This Mearsheimer video is apparently trending on Douyin (China’s internal TikTok) now. Many in the West expect China to dislike Mearsheimer because he advocates a hawkish approach. But Beijing adores him. Why? He drags the US down into the mud in terms of values and he raises China up as a co-equal in terms of power and status. Sure, Mearsheimer adds a quiet footnote here and there that Beijing dwells in the same mud, but that is easily ignored/edited out. After all, how can a foreigner like him know China?
There is some deep irony in Beijing waving Mearsheimer about as a talisman to defeat the US’ ideological power, as Beijing understands that it absolutely is about ideology. They are using “it’s-not-about-ideology” Mearsheimer as an instrument in an ideological struggle.
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