At the heart of China’s state media coverage over the U.S. election’s vortex, the focus has been largely concentrated on the profound divisions and polarized tensions surfacing across America. As the U.S. waited with bated breath for the final electoral outcome, China was underlining the internal discord as a sign of a faltering democracy across the Pacific.
The dominant narrative adopted by Beijing propagates an image of a United States consumed by growing socio-political rivalries, civil unrest, and a cloud of uncertainty encircling the country’s democratic resilience. In essence, it offers a stark contrast to the Chinese Communist Party’s advocacy for stability, albeit achieved via a single-party dominance.
An overview of this narrative can be inferred from various articles and editorial features published in state-run publications like the Global Times and China Daily. The focus frequently rests upon areas like increasing polarization, democratic decay, and the possible prevalence of a contested result that could perhaps lead to civil unrest.
One such piece presented by the Global Times centered on the ‘Fragile American Democracy.’ In essence, the paper highlighted the deep-seated ideological differences in the U.S. political climate, emphasizing the preventable confusion if the U.S. were governed by a one-party system—similar to that in China. As a result, it underscores the perceived superiority of the Chinese political model over that of the United States.
Moreover, the same state media outlets did not miss the chance to spotlight the claims of mail-in ballot fraud, intense street protests, and the fortified businesses in major U.S. cities bracing for potential post-election violence. All these narratives targeted the fault lines within the American political sphere, relaying images seeming to question the efficacy of the democratic model.
Another noteworthy factor highlighted by Chinese state media was the discontent and frustration amongst American citizens amid the election scenario. State broadcaster CGTN produced a series of voter interviews focusing on economic inequality, racial injustice, the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the overall political disillusionment engrained in a section of the U.S. populace.
This falls in line with the recurring theme in Chinese coverage—undermining the grand narrative of American ‘exceptionalism.’ By bringing these electoral divisions onto a global platform, China’s state media aims to project U.S. democracy as a model far from perfect. It also assists in conveying an image of China as a stable and assertive player on the world stage, in juxtaposition to an America caught in domestic political strife.
However, notwithstanding their pointed criticism, China’s official position on the U.S. election remains neutral. The state administration has made it clear they have no intentions of interfering in U.S. domestic affairs.
In attempting to navigate these complex narratives, it is important to acknowledge the political contexts they stem from. These stories of U.S. divisions are wrapped in careful political machinations, poised to fortify China’s global standing and endorse its governance model. Consequently, they serve as propaganda tools for Beijing, strategically designed to align with the country’s broader geopolitical aspirations.
In sum, amid the flaring tensions between Beijing and Washington, the Chinese state media’s portrayal of the U.S. election is a tactical maneuver. By emphasizing the internal divisions and consequences of American democracy, it places China’s authoritarian style of governance more favorably—accentuating stability and uniformity over a divided democracy.
