City Beat | China learns a very American lesson on the importance of ‘public diplomacy’
Beijing realises it must reach out more to the American people rather than pinning its only hope on the elites
In solving disputes, official and non-official channels should complement each other.
However, when it comes to China-US relations, Beijing has received a wake-up call loud and clear on the importance of “public diplomacy”. Consideration of this very American concept sheds light on the difficulties China faces in dealing with the most powerful country in the world, especially as a massive trade war continues to escalate.
Interestingly, if history serves as a mirror, a review of Beijing’s adjustments to its Hong Kong policy can provide some food for thought on this issue.
Of course, with Hong Kong being part of China, its relationship with the mainland has nothing to do with diplomacy, but the implementation of “one country, two systems”, which is always a big challenge. And looking back, there seems to have been one common flaw in this exercise: the fact it has primarily involved engaging with the “elites” of society.
The once-overwhelming consensus among the Beijing leadership before and during the early years after Hong Kong’s 1997 handover was that the city’s stability and prosperity would be guaranteed if it showcased its capitalist system. Business interests would have to be protected and the British-trained civil service system maintained.