In the Wake of Gavin Newsom's China Visit, Chinese Media Relentlessly Mock 'Garbage City' San Francisco

California Governor Gavin Newsom visited China in late October, a trip where he bowled over a Chinese kid while playing basketball, brought along a former presidential photographer at taxpayer expense, was widely mocked for a glamour shot at the Great Wall (thought he didn’t like border walls?), and as RedState’s Jennifer Van Laar wrote, was also busy "pimping… blacklisted Chinese EV manufacturer BYD."

He also met with President Xi Jinping to talk about the climate and concluded the trip “went as well or better than I could have ever imagined."

What exactly he accomplished, however, is unclear because China spent 2023 building six times as many coal plants as all other countries combined and has shown no indication of slowing down.

Chairman Newsom hard at working solving crime, gas prices and homelessness in California. pic.twitter.com/GXjnfVwrXC
— Bob Hoge (@Bob_Hoge_CA) October 28, 2023

Maybe Newsom didn't impress Xi as much as he thought he did, however, because Chinese media has been dumping all over San Francisco as of late, calling the city a “ghost town,” a “ruined city,” and a “total failure.” Newsom of course is the former Mayor of San Fran and played a role in its epic decline before turning his sights on ruining the Golden State as a whole.

If you don’t think Xi is trolling Governor Hair Gel, remember that nothing gets printed in China without the blessing of its President and the CCP.

The blasting of the City by the Bay comes in advance of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held there starting November 11, where Xi will meet with President Biden. Chinese media has been relentless, DailyMail reports, and some of their headlines would be right at home here at RedState:

While the city gears up for the event, U.S. Chinese Radio used the headline 'Ghost town San Francisco to have major blood exchange as APEC will bring the safest week in history to the city.'

Other headlines include the phrases 'garbage city, 'ruined city' and 'fallen city', as crippling drug issues and widespread homeless problems continue to cause problems for the city.

Another headline from the Chinese site Phoenix also said the city had fallen into a 'death cycle'.

One article also states: 'San Francisco was once a jewel on the West Coast of the United States, but as the Democrats advanced their radical agenda.

'Now it has become a mecca of crime, the streets are in disarray, and it is rapidly slipping towards the status of a ghost town.'

In fact, here are some of our recent headlines:

Is the End for San Francisco Nigh? Mayor Orders 206 Million Dollars in Cuts

San Francisco's Meltdown Continues: Homeless Convicted Pedophile Operates Drug Giveaway Near a School

Good Morning America, Wake up and Smell What's Happening: ABC Reporter Says It's Too Dangerous to Film in Downtown SF

Retailers have been leaving the city in droves, open-air drug markets operate freely, homeless people have taken over the streets, and property crime is off the charts. Incredibly, in an almost shocking display of lack of self-awareness, SF Mayor London Breed’s office said the city was proud to be on display:

San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s office said the event was a stage for the city to show off its best qualities to an international audience, which will now include Xi.
“APEC is bringing the focus and leaders from across the world to San Francisco. This is a real opportunity to show who we are as a leader in innovation, sustainability, and technology, and to strengthen our international cultural and business ties with Asian leaders,” said Jeff Cretan, a Breed spokesman.

Cue the laugh track.

Presumably, though, city officials will frantically clean up and attempt to hide all the problems during the summit—just like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did for her inauguration in December 2022—but quickly after it's concluded, things will just go right back to the way they were.

China and Xi Jinping certainly don't get a free pass and are anything but innocent parties in all this, considering they're one of the chief suppliers of fentanyl to the United States, and their human rights record is appalling.

But if Newsom is upset that the Chinese press is mocking San Francisco, perhaps someone can get him (another) mirror so he can look into the eyes of one of the leftist ideologues who helped lead the city and state into depravity. Why he thought Xi was suddenly his best buddy is beyond me, but the Chinese have every reason to make fun of progressive ideology—because, in this case, they’re absolutely right.