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