On October 5, 2012, Radio Free Asia published an article on news in China about the first U.S. Presidential debate. Since the Thursday before the debate, 400,000 news reports about the U.S. presidential election have appeared on mainland China’s social media. Some netizens have opened “U.S. Presidential Election” microblogs, collecting all of the articles about the election. Sina’s official microblog also opened “Micro Topic,” allowing people to discuss the U.S. presidential election.

Many netizens’ messages show how an atmosphere in which ordinary people in a democratic country participate in general elections has an effect on the people in China. They are having new thoughts about democracy. “Only by achieving democracy in the political process can the administration of government be open and transparent.”

Source: Radio Free Asia, October 5, 2012
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/sy-10052012111750.html

On Oct. 10, 2012, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an editorial titled, “The U.S. Must Be Subjected to Retaliation for Creating Trouble for Chinese Companies.” U.S. lawmakers are seeking to block Huawei and ZTE, China’s top network equipment makers, from doing business in the U.S. because of national security reasons.

The Huanqiu editorial asserted, “China needs to be serious about protecting its own enterprises. It should have the courage and the willingness to use state power to retaliate against those countries that make trouble for China’s enterprises. China must take action to let the United States and Europe understand that, if Chinese enterprises encounter trouble in their countries, their companies in China will then become scapegoats. Now is the time for China to show its determination to the United States and Europe.”

Source: Huanqiu, October 10, 2012
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2012-10/3172166.html