Trump’s autobiography provides Chinese insight into the president’s mind

U.S. President Donald Trump lauded Chinese President Xi Jinping in recent comments and reversed his position on China’s currency. His comments shocked some of his core supporters; but in doing so, Trump is practicing the art of the deal rather than the art of war, at least for now. This is good news for China-U.S. relations.

Despite China’s love-hate relationship with Trump, many Chinese are trying to understand Trump better.

The Chinese edition of The Art of the Deal, published by China Youth Press, can be found on various Chinese websites, including Alibaba’s Tmall, a major e-commerce site. One professional bookstore on Tmall sells the official book for 23.50 yuan, or about $3.50. “I want to examine the ‘business madman,’” a customer wrote in the comments section. On Douban, a popular arts social networking site, a user suggested that Chinese use the book to “understand the president of the United States better.”

What do Chinese really think of Trump? While opinions are certainly mixed, some of China’s netizens who have read Trump’s autobiography have posted their two cents’ worth to Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, as well as other sites. Below is a look at some of their comments.

One Weibo user wrote, “I didn’t know he is such a smart, interesting, and fun doer until after reading his book!”

On Dangdang, China’s biggest online bookseller, there are thousands of comments. “I haven’t finished reading it yet, but I think Trump is simple and direct. As a successful businessman, he must be a very capable person.” Another user wrote, “Who knows if he’ll be a good president, but he is a successful businessman.” Trump “is a man who is ready to make America great again,” said a different user. One user said the book will give you a deeper understanding of Trump, the risk taker.

Not everyone was impressed. One user on Dangdang called him "a weirdo," but added that his book is a must read for understanding the history of this president and his impact on the U.S. and China.