After tensions and Covid, data suggests that US-China cultural exchange has reached a low point. After several years of deterioration, cultural ties between the US and China have reached a low point, according to a Guardian study of government data.
The Covid-19 pandemic, travel restrictions, and ongoing trade conflict between the two countries are all thwarting cultural interactions, having an impact on everything from student enrollment to visitor numbers to the literary community.
There was a rise in cultural contact between the US and China in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Since then, those patterns have reversed due to hostilities between the two nations, which increased under Donald Trump and have persisted under Joe Biden.
The Guardian examines how the political and economic hostility between the superpowers has affected culture in this article.
In recent years, that calculation has changed, with domestically produced films making up 85% of the Chinese market in 2022 – up from less than 50% a decade earlier.
Learn abroad
Rich Chinese individuals have traditionally valued a western education. According to statistics, the number of Chinese students enrolled in US universities increased dramatically under the Obama administration, from 98,235 in the academic year 2008–09 to 350,755 in the year 2016–17. However, the significant growth seen under Obama slowed down when Trump was in the White House. The Covid-19 pandemic caused the first decline in population since 2003–2004.
In reversal, a similar pattern has been seen. In the early 2000s, there was a sharp increase in the number of US students choosing to study abroad in China, which peaked in 2012. Since then, there has been a significant decline in student exchanges, with 11,639 US students studying in China in 2018–19 falling to just 382 in 2020–21 as a result of the epidemic. Journalism The last several years have seen a new low in US-China journalistic relations, with visa reforms and tit-for-tat expulsions making life difficult for international correspondents from both countries.
Journalism
According to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China, 56% of foreign embassies reported problems in 2022 getting J-1 visas for their correspondents, and Chinese officials frequently cited Covid-19 as an excuse to bar international media from the country. In comparison to 2021, 38% of the journalists questioned had Chinese sources who had experienced some form of harassment or being summoned in for interrogation. In contrast, just two US visas for journalists, including those for family members, were granted to Chinese nationals in 2021 (non-essential visa services were interrupted by the epidemic). A record 1,041 were given in 2015, but since then, as ties between the two countries have deteriorated, the number has been slowly declining.
The US State Department said in 2020 that it will reduce from 160 to 100 the number of journalists permitted to operate in major Chinese media outlets’ US offices. The Chinese media were also required to register as foreign missions. Only 16 were issued in the fiscal year 2022, despite the fact that both governments had agreed to loosen restrictions on journalists in November 2021.
movie and literary
Even literature has been affected by the thawing of US-China relations. According to data from the University of Rochester’s translation database, since 2017, fewer works of Chinese poetry and fiction have been translated and published annually in the US. A Guardian analysis of books tagged “US” on a Chinese equivalent to IMDb and Goodreads – shows a similar pattern in reverse. There were 267 US books on the site published in 2017 – which fell to 146 in 2022.
The influence of Hollywood has also faded in China. While Chinese-produced films have never been that popular in the US, Hollywood historically made up a large portion of Chinese box office revenues.
In recent years, that calculation has changed, with domestically produced films making up 85% of the Chinese market in 2022 – up from less than 50% a decade earlier.
US-CHINA Relations on Entertainment
- Co-Productions and Collaborations: Hollywood and the Chinese film industry have engaged in co-productions and collaborations to create movies that appeal to both domestic and international audiences. These projects often involve combining American creative talent with Chinese financing and access to the vast Chinese market. For example, films like “The Great Wall” and “Transformers: Age of Extinction” are examples of such collaborations.
- Box Office Growth: China has emerged as a lucrative market for Hollywood studios. The country’s growing middle class and an expanding audience for Western films have made it a vital market for international box office revenue. Hollywood studios have been actively seeking ways to cater to Chinese audiences to maximize their earnings in this vast market.
- Censorship and Content Regulation: One significant challenge in the US-China entertainment relationship is China’s strict censorship and content regulations. The Chinese government has stringent guidelines on what can be shown in films and television, often leading to edits or outright bans on certain content deemed politically sensitive or culturally inappropriate. This has led to concerns about artistic freedom and self-censorship in works created for Chinese audiences.
- Hollywood Representation and Diversity: The representation of Chinese characters and themes in Hollywood films has been a topic of debate and criticism. Advocates have called for more authentic portrayals of Chinese culture and characters in American movies to move away from stereotypes and improve cross-cultural understanding.
- Political Disputes: Tensions between the US and China on political and economic issues have sometimes spilled over into the entertainment industry. Instances of disputes over film content or the presence of certain actors have occurred due to political disagreements between the two countries.
- Online Streaming Platforms: The rise of online streaming platforms has also influenced the US-China entertainment relationship. Chinese companies, such as Tencent and iQiyi, have invested in American content and distribution platforms. However, concerns about data privacy and access to user data have raised regulatory questions in the US.
It’s important to note that the dynamics of the US-China relationship in the entertainment industry are subject to change and evolve over time, given the dynamic nature of international relations and the entertainment landscape. For the most up-to-date information, it is best to refer to recent news sources or expert analyses.
