Why Chinese Play Their 'Cards'

In part, I suspect they simply appreciate the Machiavellian tradecraft. If President Obama's joking reaction to the series was to "wish things were that ruthlessly efficient," Chinese leaders may have watched and thought: Hmmm, looks pretty good to us. Among the show's reported fans is Wang Qishan, China's corruption czar and one of its most powerful leaders. Wang, speaking to a party gathering about the importance of maintaining party discipline, cited Underwood's role as legislative whip, according to the Hong Kong newspaper Phoenix Weekly.

But "House of Cards" also serves as a valuable inoculation against Chinese citizens' cynicism about their own government.

Listen to Chinese officials, and there is a distinct pattern of pingpong rhetoric. You say Tiananmen Square, they toss back Abu Ghraib. You invoke Liu Xiaobo, the jailed the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, they counter with Edward Snowden. After all, both have been accused of breaking their countries' laws. You say cyber espionage, they turn again to Snowden and surveillance.

"House of Cards" offers a similar opportunity for claimed equivalence, perhaps more convincing because it is produced by the adversary. If the Chinese view their own leadership as corrupt and their system rigged -- well, then, U.S. politicians are no better. Thus China's U.S. ambassador, Cui Tiankai, was only too happy to observe that the show "embodies some of the characteristics and corruption that is present in American politics."

River Lu, an adviser to Duke Energy here, said she thought this was the obvious explanation for the series' free pass from censors. "'House of Cards' shows, yes, they [U.S. officials] may look more nice, but look at what's happening behind the curtain," she said.

Consider Underwood's sly aside as he prepares to assume the vice presidency: "One heartbeat away ... and not a single vote cast in my name. Democracy is so overrated."

What's not for a Chinese bureaucrat to love?

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Ruth Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com.