The following excerpts are adapted from an article published by The China Academy. -Editors
In his address, Mr. Trump expressed a profound sense of purpose, believing he was saved by God to fulfill a great mission. It might be common sense. He stated:
Our recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal, and all of these many betrayals that have taken place, and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom. From this moment on, America’s decline is over.
Just a few months ago, in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear. But I felt then, and believe even more so now, that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.”
From a Chinese perspective, this claim echoes the words of the Duke of Zhou (Zhou Gong) in the Great Announcement (Da Gao), a proclamation made during the reign of King Cheng of the Zhou dynasty in ancient China. The Duke of Zhou declared:
王若曰：「猷！大诰尔多邦，越尔御事：弗吊！天降割于我家，不少延。洪惟我幼冲人，嗣无疆大历服。弗造哲，迪民康，矧曰其有能格知天命？(《尚书·大诰》)
The king spoke thus: “Ah! I announce this to you, the rulers of the many states, and to you, my officers: Heaven has sent down calamity upon our house, and it does not delay. I, a young and inexperienced person, have inherited the boundless mandate and the great task of governance. I have not yet attained wisdom to guide the people to peace—how much less can I claim to understand the Mandate of Heaven?
It was a well-known political document in Chinese history, written in the year about 1042-1036 BCB. Both leaders, separated by millennia, share a belief in a divine mandate to restore order and prosperity to their respective nations.
President Trump also spoke of national unity, confidence, and pride, promising a future of excellence and success. It might be common sense. He said:
From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.
National unity is now returning to America and confidence and pride is soaring like never before. In everything we do my administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our country. We will not forget our Constitution. And we will not forget our God.
From a Chinese perspective, this vision resonates with lines from the Book of Songs (Shijing), a collection of ancient Chinese poetry from the Spring and Autumn Period. One poem, King Wen, reads:
文王在上，于昭于天。周虽旧邦，其命维新。
无念尔祖，聿修厥德。永言配命，自求多福。(《诗经·大雅·文王》)
“King Wen is above, shining in Heaven. Though Zhou is an ancient state, its mandate is ever new.”
“Do not forget your ancestors, but cultivate your virtue. Always match the mandate, and seek abundant blessings.”
These poetry lines were documented in the years of around 500 BCE., emphasizing the importance of unity, virtue, and the renewal of a nation’s mandate—a theme that aligns closely with President Trump’s call for national revival.
President Trump also vows to protect America’s borders, it might be common sense, he said：
Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders. With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It’s all about common sense. First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted. And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my remain in Mexico policy. I will end the practice of catch and release. And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. Under the orders I sign today we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities and inner cities.
As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions. And that is exactly what I am going to do. We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.
From a Chinese perspective, this commitment to border security and national defense finds a historical parallel in the actions of the First Emperor of Qin (259–210 BCE). As recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of the Huns (Shiji: Hun Biographies), the emperor sent General Meng Tian to secure the northern frontier:
“秦灭六国，而始皇帝使蒙恬将十万之众北击胡，悉收河南地。因河为塞，筑四十四县城临河，徙适戍以充之。而通直道，自九原至云阳，因边山险堑溪谷可缮者治之，起临洮至辽东万余里。又度河据阳山北假中。”(《史记·匈奴列传》)
“After Qin conquered the six states, the First Emperor sent Meng Tian with a force of 100,000 men to attack the Hu (Xiongnu) in the north, reclaiming all the lands south of the Yellow River. Using the river as a barrier, he built forty-four walled cities along the river and relocated exiles to garrison them. He constructed a straight road from Jiuyuan to Yunyang and fortified the mountainous and rugged terrain along the border, repairing valleys and gorges where possible. The wall stretched over 10,000 li from Lintao in the west to Liaodong in the east. He also crossed the river and occupied the lands of Yangshan and Beijia.”
It was a well-known historical event in Chinese history, took place in the year about 221-220 BCE. Both leaders, in their respective eras, took bold measures to defend their nations from external threats, emphasizing the importance of strong borders and national security.
