The Wall Street Journal’s China Journal writes about a mock election that took place in Beijing as Americans were glued to television sets around the U.S. waiting for real election results to come in. If you’re wondering, Obama won in the mock election as well:
There, more than 1,000 Chinese and Americans crowded a hotel ballroom to watch the results and cast their ballots. The event, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and the American Chamber of Commerce, was designed to pattern the U.S. election and teach the uninitiated about how U.S. elections are run.
Many Chinese did not follow the American election closely. But political observers say there was little doubt that Obama has captured the imagination and support of young Chinese, particularly those who are studying English and the political systems of other countries.
“What has surprised me is how many young people support Obama,” said Wang Chong, a Chinese journalist who has just written a book in Chinese on American elections and the U.S. political culture (called 《选票的背后——透视美国大选和 美国政治文化》, more info about the book here in Chinese).
