By Ubaydullo Khojabekov, IAIS volunteer
The recent protests in Los Angeles, sparked by the Trump administration’s tightening of immigration policy, have caused a huge stir both inside and outside the US. This situation is being discussed particularly actively in the Chinese media, due to both domestic political and geopolitical factors. This article examines the interpretation of events by the Chinese media, the expert community and users of digital platforms, and analyses the political narratives that are emerging in the context of US-China relations.
The mass protests in Los Angeles, dubbed the ‘Los Angeles riots’ by the press, were a reaction to the intensified activities of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) against illegal immigrants. The use of federal forces, including the National Guard and Marine Corps units, drew criticism from both American society and abroad, becoming the subject of controversy over violations of the principles of civil governance and federal law (in particular, the Posse Comitatus Act).
California Governor Gavin Newsom described what was happening as a ‘threat to democracy’ and warned of the possible transformation of the United States into an authoritarian state. Against this backdrop, suspicions of external influence on the protest movements intensified in political discourse. Republican congressmen have claimed that the protesters may have ties to organisations affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Particular attention is being paid to Neville Roy Singham, an American entrepreneur who, according to a number of sources, is linked to the financial support of left-wing movements in the United States, including the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL).
The events in Los Angeles have attracted widespread public interest in the Chinese information space. The digital platforms WeChat and Little Red Book have become venues for ironic comments, among which the expression ‘a beautiful sight’ has become particularly popular. Thus, part of Chinese society perceives what is happening in the United States as a ‘backlash’ against American foreign policy rhetoric.
State-run publications, including Global Times and China Daily, interpret the protests as a reflection of a systemic crisis in the American model of governance. Editorial articles emphasise the duality of the US approach to protest movements: while they are supported abroad as a manifestation of democratic freedoms, they are met with harsh repression on US soil.
At the same time, a significant portion of Chinese users and commentators are taking a wait-and-see or neutral stance, preferring to remain observers. One popular comment on the WeChat platform, quoted by The Monitor, reads: “As Chinese people, we should not take sides in what is happening in America. We can simply be observers and watch this picturesque American spectacle unfold — that is enough”.
In the context of analysing Chinese perceptions, the events in Los Angeles are seen not only as a local crisis, but as a manifestation of deeper systemic failures in the governance of the largest Western state. Chinese analysts point out that President Trump may use the situation to mobilise the electorate and expand presidential prerogatives. But international attention to the use of force against peaceful protesters, as well as to the legal aspects of this intervention, may affect the foreign policy image of the United States as a ‘bulwark of democracy.’
Beijing is officially refraining from assessing the events, but is actively monitoring developments. The events in Los Angeles illustrate the vulnerability of democratic institutions in the face of internal contradictions and, according to Chinese commentators, may serve as a lesson on the need to focus on internal governance rather than foreign policy intervention.
* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.
