You’re likely to read a lot of hot takes on the US-China talks in Alaska that explain China’s behavior in terms of Xi's “overreach”
That’s a fine explanation, but only takes us part of the way. The truth is: China’s had wolf warriors as long as the PRC has had diplomats. THREAD
Here’s a taste:
Time magazine described a speech one Chinese diplomat delivered at the United Nations in 1950 as "two awful hours of rasping vituperation"
In the 1960s, a Chinese diplomat wielded an axe outside the Chinese mission in London
The behavior of individual Chinese diplomats has also varied wildly
Yang Jiechi accompanied George HW Bush on a 1977 trip to Tibet:
"[Yang] was with us the whole time,” said James Lilley, who later served as Bush’s ambassador to Beijing. “We hit it off with him right away.”
At other times, Yang has provided the model for today’s wolf warriors
During a 1997 conversation with U.S. officials about Hong Kong, Yang became “visibly annoyed,” according to a diplomatic cable, and asked rhetorically why Hong Kong needed a bill of rights if Britain did not”
Here’s the key though: Yang’s behavior is carefully controlled.
“He’s a guy who has this ability to, when necessary, turn on extreme charm and when necessary turn on extreme outrage. He does both well,” said @dennisw5 , one of Yang’s long-term American interlocutors
Wilder’s explanation?
“He’s probably showing off to the rest of the delegation. They’re all going to report on the meeting and it will go up the system”
"I have been in meetings that were just withering... But you never got the sense he was out of control"
That’s a really crucial point if you want to understand “wolf warrior” diplomacy
Chinese diplomats have always focused first and foremost on their home audience. Yang in particular has always been skilled at delivering the message Beijing wants to hear
This was true in the early 1950s when Chinese diplomats had to figure out how to represent a closed and paranoid political system to a more open outside world
It was true in the late 1990s, as they sought to avoid accusations of weakness in the face of America’s unipolar moment
In 2021, they need to figure out how they fit into a political system that has abolished presidential term limits and runs "re-education" camps in Xinjiang
They also need to grapple with the expectations of a leader who touts about the "obvious advantages" of China's system
In this sense, Yang’s display in Alaska was both old and new
He showed us how decades-old insecurities play out when they’re combined with a powerful sense that America's best days are behind it
The talks in Anchorage likely provide a flavor of things to come. ENDS.
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SO: the U.S. and China are bickering over whether the upcoming meetings in Alaska should be called a “strategic dialogue”
The U.S. says they shouldn't. China insists they should.
Why, you may wonder, does either side care about something so trivial? My thoughts:
THREAD
First off, here’s Blinken’s description to members of Congress on Wednesday:
“This is not a strategic dialogue -- there’s no intent at this point for a series of follow-on engagements”
That seems clear enough, right?
Well… here’s what China says:
MFA spokesman Zhao Lijian later released a response to Blinken’s remarks, describing the meetings on March 18-19 as a “high-level strategic dialogue” being held “at the invitation of the U.S.”
MOFA gave mostly vague answers at a daily briefing on Monday, saying that it hoped the new admin would “work in the same direction as us going forward” -- but sidestepping questions about trade, what moves China expected from Biden and Beijing’s stance on relations with the U.S.
State-run media outlets such as the China Daily have filled some of the void, as the newspaper expressed hope that relations could be “reset for the better”
[China Daily is an English-language outlet aimed at foreign audiences]
The 100+ memoirs of Chinese diplomats I read for my book are littered with lengthy anecdotes about expelling Taiwanese representatives from trade fairs and receptions
These stories are often portrayed as the pinnacle of the person's career: Protecting China from a rogue flag 2/
E.g. A diplomat in PNG wrote about his role in removing the ROC flag from an event in the '90s:
“The Chinese delegation had successfully carried out the important task the motherland had entrusted to us,” he wrote. “We succeeded because our great motherland stood behind us.” 3/
I know the feeling. I've been in Beijing for the last two months. My housemate is away and I'm thousands of miles from my family.
I have some thoughts on how to make lockdown better. These won't apply to everyone, but they ring true for me:
1) Know things will get better.
The first few weeks felt pretty oppressive, but now I'm kind of used to it.
Even if the lockdown goes on longer than expected, you'll get used to your new environment and likely grow more comfortable with your own company.
2) Have a routine. Fill it with stuff that makes you feel good.
It might be home workouts, cooking, or learning something new. It might be a TV show that calms you (I've rewatched The Office and Parks and Rec). You'll get your work done, but don't let that become your only focus
"We're going to take the red spirit we learned here back to each of our kindergartens"
I travelled to Jinggangshan to learn about why the CCP is pushing red tourism and how the lines between loyalty to the party and loyalty to Xi are increasingly blurred