Portrayals of Trump in the Chinese state media are overwhelmingly negative. He has been branded a "big mouth" and "lunatic." He has been showcased by Global Times and Xinhua as an example of the failures of American democracy. On social media, many Chinese take the same line and fire back at his criticisms of China.

In China, as in the United States, Trump is a divisive figure. He has accused China of erecting a "Great Wall of protectionism," of "stealing jobs from American workers" and of "currency manipulation." He has also said that Chinese should be issued fewer skilled-worker visas.

BEIJING — Last month, as Donald Trump's lead in the Republican presidential primaries widened and his feud with the party establishment intensified, Ding Qiushi, a chemist in Nanjing and founder of the online "Trump Fan Club," sang his praises: "A political outsider is taking the country by storm, with unflinching courage."

But as Trump has gained ground, his Chinese fans' ranks have swelled, and new fan microblogs have sprouted. In addition to the "Trump Fan Club" on Sina Weibo, these include "Trump the Great Man from Heaven" and "Trump Goes to the White House." Their followers have cheered the real estate billionaire, mocked Republican leaders and criticized the U.S. news media as unfair.


The reasons for Chinese interest in Trump vary. There are those who endorse his positions, such as those who, mindful of China's own tense relations with some of its ethnic and religious minorities, voice support for Trump's pledge to ban noncitizen Muslims from entering the United States. Some like his strongman politics, believing the world needs a stronger American president. Then there are those who root for him to win in the expectation that a Trump-led United States would antagonize other countries and hasten China's rise.

Many simply find Trump an intriguing exception to the usual sedate lineup of politicians.


"He speaks out of line, and that appeals to me," Lai Quanzhong, 47, a Trump Fan Club follower from Fujian province, said in a telephone interview. He said that this was the first time he had paid close attention to a U.S. election but that "even for those who don't understand American elections, they just can't avoid listening to what he says."

His flamboyance is part of his attraction to Chinese who normally are indifferent to U.S. politics, said Jin Canrong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University. "That's why they pay attention to Trump, who is quite entertaining," he said.

But Trump also appeals to a practical streak in many Chinese, he said. "He makes lots of money," Jin said. "Chinese people like to be friends with pragmatists."

Ding, the fan club founder, who has been posting news and videos about Trump since November, said, "I admire his outspokenness and personal charisma." The fan club, he said, is a way to inform Chinese about a man who could become the next U.S. president.

The number of club followers has risen from about 2,000 in late February to nearly 9,000 at the end of March. They discuss the election, watch the debates and attack Trump's detractors.

Interviews with about a dozen fans suggest that some are well-educated professionals. Their views can seem contradictory: advocating personal liberty and free markets, but also nationalism and a strong state. They are interested in the U.S. electoral process but say China is not ready for popularly elected leaders.


Some have been following Trump since "The Apprentice," the reality television show that he hosted. In fact, Sun Jianguo, 31, a building technician, said in an interview that it was Trump who got him interested in American politics.

Sun also likes Trump's critical comments about Muslims. He said there are Muslims in his home province of Hebei and the city of Tianjin, where he went to college, "and they can be bossy sometimes."

Tan Zhenxing, 29, another fan club follower, said in an interview that Trump could be the strong leader the United States needs to remain at the forefront of innovation. "If America fails," Tan said, "Europe will fail, and then China will fail."

Jiang Shuai, 27, a salesman from Shenzhen, argues that Trump would anger U.S. businesses and make enemies in the Middle East and Europe and that in the process he would "make China great again."

One informal survey suggests it may be more Trump's high profile than his specific views that has attracted a following in China. Matthew Hartzell, an urban planner who moved back to the United States after six years in China, invited users of Zhihu, a Quora-like Chinese website, to cast a vote for the U.S. president.

In the first survey, which simply listed the candidates, Trump won with 38 percent of the 729 respondents' votes. But in the second survey, Hartzell included each candidate's opinions on issues like abortion, immigration and foreign policy. This time, Trump fell to 18 percent out of 474 respondents, well below Hillary Clinton's 46 percent.