Trump’s savage Chinese nickname explained as he prepares for Xi talks | US | News
China has given President Donald Trump a new nickname ahead of his historic visit to the country.
The Chinese nickname “Chuan Jianguo” is gaining traction on Chinese social media platforms. This phrase directly translates as “Trump the Country Builder.”
To social media users, this carries a satirical tone, ironically suggesting that the US president’s confrontational foreign policy has unwittingly strengthened Beijing’s position relative to Washington on the world stage.
Despite the online mockery of the #WelcomeTrumpToChina hashtag, Trump and his delegation dominated trending topics on China’s Weibo social media platform on Wednesday.
The president’s plane touched down in Beijing today, where he received a ceremonial welcome before embarking on a high-risk visit. Reports suggest that the trip sparked mixed reactions among the Chinese public.
During his previous visit in 2017, Trump was granted an extraordinarily rare tour of the Forbidden City, CNN reported.
What are the tensions between China and the USA?
But this time, tensions are deepening and the meeting of the world’s two largest economies has important global consequences.
Trump’s nickname reflects how ordinary citizens interpreted his visit. The Guardian reported that Trump has two Chinese names.
Chinese government bodies and state media refer to him as ‘telangpu’, but he is also known as ‘chuanpu’, a slightly different transliteration. ‘Telangpu’ remains the most commonly used term for the US leader in mainland China.
“Chuan Jianguo,” the sarcastic nickname used to describe Trump, implies that Trump is effectively a “patriotic son” of China, unwittingly supporting Chinese interests over those of his own nation.
What does Trump’s nickname mean in Chinese?
The moniker mocks Trump’s efforts to undermine China to defend US interests; particularly through high and unpredictable tariffs on Chinese goods and negotiations aimed at restricting the supply of fentanyl precursors.
Ironically, as its nickname suggests, American tariffs have pushed China toward greater self-sufficiency, spurring domestic innovation in vital sectors including technology, energy and food security.
Moreover, trade pressures have pushed China to seek new markets in Southeast Asia and Africa, significantly reducing its dependence on the US market.
However, trade will not be the only topic on the agenda of the two world leaders’ meeting this week.
The ongoing conflict in Iran is of great importance at the summit; Trump is expected to pressure President Xi Jinping to lean on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a persistent hurdle in ongoing peace talks.
