The article discusses the parallels drawn by some Chinese individuals regarding Donald Trump's potential second term and China's Cultural Revolution. It highlights perspectives from journalists who have escaped China, emphasizing fears of rising authoritarianism and the dismantling of democratic institutions in the US. They recognize similarities in the populist surge, disregard for civil liberties, and media manipulation. Notably, figures like Wang Jian and Zhang Wenmin illustrate the disquiet over how political dynamics are evolving in America, prompting comparisons to the oppressive tactics of China's Communist Party.
"Coming from an authoritarian state, we know that dictatorship is not just a system - it is, at its core, the pursuit of power," Wang Jian, a Chinese journalist based in Japan, wrote in a since-deleted X post cited by the newspaper. "We also know that the Cultural Revolution was about dismantling institutions to expand control."
"I'm overwhelmed with a sense of familiarity," the journalist said. "It feels so much like China." Zhang Wenmin, who now lives in exile in the US after being forced to flee China in 2023 amid a years-long crackdown on investigative journalism.
"To be honest, the media of the Chinese Communist Party's embassies abroad, which have been deeply rooted in people's minds and hearts, do not go out of their way to praise Xi Jinping every day," opined Deng Haiyan, an ex-cop who later became critical of the government.
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