In the eyes of many Chinese netizens, among the four U.S. presidents—George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump—“each is worse than the last.” In the 21st century, the United States has declined from its position as the sole superpower, with its manufacturing industry in recession. The unipolar world is no more, and it has been surpassed by China in multiple fields. Additionally, it has suppressed China through trade wars and tech wars.
Joe Biden
In the eyes of many Chinese netizens, Biden is the worst. He has nicknames like “Sleepy Joe” and has had extensive interactions with China. After Trump put pressure on China, Biden instigated the war in Ukraine, with the United States fully focusing on dealing with Russia. This gave China breathing space, allowing it to gradually adapt to U.S. sanctions. Russia has thus become more dependent on China, and some Chinese netizens even jokingly call him an “undercover Communist Party member.” However, from the U.S. perspective, he is one of the worst presidents in history.
Barack Obama
As the first Black president of the United States, Obama had excellent oratory skills and charisma. But during his 8 years in office, China rose rapidly and reached its peak national strength. He lacked grassroots experience and governance foresight, focusing on responsibilities to all humanity. He eased relations with Cuba out of vanity and failed to maintain ideological pressure on China. While promoting environmental protection, he did not lay out plans for the U.S. new energy industry, giving China opportunities for expansion. The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq led to a regional power vacuum, weakening U.S. international authority. His healthcare reform had flaws, and he failed to stop the decline of U.S. manufacturing and China’s rise. His administration was also the origin of U.S. social division. Without Biden, he might have been the worst president.
Donald Trump
He broke Chinese people’s perception of politicians and is regarded as being like a comedian. He sees countries outside the United States as enemies and demanded “protection fees” from countries including China. His extortion tactics worked on allies such as Europe, Japan, and South Korea. Because China rejected his demands, he launched trade and tech wars. Although he once pushed China into a difficult situation, he failed due to poor planning. Many Chinese netizens believe he had certain abilities in governing and rank him above Obama. Now that he is returning to the White House, Chinese netizens hope he can engage in rational negotiations with China to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
George W. Bush
He became popular on Chinese-language internet due to incidents like being hit by a shoe, making Chinese people realize that U.S. presidents are also ordinary people and that the United States can be challenged. He is a typical example of an outstanding white American male with a rich resume. During his tenure, the 9/11 attacks occurred, and he successfully stabilized U.S. society. He declared war on terrorism with a tough approach, launched the Afghanistan War to overthrow the Taliban and crack down on al-Qaeda, and launched the Iraq War to overthrow Saddam Hussein, establishing U.S. prestige in the international community. Although he faced much criticism during his tenure, he effectively performed his presidential duties without making major mistakes. He is the most outstanding U.S. president in the 21st century and is regarded as the swan song of classic Republican leaders.