The war of words between the world’s two superpowers have been intensifying ever since Donald Trump became US president. In the past four years, tensions have spilled over to various fronts, from technology and trade to political ideology and security. As the US election approached, both parties stepped up their rhetoric and the United States pressured the Chinese Communist Party to embrace democracy. The online world has been filled with inflammatory remarks fuelling hatred towards Communist Party rule. It is fair to say the Western media equated communist rule with a worldwide threat . However, despite the concerted US effort to portray itself as a saviour of Chinese citizens from dictatorship, Chinese netizens simply held such narratives in contempt. Some may argue that the Chinese have been brainwashed, as they could hardly gain access to worldwide news. I beg to differ. The US, a country that prides itself on its robust democratic system, has experienced a chaotic year. It is fraught with multiple hardships, from its deeply divided society and overwhelmed medical system to its unprecedented budget deficit and high unemployment rate. China is much better off under its “oppressive” central government. It is the first economy to recover from Covid-19 and bring back some semblance of normality. Against this sharp contrast, how can the US persuade the world to turn against the Chinese government? To prove itself a worthy model, the US must truly display the merit of democracy by creating a united, innovative and resilient society. Gary Lam, Sheung Shui