After Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi publicly lectured Blinken and Sullivan in Alaska, the Chinese media were “overjoyed”, hailing China’s clearing of the shame of the Treaty of Xinchao 120 years ago, and Xi Jinping‘s diplomacy and Xi Jinping’s ideology as invincible. There is even news that Xi Jinping Thought will be elevated to Xi Jinpingism, surpassing Deng Xiaoping Theory and Mao Zedong Thought and rivaling Marxism and Leninism. Whether Xi Jinping’s thought is invincible or not is of course up to the CCP, not according to the CCP’s standards, except that there are always some people who are unaware and like to be more serious and propose three criteria to test the theory of victory in the short, medium and long term.
Chinese democracy becomes a new tool for ideological struggle
On September 7, 1901, the Treaty of Xin Chou, signed between the Qing government and 11 countries, including Britain, the United States, Japan and Russia, is considered to be the treaty with the largest amount of reparations and the most serious loss of sovereignty in Chinese history, hence the term “national shame of September 7”. 120 years later, around the Spring Equinox, a 17-minute video of Yang Jiechi scolding the U.S. representative swept the Chinese Internet. The Chinese media were overjoyed. The Chinese media was overjoyed and reported that “Japanese people are overjoyed: I wish our country could do the same” and “Russian media: America is a paper tiger”.
It is not surprising that the “2+2” talks between China and the U.S. are being portrayed as a historic victory for Chinese diplomacy. After all, U.S.-China diplomacy is a stepping stone for Xi Jinping on his way to the throne. What is surprising is that the Chinese Communist Party took the opportunity to declare some new thinking in Xi’s diplomatic ideology, focusing on Chinese democracy as a counterweight to American democracy, a new tool for ideological struggle, and an extension of the Beijing model against the Washington model.
More surprisingly, the exchange of words between top Chinese and U.S. diplomats was not only portrayed as a victory for Xi Jinping’s diplomatic thinking and strategy, but also as a catalyst for the elevation of Xi Jinping’s thinking to Xi Jinpingism. Successive generations of CCP leaders have placed great importance on the formulation of personal theories and their inclusion in the Party constitution and the Constitution to establish the historical status of the individual. Among Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Xi Jinping has surpassed Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin by naming his thought after himself. The attempt is to surpass Deng Xiaoping and Mao Zedong in one fell swoop, on par with the Communist Party’s old fathers, Marx and Lenin.
However, it is said that the basic principle and the highest level of diplomatic negotiation is to have reason, benefit and discipline. It is said that practice is the only criterion to test the truth, Xi Jinping’s diplomatic thought “surpasses the Western theory of international relations for more than 300 years”, Xi Jinping’s thought is invincible, but what is the criterion to test? Should we issue a set of stamps “Long live the invincible Mao Zedong Thought” or paint a few slogans “Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought are invincible” everywhere in the city and countryside, just like the Cultural Revolution?
Hong Kong‘s electoral system should be evaluated by the people of the world
There are at least three criteria to test Xi Jinping’s victory in diplomacy with the United States. One is short-term. Will the U.S., after being reprimanded by China, hold a visual summit between Biden and Xi in April, as the Chinese side wants? Will Biden be taught another lesson by Xi Jinping in the summit?
Second, the medium term. When will Biden appoint an ambassador to China? The U.S. has “recalled” its ambassador to China for nearly six months since former Ambassador Branstad left for China last October. The choice of the U.S. ambassador to China requires the approval of the U.S. Senate and the approval of the Chinese side, which to some extent also reflects Biden’s soft and hard attitude towards China and the orientation of the Chinese side to take up the offer.
Third, it is long-term. Yang Jiechi said, “The United States has an American-style democracy, and China has a Chinese-style democracy. American democracy should be evaluated not only by Americans, but also by the people of the world. It is not up to the United States alone to say how well the United States is doing in terms of democracy.” Some people are obsessed with China’s claim of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, while others are obsessed with Wang Yi’s claim that “the Chinese people have the most say in whether China is doing a good job or not,” but in a compromise, let’s take Hong Kong as the third place to test it. Isn’t the Chinese Communist Party trying to improve the electoral system in Hong Kong? If we do not let China have the say, not Hong Kong have the say, but “let the people of the world evaluate”, then it will prove that the CCP’s words are consistent with its deeds, Xi Jinping’s diplomatic thinking is invincible, and Xi Jinpingism surpasses Marxism-Leninism.
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