US Election: What if China could vote?

GlobalPost
.main { width:660px; display:block; } .bio-block { display:block; width: 650px; background-color:#EEE; float:left; margin: 10px; border:1px solid #888; } .bio-left { width: 200px; background:#EEE; float:left; } .bio-right { display:block; width: 400px; background:#EEEEEE; float:left; padding:10px 30px 10px 10px; font: 14px/1.4 Arial; color: #333; text-align: left; margin: auto; } .bio-photo { width: 180px; padding: 10px; background:#EEEEEE; float:left; } .bio-info { width: 200px; background:#EEE; float:left; margin:0px; } .bio-info ul { display:block; list-style: none !important; font: 12px/1.6 Arial; padding:0px; margin:0px 10px 10px 10px; }

BEIJING, China — As part of GlobalPost's project to interview 100 people in 20 locations around the world about the 2012 US election, we asked Chinese people:

Who do you want to win the 2012 US election?

Will the election affect your country?

How has your view of the US changed since President Obama took office?

What should the next US president do?

  • Name: Cristi Wang
  • Country: China
  • Occupation: Import/export company office manager 
  • Age: 28
  • I would vote for: Undecided
My vote: "I wouldn’t vote for Obama. He is too focused on international matters while he can’t even keep his own country running smoothly. He is like a dog, running around biting peaceful people for no reason."

The election's impact: "My country has many problems of its own right now and there’s a lot of pressure on the nation as a whole. I think if the US elects a different president, it could be a turning point for China as well. I hope the next president focuses on his own country’s development and won’t be too involved in our private affairs."

My view: "The US economy hasn’t improved, but this hasn’t affected the world’s economy too much. I think the world’s economy was to blame."

Top priority: "Help the US economy and improve the unemployment issue."
  • Name: Leon Ding 
  • Country: China
  • Occupation: Bartender for Western restaurant
  • Age: 23
  • I would vote for: Obama
My vote: "I don’t know who else is running, but I think Obama is ok."

The election's impact: "Well, if the US economy improves, then China’s economy will also improve."

My view: "I think he seems like an honest person, but I don’t know too much about him."

Top priority: "Improve the economy."
  • Name: Ray Li  
  • Country: China
  • Occupation: Project manager for PR company
  • Age: 32
  • I would vote for: Romney
My vote: "It’s hard to say, probably because my knowledge of each candidate’s background is minimal. Maybe Mitt Romney would be a good choice. Judging from his background in business, he could be a good choice to help improve the US economy — and the world economy, too." 

The election's impact: "I guess you could say that the US and China are the world’s two largest and most powerful countries right now. Both countries’ economies and situations will have a great impact on other countries, too. I guess the next election will affect China’s trade and foreign policy the most."

My view: "Obama has experienced a major economic crisis after he took office but I think he has made a lot of targeted strategic moves to help save the economic situation. His work to the current economic situation shows signs of recovery. So, I think that even though in Obama’s term the economy took a turn for the worse, it has now been brought under control and has a chance for a rebound."

Top priority: "Improve the economy and keep the peace."
  • Name: Vela Long 
  • Country: China
  • Occupation: Television production 
  • Age: 34
  • I would vote for: Obama
My vote: "I would vote for Barack Obama because even though he’s had a tough time for the past four years, I see him as a courageous and good-hearted man. Furthermore, the state that the USA was in when Obama took office was a disaster. It is very difficult to turn things around from that situation in just four years. I think if Obama has four more years then he can make even more changes."

The election's impact: "It won’t affect China too much because China and America will always have good relations. They are the two largest and most powerful countries in the world. America will always need to have good relations with China if they want their economy to improve."

My view: "It has not improved or worsened. I think the past four years have been a turning point for the US and that Obama has done the best that he can in bad circumstances. Hopefully the next four years can be better."

Top priority: "I think the most important step for the US is to turn the spotlight outwards to inwards. Meaning, that the next US president should focus more on domestic issues rather than international ones. Only after improving the their own nation can they make any difference internationally."
  • Name: Henji Lu
  • Country: China
  • Occupation: Student
  • Age: 27
  • I would vote for: Obama
My vote: "Obama, he is trying to lead the country in the right direction."

The election's impact: "Not fundamentally, since the US and China have to maintain a healthy diplomatic relationship at least on surface."

My view: "Improved, he has made changes that American citizens would benefit from in the long term."

Top priority: "Revive its economy and ban guns."

GlobalPost series: See what the world thinks about election 2012

#world-vote-right ul { list-style: none; text-align: center; } #world-vote-right { display: block; float: left; margin: 0 10px; width: 180px; } #world-vote-right ul li a:link, #world-vote-right ul li a:visited { color: #111111; font: 16px/1.6 arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center; text-shadow: 1px 1px #DDDDDD; } #world-vote-right ul li a:hover { color: #666; } #world-vote-right h3 { color: #111111; font: bold 18px/1.4 Georgia; margin: 20px auto; text-align: center; text-shadow: 1px 1px #DDDDDD; }
Sign up for our daily newsletter

Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.