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Why Chinese Public Opinion Is Widely Unsupportive of Greta Thunberg
Article

Why Chinese Public Opinion Is Widely Unsupportive of Greta Thunberg


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8

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  • Controversial
  • Hot Topic
  • Engaging

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Around the world, people know climate activist Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who called on world leaders to take more decisive action on global warming. Her school strike to sit in protest in front of the Swedish parliament has inspired student demonstrations worldwide, and Time magazine has named her its 2019 Person of the Year. Western media have generally lauded her as a leader, icon and role model who speaks truth to power. Yet, in China, people tend to disapprove of Thunberg’s actions as being “radical, uninformed, theatrical” and “naive.” This article explains why reactions in China are different.

Take-Aways

  • Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg has become an influential climate activist. 
  • In the West, party politics determine people’s responses to Thunberg’s activism.
  • Many Chinese people see Thunberg’s proposed solutions to climate change as radical, unfair and unrealistic. ​​​​​​

About the Author

Xu Yuedong is a reporter for Chinese online media platform The Beijing News, where he reviews movies and writes about minority cultures, society, economics and politics. 


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