The Guardian’s analysis reveals that the cultural ties between the US and China have reached a low point after several years of decline. This deterioration can be attributed to factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, travel restrictions, and the ongoing trade war between the two countries. These circumstances have had a negative impact on various aspects of cultural exchange, including visitor numbers, students, and the world of literature.
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, there was a significant increase in cultural exchange between the US and China. However, tensions between the two countries escalated under Donald Trump and have persisted under Joe Biden, causing a reversal of these positive trends. The Guardian article delves into the cultural effects resulting from the political and economic antagonism between these superpowers.
Traditionally, a Western education has been highly valued by affluent Chinese individuals. Statistics reveal a surge in the number of Chinese students studying in the US during the Obama administration. However, this growth rate waned during Trump’s presidency, and the Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated the situation. As a result, the number of Chinese students studying in the US experienced its first decline since 2003-04.
Similarly, the number of US students choosing to study abroad in China saw a significant increase in the early 2000s, peaking in 2012. However, student exchange programs have steadily declined since then, with the pandemic causing a massive drop in the 2020-21 academic year.
Journalistic relations between the US and China have also deteriorated in recent years, leading to expulsions, visa changes, and challenges faced by foreign correspondents from both nations. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China reported delays in J-1 visa issuance for correspondents, with Chinese authorities often citing Covid-19 as a pretext to limit access. Additionally, Chinese journalists’ visa issuance to the US reached record lows in 2021, although pandemic-related disruptions played a role in these diminished numbers.
The cooling of US-China relations has even extended to the realm of literature. The University of Rochester’s translation database indicates a steady decline in the number of Chinese fiction and poetry publications translated and published in the US since 2017. Conversely, a Guardian analysis of books labeled “US” on the Chinese platform Douban demonstrates a decrease in the number of US books published in China.
The influence of Hollywood in China has also waned, with domestically produced films accounting for a larger share of the Chinese box office in recent years. While Chinese-produced films have historically not been highly popular in the US, Hollywood’s share of Chinese box office revenues has declined significantly.
Travel and tourism have also been significantly affected, with the Covid-19 pandemic causing a collapse in global travel. Even before the pandemic, the number of Chinese tourists visiting the US had been dwindling. While the number of Chinese arrivals has started to increase since China reopened its borders in 2023, it remains far below pre-pandemic levels. Similarly, the number of US tourists visiting China had been rising until 2018 when the figures began to decline.