the United States, and the tension between the nations intensify.
The U.S.-China relationship has been a tumultuous one ever since the two giants first started to interact with each other. The Communist regime declared in 1949 didn’t help much. For a long time, China has accused the U.S. of exercising “American Imperialism (美帝国主义)” (Korean War, Vietnam War, etc.); even now, the phrase lives on in popular culture as an idiom referring to any Western forces attempting to interfere with less developed countries.
The death of George Floyd was immediately picked up by Chinese media as an ultimate exposé of the “deep racial troubles in American society present since its inception.” Although they are right in that Floyd’s death is a sign of racial injustice in the U.S., their focus on the “troubles” and “weakness” of America, as well as the response the reports incited in the general public, indicates an effort to strike back at the Trump administration for its aggressive China tactics. Here’s something I heard on the street the other day from a delivery man:
“I’m glad I’m in China. What’s so great about America? At least we don’t riots and looting in our cities.”
A Shift in Attitude
For one of the largest exporters of international students to the U.S., this change in attitude is astonishing. For as long as I can remember growing up, America has been a symbol of economic prosperity, of the equality of man, of the pinnacle of the world — a paradise on earth. The average Chinese used to consider going to the U.S. for study or immigration a wonderful opportunity to experience the #1 superpower. But the increasing tension, Hong Kong riots (I’ll talk about that another day), and now the George Floyd riots have turned opinions almost 180 degrees. I cannot be sure of whether this is by design, but I would not be surprised. The video clips showing American cities on fire, their shop windows smashed and rioters skirmishing with the police are instilling a sense of fear in China. If not for my personal experiences, I might start to think the U.S. is like a lawless land of Mad Max proportions, but that is exactly what some people are beginning to imagine.
What This Means
I think what the whole episode is going towards is the rapid worsening of U.S.-China relationship. Tension and competition will always exist. However, the Trump administration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and regional events have served to heighten these negative aspects to the relationship and have accelerated its deterioration. This is concerning to say the least, because who knows if there might be another Cold War? The impact of such a extensive economic and technological war is purely unpredictable, yet it is already on its way to happening. I have a bad feeling about this.
You might also like:
