CHINA has shockingly celebrated the deadly US Capitol riots as a "beautiful sight" as Iran mocked the country's "frail" democracy.
Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building where bloody clashes erupted in Congress on Wednesday.
At least four people have died and several others have been seriously injured during the violent siege in Washington DC.
The violence erupted as rioters fought cops and pushed their way inside the building as members of Congress were meeting to vote and certify Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election.
Iran's president Hassan Rouhani said the riots proved the weakness of Western democracy, while officials in China and Russia compared the bloody scenes to protests in Hong Kong and Ukraine.
China's Communist Youth League – the youth movement run by the Chinese Communist Party – described the violent unrest as a "beautiful sight" on the Twitter-like Weibo platform.
Words such as "Karma," "retribution" and "deserving" were also often mentioned in comments and posts on the social media platform, state media tabloid Global Times reports.
Clips of the bloody scenes aired repeatedly on Chinese state television and Beijing criticised the "sharp contrast" between Washington's response to the riots and the 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy protests.
On Thursday morning, Global Times shared side-by-side photo comparisons of Hong Kong protesters occupying the city's legislature with Wednesday's riots in Washington.
The newspaper tweeted: "@SpeakerPelosi once referred to the Hong Kong riots as 'a beautiful sight to behold'.
"It remains yet to be seen whether she will say the same about the recent developments in Capitol Hill."
Relations between Beijing and Washington have deteriorated in recent years over a range of disputes, including China's heavy crackdown on Hong Kong.
Chinese diplomats and state media often draw attention to news of violence or chaos in the United States.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that while events in Hong Kong in 2019 were more "severe" than those in Washington, "not one demonstrator died".
"We also wish that US people can enjoy peace, stability and security as soon as possible," Hua said.
The hashtag "Trump supporters storm US Capitol" racked up 570 million views on Weibo on Thursday, as users compared the global support for Hong Kong's protesters with the outpouring of condemnation for the pro-Trump mob.
One comment which gained more than 5,000 likes said: "At present, all European countries' leaders have shown double standards and condemned it.
"I don't know what kind of double-standard reports will be carried by Hong Kong or Taiwan media this time."
Meanwhile, in a televised speech, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said: "What we saw in the United States yesterday evening and today shows above all how fragile and vulnerable Western democracy is.
"We saw that unfortunately the ground is fertile for populism, despite the advances in science and industry.
"A populist has arrived and he has led his country to disaster over these past four years.
"I hope the whole world and the next occupants of the White House will learn from it."
'MAKE UP FOR THE PAST'
He urged the new administration "to make up (for the past) and restore the country to a position worthy of the American nation, because the American nation is a great nation".
And Russia's deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy likened the images to protests in Ukraine which toppled the Russian-backed President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich in 2014.
"Some of my friends ask whether someone will distribute crackers to the protesters to echo the Victoria Nuland stunt," he tweeted, citing a 2013 visit to Ukraine when US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland offered food to protesters.
In an op-ed, Russia's state-run news outlet RT said: "Do you realize now what you have done? US gets the kind of 'democracy' it championed overseas."
The violence came moments after Trump addressed his supporters at a nearby rally.
"We're going to walk down to the Capitol," he told his supporters earlier on Wednesday.
"And we're gonna cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women. And we're probably not going to be cheering, so much for some of them, because you'll never take back our country with weakness, you have to show strength and you have to be strong."
One woman who was shot by police during the confrontation later died in hospital.
Her husband has since identified her as Ashli Babbit, of San Diego, KUSI-TV reports.
'DISGRACEFUL SCENES'
Other world leaders expressed shock and concern at the events.
French President Emmanuel Macron slammed the scenes of violence, but said he was confident in the "strength" of US democracy.
"What happened today in Washington DC is not American, definitely," he said in a video message on Twitter:
"We believe in the strength of our democracies. We believe in the strength of American democracy."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson lambasted the "disgraceful scenes" in the Capitol.
"The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power," Johnson said.
Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood also slammed Trump as he told him to "end this siege before it spirals further out of control."
"Your supporters – @realDonaldTrump – violent protesters damaging & looting the seat of democracy," Ellwood tweeted.
"The most shameful unpatriotic scenes playing out across the world -causing untold long term damage to America."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "saddened" by the events, his spokesman said.
"In such circumstances, it is important that political leaders impress on their followers the need to refrain from violence, as well as to respect democratic processes and the rule of law," the statement said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the "democratic process cannot be allowed to be subverted through unlawful protests".
He said in a tweet: "Distressed to see news about rioting and violence in Washington DC. Orderly and peaceful transfer of power must continue."
Turkey's foreign ministry also issued a statement expressing concern about the violence and urged its citizens to avoid crowds and the protest area.
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