War of words erupts between Chinese ex-ambassador and editor of nationalist tabloid
Former envoy Wu Jianmin says Global Times’ boss Hu Xijin fails to present the complexities of international affairs – a criticism brushed off as the thinking of ‘old diplomats’
An unusual war of words has broken out between a former Chinese diplomat and a top editor at a state-backed tabloid known for its nationalistic tone.
The tiff began last Wednesday when Wu Jianmin, the former ambassador to France, said some reports by Global Times, which is affiliated with People’s Daily, were “very extreme” and failed to provide a complete picture of international events.
Many people now still have the habitual thought of wars and revolutions
“Many people now still have the habitual thought of wars and revolutions and always think about waging a war,” Wu told students of China Foreign Affairs University in a talk on understanding global affairs. He said such people thought that if China couldn’t defeat the United States, then it should fight the Philippines.
Rather than allowing the dangers of wars as portrayed by some “so-called strategists” to take centre stage, people should instead focus on peaceful development.
Wu recalled that Hu Xijin, the Times’ editor-in-chief, told a forum last year that the world was a “mass”.
He noted that an editor-in-chief “who is very knowledgeable” still “didn’t get the situation right”.
