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As US-China ties struggle in ‘choppy waters’, diplomacy rides ‘a surging river’ of metaphors

Name: Xi Jinping says Vietnam is a ‘diplomatic priority’ as Chinese leader seeks closer bilateral ties
Uploaded: 2024-01-09T09:37:49.000Z
Duration: 3 min 23 s
Description: Xi Jinping says Vietnam is a ‘diplomatic priority’ as Chinese leader seeks closer bilateral ties

Recent speeches by Chinese leaders are infused with symbolism, but decoding them is key to understanding Beijing’s world view

Xi Jinping’s speeches and remarks show he is fond of using military and war metaphors, researchers say

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Understanding metaphor-riddled speeches by Chinese leaders may be important in determining the exact state of US-China ties, according to researchers. Photo: AFP

Shi Jiangtao

A former diplomat, Shi Jiangtao has worked as a China reporter at the Post for more than a decade.

Published: 5:37pm, 9 Jan 2024Updated: 2:41pm, 10 Jan 2024

Are China and the United States partners or adversaries? That was the question posed by China’s top diplomat Wang Yi at an event last week marking the 45th anniversary of official diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Instead of a straightforward answer, he chose to compare the deeply troubled US-China ties to a ship braving stormy seas.

“How to recalibrate the direction of the giant ship of China-US relations, steer it clear of hidden rocks and shoals, and guide it through gorges of historical significance is a major subject that we must think about thoroughly and a question we must answer for our times,” Wang was quoted as saying by the Chinese foreign ministry website in Beijing on Friday.

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Xi Jinping says Vietnam is a ‘diplomatic priority’ as Chinese leader seeks closer bilateral ties

Wang then likened bilateral ties to “a surging river” that made its way “through twists and turns for nearly half a century”.

Metaphors and figurative language are pervasive in the Communist Party’s political and diplomatic discourse, especially when it comes to touchy issues such as Beijing’s love-hate relationship with Washington.

With China showing little inclination of becoming more open and transparent as ties with the US and its allies deteriorate, it has become crucial to decode the metaphors most frequently invoked by top leaders and diplomats to understand where Chinese foreign policy is headed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping used a metaphor similar to Wang’s when he exchanged congratulatory notes with his US counterpart Joe Biden on New Year’s Day, marking 45 years of formal ties between Beijing and Washington. According to state news agency Xinhua, Xi said he was willing to work with Biden to “continue to steer the course” of bilateral ties despite ups and downs over the years, a reference reminiscent of the “Great Helmsman” Mao Zedong.

Chinese metaphors are often rich in political connotations and symbolism.