Beijing's double standards on diplomatic 'meddling'

John F. Kennedy once said, "No matter how big the lie, repeat it often enough and the masses will regard it as truth."

China's officials, mouthpieces and supporters should know what he was talking about. Their thinking is that if they accuse foreign powers of "intervening" or "meddling" in Hong Kong's affairs often enough, people will start to believe it.

Beijing's recent complaints about US Vice-President Joe Biden meeting two stalwarts from Hong Kong's democracy camp were the latest in a litany of accusations of "US meddling" in Hong Kong's affairs.

As in the recent case, China's attacks follow a predictable pattern. They fly fast and furious any time a US official or politician utters even the most innocuous statement on Hong Kong's political development or a member of Hong Kong's so-called opposition meets a US official.

The problem is that the harangues have become so formulaic and shrill that they have lost any meaning or connection to real world events. Foreign governments usually laugh them off. The attacks remind both Hongkongers and the international community that China still has miles to go in developing sophisticated soft power diplomacy, even in its own backyard.

But more than anything, the finger pointing represents a double standard. Just scan the various official websites of China's diplomatic missions around the world and you will see Chinese officials doing their job. In the US, they are meeting business leaders, community representatives, and opposition and ruling party officials from the halls of Congress to city hall.

On one site, the Chinese consul general in Texas is congratulating a local politician on his election victory, but the US is told to keep quiet on Hong Kong's elections.