Buddha-like Trump Statues Selling In China For Rs 11,000 To 2.30 Lakh A Piece, Artist Explains Why He Chose Donald

The statues raise a smile among customers because Trump's "personality and the shape of the statue are two opposite extremes".

Transcript

00:00U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's Buddha-like statues are selling like hotcakes in China

00:12these days.

00:13The statue shows Trump, who is not typically known for his calm or reserved demeanor, sitting

00:18cross-legged with his eyes half-closed in a pose evoking the Buddha.

00:26The porcelain version of American Leader is the work of designer and sculptor Hong Jinshi.

00:31Depending on their size, the Zen-like figures sell for 999 to 20,000 yuan, which is around

00:3711,000 to 2.30 lakh a piece.

00:42The statues first went viral in 2021 on the e-commerce platform Taobao.

00:47Now ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration for a second term, people are yet again interested

00:52in buying the statues.

01:22According to Hong, he has sold hundreds of these ceramic creations in the last few years.

01:33Each figure comes in packaging emblazoned with a Chinese phrase that translates to Make

01:37Your Company Great Again, a play on Trump's well-worn slogan for restoring American supremacy.

01:44Copycat versions have even appeared on shopping platforms in the United States, including

01:49Amazon and Chinese-owned TEMU for up to $45.

01:53Hong's loose white clothing, shaved head and softly-spoken nature bear little resemblance

01:58to the eccentric subjects of his sculpting.

02:24Hong declined to comment on Trump's policies towards China, a sensitive topic in the Asian

02:29nation.

02:30But many expect relations with the United States to deteriorate further after Trump's

02:34inauguration on January 20.

02:39On the campaign trail, Trump took a tough line on Beijing, vowing even higher tariffs

02:44on Chinese imports.

02:46He previously imposed onerous levies during a bruising trade war in his first term, measures

02:51largely preserved by his successor Joe Biden.

02:55Trump also angered Chinese leaders with his brash rhetoric, notably blaming Beijing for

03:00the decline of American manufacturing and calling the pathogen that causes COVID-19

03:05the Chinese virus.