In China, the U.S. election is must-see television

This year’s election will be consequential for U.S.-China relations, but for most Chinese people, the political horse race is just good television.

While the world was watching the U.S. presidential election with nails on their teeth, the Chinese internet was buzzing about this supercut of Trump dad-dancing to “YMCA.”

For many people in China, the campaign season has been one giant spectacle, watched from a distance with a mix of amusement and schadenfreude.

On Chinese social media, it can feel more like a pop culture moment than a political event. Memes, satire, and gossip dominate.

Each candidate has his own endearing nickname. Trump is called “Chuanchuan” or “Pupu,” short for his Chinese name “Chuanpu.” Joe Biden has “Dengdeng,” which comes from “Baideng.”

On the Trump side, though, people have two other nicknames—“Dongwang,” or “King Know-It-All,” because of his frequent pronouncements of “knowing more than anyone else,” and “Chuan Jianguo,” which roughly translates to “Trump Builds China.”

The idea is that Trump’s policies and antics appear to benefit China more than the U.S.

(Read more: Now playing in Hong Kong: A Chinese opera about Donald Trump)

Later, when Trump contracted Covid-19, people on the internet started using the cheeky nickname “Duwang,” or “Sick King.”

On the Biden side, his many celebrity endorsements, including from Lady Gaga and Cardi B, have dominated the feed.

Video explainers about the Electoral College and swing states were also popular leading up to Election Day. It seems the U.S. election system is just as confusing to Chinese people as it is to many Americans.

This year’s election will be consequential for U.S.-China relations, but for most Chinese people, the political horse race is just good television.

“Watching the U.S. election is like watching two comedians outwit each other,” one person wrote on Weibo. “And the people can participate!”

This quick take was originally published in the Goldthread newsletter. To stay on top of the latest China trends, subscribe here.