Chinese Citizens are using fortune tellers to help figure out how to handle the Trade War between China and Russia.
As analysts crunch trade data and political commentators dissect official statements for signs of how the Sino-American trade war will develop, some ordinary Chinese are using different sources to predict U.S. President Donald Trump’s next moves: fortune tellers.
Armed with photos of Trump and his date of birth, the superstitious in China are turning to the divine – from masters on cosmic energy to experts on ancient spirits – for tips on what the president has got up his sleeve in the escalating trade spat between the world’s two largest economies.
The trade dispute has not only raised uncertainty over China’s economic growth, it has also unsettled the lives of some ordinary Chinese people, who are seeking advice on things like where to invest, how to run their business and even whether or not they should pursue plans to emigrate to the United States.
Victor Ng, a Feng Shui master from a line of famous practitioners in Hong Kong, says he usually analyses the birth date and time of birth of his clients for insights. With the trade row dominating headlines and increasing uncertainty about the future, he has been adding some ingredients to the mix.
“Because this time the U.S.-China trade war is ongoing, I will also look at the fate of the leaders of the U.S. and China – for instance, Xi Jinping’s birth date and the birth date of Donald Trump. This is how we analyze the situation,†he said.
In the western city of Xi’an, fortune teller Xie Xianglin says he has seen “many, many more†people approaching him for readings on the future of the trade war. Most are entrepreneurs and investors, said Xie, who charges 500 yuan ($73) to analyze the relevant spirits.
“Seven people have asked about investment and also about emigration trends,†he said of recent visitors.
In order to fully understand the Trade War, we must look at the effects it has on the countries that are involved. The fact Chinese citizens are looking towards fortune tellers shows us a growing anxiety surrounding China’s ability to win the war against Trump.
For the first time since Xi’s communist regime has come to power doubts have begun to creep into the mind of many regarding the direction of the country.
Xi’s ruling class bans those within the government from doing any superstitious practices, including visiting soothsayers.
