Are people in China are better informed about the presidential election than four or eight years ago?

Image You Tianlong, a co-founder of a podcast about the United States presidential election. Credit You Tianlong

We have access to far more information than we did four or eight years ago. Millions of Chinese have traveled to the United States. We have a powerful internet and social media. A large percentage of younger people speak English. But American politics is complicated. To understand it, we need to put it into context, which many Chinese can’t do.

What is the range of Chinese political views you see on social media comments on the podcast?

Obviously Chinese political views vary. But I’ve noticed that many in our audience who express their views publicly take a nationalistic stance. They look at the election from the perspective of what’s best for China.

Who are your listeners?

Data from Google Analytics show that about 60 percent are under 35, so born after China embarked on economic reform and opening. Most — 72 percent — are in China and about 15 percent are living in the United States.

What shows or topics have been the most popular with your Chinese listeners?

The four most popular shows, according to Google Analytics, dealt with Obama’s health care reform, guests explaining why they are against Donald Trump, spending bills and the Iowa caucuses. It shouldn’t be surprising that Chinese are interested in Obamacare. China is also undergoing health care reform and we want to learn lessons from the United States.

As your Chinese listeners learn more about presidential politics and the American political system during this election, do they get more or less cynical?

It’s hard to tell. From the comments of some Trump supporters on our Zhihu account [a question-and-answer website], they are clearly angry. But I can’t tell how representative they are of our audience. My personal observation is that they might be overpowering other voices by expressing themselves loudly and attacking others.