China’s handling of Australia row highlights what may be an increasingly hard line in diplomatic affairs
- Speech by vice-minister of foreign affairs offers a hint at the future of Chinese diplomacy
- Through Australia, China is setting the record straight – there will be consequences for offending Beijing
A speech by vice-minister of foreign affairs Le Yucheng at a Beijing forum over the weekend looks to be one of the most important references in gauging the guiding principle of future Chinese diplomacy.
Le addressed a key talking point regarding China’s international relations – its “wolf warrior” style of diplomacy. To many analysts and experts, including scholars within China, Beijing’s diplomatic apparatus is sometimes too confrontational to be constructive – there must be more sophisticated ways to engage than yelling at each other in the public domain.
The argument often goes that, if China wants to win respect in the international community, Chinese diplomats must be, well, more diplomatic. As such, the recent quarrel with Canberra seems unnecessary.
But there are growing signs that this is no longer in line with what Beijing is thinking.
Le, who did not specifically mention Australian relations in his speech, rejected that there was something wrong with Beijing’s approach. Chinese diplomats are professional and patriotic people, defending China’s dignity in face of unfair accusations and criticisms.
Referencing comments by President Xi Jinping, Le said it is time for Beijing to fight to control the narrative.
This implies that China will be less tolerant of criticism targeting its political system, its values and its interpretation of concepts such as human rights. Through Australia, China is setting the record straight – there will be consequences for offending Beijing.
Behind the hardened stance is a perception that China is on an unstoppable trajectory to become a superpower with a different political system and set of values than the US-led liberal democracies. China has no room to step back from its defined core interests – from its chosen governance model to its claims over the South China Sea – and China’s “softness” will no longer buy any goodwill. Therefore, for Beijing, if a powerful China cannot be loved, it must be feared.
When Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison protested the tweet by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, Morrison may have expected Beijing to delete the post, apologise or even discipline Zhao. Beijing’s real response, of course, was the opposite, and very telling.
As China does not see anything wrong on its side, it would be foolish to expect Beijing to back off.
