While the Beijing authorities are marking the 50th anniversary of “ping pong diplomacy” in high profile, the outside world has noted an unprecedented restraint and decadence on the part of Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. Linking these developments to the increasingly awkward situation China faces in the international community, it is not difficult to conclude that Beijing is trying to “turn the corner” as it realizes that the damage caused by war-wolf diplomacy has greatly outweighed the domestic political gains.
For many people, it is very difficult to see how Xi Jinping’s “war-wolf diplomacy” can go to such an absurd extent. Anyone with a little common sense and knowledge of history can see that such “crude” diplomacy will surely seriously harm the fundamental interests of the country and trigger widespread disgust in the international community, and eventually will not end. However, since the outbreak of the epidemic, China’s war-wolf diplomacy has not only not been restrained, but also intensified. What is the reason behind this? I am not quite convinced that Xi Jinping’s misjudgment of the West and the world alone can fully explain this phenomenon. From the escalation of China’s war-wolf diplomacy, I smell a sense of brokenness and, of course, a general sense in the international community of Beijing’s intention to “coerce” countries into submission and compliance.
I think the “breaking of the pot” has to do in part with the fact that the Beijing authorities know that China cannot be blamed for the global pandemic of the Wuhan pneumonia virus, while the attempt to coerce countries to give in is related to the fact that Beijing sees that the pandemic has put most countries in serious trouble and is asking for help from China. So why has Beijing now had to make another U-turn? I think there are two major factors that have spurred Xi Jinping’s determination to make the “U-turn”. One is that it is becoming more and more obvious that the war-wolf diplomacy has angered the international community, and the Beijing authorities must be getting more and more advice and warnings from more and more “old friends,” and the more important factor is that the Biden administration’s strategy toward China is becoming clearer and clearer, so that the Beijing authorities can no longer avoid the basic fact that The “war wolf diplomacy” is helping the U.S. hawks and even the Biden administration to win more domestic and international support for its hard-line approach to China. In fact, it is impossible for the Beijing authorities not to see that Wolf Diplomacy is prompting Biden to use the “China Card” strategy to push forward various “New Deal” initiatives, especially the massive infrastructure renovation in response to the Chinese challenge.
The question is, is it so easy to “turn the corner” on war-wolf diplomacy? The first problem facing Xi Jinping is that he can find and trust a person like Li Hongzhang who can endure humiliation and command the respect of the international community? Related to this question is how Xi Jinping will deal with the “war wolves” represented by Zhao Lijian. If they are not dealt with, they will not be able to turn around, but if they are not dealt with properly, they will seriously undermine the morale of the “patriotic thieves” and cause a chain of political effects.
Of course, the fact that such an extremely absurd phenomenon as war wolf diplomacy can not only happen but also go so far is a clear sign that China’s politics and system are seriously ill. Therefore, even if Xi Jinping can make a U-turn from “declaring war on the world powers” to “making love to the country” like Cixi did back then, it does not mean that he is capable of renewing the life of the Party. Recently, the war wolves in Beijing revisited the Treaty of Xinchao of 120 years ago, arguing that China’s national power and international status today are no longer comparable to those of the past. This clumsy trick of playing with history precisely reflects the fact that they are inwardly enveloped by that period of history of the end of the Qing Dynasty. It was a time when those in power tried to save themselves with all kinds of sharp turns, when the Qing court not only abolished the imperial examination, the magic weapon of “great unification,” but also tried to promote constitutional monarchy. And only ten years later, the Wuchang Uprising broke out. I believe the Chinese war wolves will not feel much better than the Boxer Rebellion 120 years ago in the year 2021. Their incomprehensible thinking and behavior have caused the entire outside world to become irrevocably disgusted and alienated from China.
Recent Comments