The United States as a bankrupt state
The United States鈥� image in China is mainly drawn from three areas: the international policy of hegemony which is partially implemented through competition with China, the USA鈥檚 domestic problems with managing Covid-19, and cultural bankruptcy. In general, the Chinese media has presented America as a restive, paranoid, and morally challenged hegemon, causing most of the world鈥檚 problems in a bid to create issues that sustain its gradually fading power. China鈥檚 narrative posits that the USA lacks the assurance established by the post-Cold War liberal power, with the country relying on its ability to undermine China and other peacefully rising nations, including its allies, to underpin its sense of security. China鈥檚 depiction of the US links it with different prevailing international relations problems, from fake news to foreign regime change as well as emphasizing China鈥檚 responsibility for the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the eyes of the Chinese media, America threatens its status from within. As stated in an August 2021 editorial in the People鈥檚 Daily newspaper, 鈥淭he US鈥� greatest enemy is the US itself鈥�. The Chinese side declared that China鈥檚 development has never been built upon the US鈥� decline, and Washington is only obsessed with portraying China as a 鈥榩otential enemy鈥� and setting US-China relations on a collision course. The reason US has kept using the pandemic as an excuse to spread rumours and to talk ill of China is that some Americans cannot accept the fact that China has become a powerful nation. Such behaviour from the US, the newspaper stated, has once again broadened our known understanding of an American hegemon while exposing the blatant ignorance the US has about the world鈥檚 latest developments.
The editorial then states that it seems the US has forgotten that it is facing the world鈥檚 second largest economy that is determined, strong-willed, and capable of defending its sovereignty and border integrity. The American policy is also the driving force behind China鈥檚 policy of community with a shared future for mankind and bringing new opportunities to the world through its development. Until now, around 60 countries have written to the WTO in recognition of the first phase of COVID-19 origin tracing and oppose the conspiracy to politicize this progress. In a matter of days, over 12 million Chinese netizens have signed a petition to urge the WHO to start an investigation into the US, being the origin of COVID-19, and which is a testament to global public opinion.
At the same time, the US society is described by the Chinese media as being corrupt and on the brink of collapse. China has accused US of contaminating the Chinese youth with its 鈥渆fficacy鈥� culture, rendering Chinese men incapable of managing themselves or being potentially effective in a wartime situation. The US is portrayed as a lazy, depraved and morally confused nation, riddled with social problems, hate crimes, political scandals, and internal conflicts, and is no match for the socialist-driven and razor-sharp China under the CCP.
Moreover, the problem with racism and gun violence was also discussed by the Chinese media. The number of guns and gun violence has long troubled US society, but special interest groups led by the NRA have nullified efforts on regulating the proliferation of weapons through funding sympathetic political candidates and lobbying. Extortionate drug prices set by US pharmaceuticals has also hurt the public, and the increasing amount of money in politics has turned the US government into a mouthpiece of the rich. This makes bridging the wealth gap all but impossible.
Consequently, the US is portrayed as the leader of this cultural sabotage, responsible for erecting obstacles in the fields of economics, technology, finance, politics and diplomacy, and assaulting China on biological (probably referring to COVID-19), telecommunication networks (probably referring to Huawei), public opinion and space, with the help of domestic fifth columnists. The theme is that if the CCP does not resist through hardline socialist politics, the US will sabotage China as it did with the USSR.
Problems with legitimacy inside China?
Presenting the very negative image of the United States, the Communist Party of China looks for the legitimacy of its own power. We need to acknowledge that the government in China is trying to manage a state of younger people who are predominantly part of the 鈥渓ittle emperor generation鈥�. According to a survey published by 鈥淕lobal Times鈥� (2021), young people in China are not particularly interested in Western values, education, or political systems. To the question 鈥榠f the budget permits, what would you most want to do in the West?鈥�: 54.6% of respondents answered 鈥榯ravel鈥�, only 10.9% answered 鈥榮tudy鈥�, while 25.9% answered 鈥榥ot interested in the West鈥�. For those who picked 鈥榯ravel鈥� and 鈥榮tudy鈥�, 53.8% and 31.8%, respectively, said that their 鈥榳illingness to do this had decreased鈥�. Asked about the strengths and weaknesses of China and the West and 鈥榠n what aspect do you believe that China has surpassed the West?鈥�: 60.3% of respondents chose 鈥榮ocial law and order鈥�, 57.1% said 鈥榬espect for human rights and 35% chose 鈥榟istory and culture鈥�. These three aspects also rank top in what the Chinese youth believe Western countries can learn from China鈥檚 experience.
To a certain degree, the government, by using the 50 Cent Army, a government-sponsored internet group established to stimulate public debate, has indeed shaped public opinion. However, despite this general public 鈥榮afety valve鈥�, the above discussed social phenomenon of the 鈥渙ne-child generation鈥� have created a rather unique situation. To prove its legitimacy, the Communist Party of China needs to control and follow public sentiment as illustrated in the abovementioned survey results and create an aggressive narrative towards the West. If it does not, it may face popular unrest and may be accused of not defending the legitimate interests of the Chinese people. Thus, the central government鈥檚 current assertiveness in fact reflects the general public鈥檚 opinion regarding these matters.