Chinese media swoons over Justin Trudeau, the ‘future of Canada’
In line with its Western counterparts, Chinese media gives Prime Minister the rock star treatment, but also finds his open-mindedness equally praiseworthy.
“Trudeau will take the opportunity to take selfies with local people during his stay here to promote his image to China which will better benefit Canadian interests,” the news outlet reported this week.
Chinese media has largely fawned over Trudeau, giving him rock star treatment since his arrival in Beijing on Tuesday.
Such foreign coverage has been the norm for Trudeau since his election last fall, when the news and gossip outlet Gawker pronounced he’s “actually hot, not just politician-hot, MTV declared that his “Beautiful, Beautiful Face Is The Least Important Thing About Him,” and E! labelled him a “Smoking-Hot Syrupy Fox.”
His Chinese agenda includes stops in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Hong Kong before leaving on Wednesday. The G20 Summit will be held in Hangzhou on Sept. 4-5.
There has been a tide of gushing in mainstream media outlets and online blogs since his arrival, including a comment on social media that, “I thought for a second Tom Cruise became president.”
The Chongqing Morning Post was front and centre in the swoon-fest, calling Trudeau tall, cultured, fashionable and sensitive.
“He has a beautiful face and is known as the best-looking Prime Minister in Canadian history,” the Post declared in a lengthy piece, dotted with several photos.
“He’s talented and he is good-looking and he is a loyal supporter for women’s rights,” the Chinese Professional Women’s magazine added.
Schoolchildren burbled online about meetings and near-meetings with him.
“He’s too handsome!” a student gushed on Weibo, the Twitter-like social media service in China. “He just signed my school uniform! Hahaha.”
“Justin Trudeau! Oh! Too handsome!” another student posted on Thursday. “I could have gotten his signature and shaken hands with him…But by the time it was our turn he was removed by his guard.”
“I posted about the Canadian Prime Minister yesterday… and I’m now on the hot (trending) list,” a fan named Rascal_jess posted. “I’m so excited.”
Many Chinese are already familiar with Trudeau, who shared his family Halloween experience last year directly through the Chinese social media Weibo.
In his stop in Shanghai, Trudeau was photographed – not shirtless, but always with his sleeves rolled up – dancing at a business ceremony, dancing again at a martial arts exhibition, coaching private school kids in basketball and watching someone make him a smoked meat sandwich.
Former NBA star Yao Ming was present at the basketball game, where there were at least two Raptors mascots.
He signed the white shirts of schoolgirls before departing.
On Sunday and Monday, he’s due to attend the G20 summit in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang Province.
The Middle Kingdom media has praised his physique, eyes and hair but the Global Times has told its readers that there are deeper causes for excitement over the visit.
Billionaire Jack Ma was quoted hailing him as nothing less than “the future of Canada.”
Trudeau cautioned the Chinese government to do more about human rights. The Global Times told its readers that such comments were expected, if disappointing: “Trudeau shouldn’t let ‘human rights’ biases influence relationship.”
The Global Times noted that Canada’s not perfect on human rights itself and that “some indigenous people in Canada still live in miserable conditions. They deserve more support and real change in their lives.”
That said, the Global Times compared Trudeau favourably to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
“During Harper’s time in office, China-Canada ties were constantly disturbed by issues such as human rights,” the Global Times writes. “The overall trend of bilateral relations was chilly.”
The Global Times quoted Wang Xuedong, deputy dean of Sun Yat-sun University’s, as saying that Harper represented conservative forces in Canada.
“But Trudeau is young and open-minded,” Wang said. “He believes the world is developing and developed countries should not remain bound to an old mindset.”
Among Trudeau’s quotes that have received widespread coverage are these to the China Entrepreneur Club.
“We know that a stronger and deeper relationship with China is essential if we are to achieve our own objectives,” Trudeau said.
“Any economic strategy that ignores China, or that treats that valuable relationship as anything less than critically important, is not just short-sighted, it’s irresponsible,” Trudeau said.
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