Election Reactions Around The World: China, Mexico, UK And Other Nations Respond To Trump Victory

As Republican Donald Trump inches closer to becoming the 45th president of the United States, countries across the world are watching with baited breath. Nations around the globe have watched the campaign with heavy interest over the past year, eager to see what the tumultuous presidential election would produce. Here are some reactions from countries now that the spectacle is drawing to a close.

United Kingdom

The U.K. has weathered some of its own storms as of late. In the wake of the so-called Brexit, when the nation voted to secede from the European Union, right-wing parties gained significant power throughout the country. Despite a jump in nationalist rhetoric in the U.K. in the summer, many citizens' seemed to contend that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was a safer choice over Trump. A British petition asking to ban Trump from entry into the U.K. circulated earlier this year, racking up 586,933 signatures before it closed. The nation has already had two female prime ministers, so Clinton's nomination was less groundbreaking for many across the pond.

Mexico

Mexico played no small part in this year's election, consistently making an appearance in speeches and debate by both candidates. Trump was vocal about his stance on immigration and Mexico starting at the inception his campaign, repeatedly saying he'd build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and have the latter foot the bill. The general consensus in Mexico was a preference for Clinton over Trump due in part to his comments about Mexico sending "rapists, criminals, and drugs" over the border.

Russia

Russia was relatively isolated in its support for Trump during the race, alone among the world's largest economies in supporting the candidate. Trump embraced the Vladimir Putin administration throughout his campaign, praising his leadership skills and intelligence. "I mean, the guy has done, whether you like him or don't like him, he's doing a great job in rebuilding the image of Russia and also rebuilding Russia period," he told Larry King on CNN. Clinton, on the other hand, denounced Russia's aggressive moves and policies.

China

Trump repeatedly discussed the U.S. relationship with China on the campaign trail, railing against American companies leaving for China and pledging to bring them back to the U.S. China's state-backed newspaper, the Global Times, published an editorial in March calling Trump "big mouthed, antitraditional and abusively forthright," and "rich, narcissistic and inflammatory." The elite in China pledged their support for Clinton because they believe her presidency would bring stability that would be good for Beijing. Chinese premier Li Keqiang said that no matter what the outcome of the election was, the nations would continue to strengthen their relationship.