Makes sense. Most Chinese people who are able to afford to go to school abroad are not dumb / brain washed, and have some level of critical thinking. Also, information is so accessible outside of China, it's not hard to figure out that Mao screwed China over royally.

gnilma

AskSN

Who do you think was the worst dictator in history?

stack_harder

That's very similar to what I've heard from my Chinese friends. It seems like younger Chinese people (at least the types who go to grad school in America) are pretty aware of how horrific Mao was. They might be a little circumspect in how they discuss it (at least with an American), but it's clear that he's basically regarded as a maniac and that Deng Xiao Ping saved the country.