San Francisco Frontiers - Viral 'Chinese Trump' wins laughs on both sides of Pacific

The 42-year-old from southwest China does not engage in political satire -- a minefield in the country that can lead to account suspension -- but has amassed millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok and Chinese platforms.

"Trump is an endless well that never runs dry, because he draws more online traffic than anyone else on the planet," Chen told AFP in his hometown of Chongqing that itself has gone viral over its labyrinthine cityscape and spicy food.

During his videos, which are in English with Chinese subtitles, Chen lightheartedly presents Chinese cuisine, customs, cultural differences, jokes with foreigners and dances to Village People's "YMCA", one of Trump's trademark stage songs.

And all his clips are peppered with Trump's unmistakable mannerisms and buzzwords like "tremendous" and "amazing".

"I'm not into politics, but I think he is a very good entertainer," said Chen of the American president, whom he followed when Trump hosted the reality TV show "The Apprentice".

"If I imitate him, it's not to make fun of him. It's to get attention," he told AFP in a white cowboy hat.

"With that attention, I can boost my career, as well as promote China and my hometown."

- 'Like a neighbour' -

Chen stumbled across his online fame by chance, only taking off in 2025 with Trump's return to the White House.

The fan of "Friends" and "The Big Bang Theory" -- who had never visited the United States before this year -- started making online videos to teach English as a "back-up plan" from his job in architecture, a sector hit hard by the property crisis in China.

He had moderate success, but his videos only went viral after a friend challenged him to imitate Trump.

His appearance in April on a livestream by IShowSpeed, an American YouTuber with over 47 million subscribers who was visiting China at the time, further boosted his visibility.

Chen said Trump has become such a big part of his life he now feels a certain familiarity with him, "like a next-door neighbour".

He sees himself as a "bridge" between international internet users eager to discover urban China, its "lively" atmosphere, and Chinese people keen to understand foreign humour and cultures.

The impersonator now has more than a million followers on Instagram, almost as many on TikTok, and more than 2.5 million on Chinese platforms, and is recognised on the streets.

Chen, who learned English by watching his favourite American series, said his secret is to sound like a "native speaker".

Another imperative is to "stay tuned" to news on Trump, who is "a goldmine of funny material", according to Chen, who said he also draws inspiration from American impressionists of the president.

- 'Try our hotpot' -

The impersonator, whose real name is Chen Rui, said he is now able to make a living from his work through promotion, events and corporate parties.

"My main source of income is advertising," he said, with brands for cars, digital products, games or milk hiring him for their campaigns.

In a sign his work has not upset the Trump administration, Chen announced in a video he had obtained a visa for the United States, which he is currently visiting for the first time.

And with Trump set to visit China this year, Chen called on the president to travel to Chongqing and "try our hotpot", which is famously spicy.

While a meeting between the real Trump and his Chinese impersonator would "probably be cool", Chen said he has no "burning desire" to do so because it would quickly become a diplomatic affair.

"I'm just a comedian," he said. "I have no political aspirations."

F.Garcia--SFF