Young Chinese idolize FM spokespersons
Chinese college student Vicky Chi, 18, recalled how excited she was when hearing China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s remarks fighting back against the US’ defamation of China amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Chi cited Zhao’s criticism of the Wall Street Journal as “lacking the courage to make an apology” for its insulting title “China is the Real Sick Man of Asia” in February, and his response to a Fox News host demanding China to apologize for the virus outbreak as “I don’t remember anyone asking the US to apologize (for the H1N1 flu).”
“Zhao’s words really hit the spot,” Chi said, adding that her impression of the US has “fallen off a cliff” ever since the country started provoking the trade war with China and suppressing Chinese telecom giant Huawei. “His hitting back at the US is a kind of catharsis for me.”
Zhao and some other Chinese diplomats are becoming increasingly popular among Chinese people with their personalized remarks and resolute attitudes defending China’s interests.
Their “Wolf Warrior” style of diplomacy, though attacked by some Westerners as “strident and combative,” is bringing them numerous domestic fans, especially young ones like Chi.
The current three Foreign Ministry spokespeople, Hua Chunying, Zhao Lijian and Geng Shuang, have impressed the public with distinctive characteristics. Their fans that the Global Times talked to described Hua as “gentle and incisive,” Zhao as “forceful and unruffled,” and Geng as
“thoughtful and elegant.”
Many fans of Chinese diplomats – some renowned incumbent and former foreign ministry spokespeople in particular – come from Generation Z and have a strong sense of national identity and pride.
Most fans are between 15 and 25 years old, said Chi who manages a 14,000-member online fan community of Zhao’s on Weibo. They are young, confident, vibrant, and interested in international affairs.
They are fond of China’s “Wolf Warrior” style of diplomacy, many fans say.
“Diplomacy of a strong country like China should reflect that strength,” said a fan named Li Kang.
Li, an 11th grader, is a manager of a Weibo fan community for Lu Kang, a former Foreign Ministry spokesperson and Li’s favorite diplomat.
Li remembers many of Lu’s remarks. He quoted Lu’s comment on the US proposal compelling China to join the New START (a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the US and
Russia) in May 2019: “Is the US trying to increase China’s nuclear arsenal to its level or reduce its own nuclear arms to China’s level?” Li praised it as being smart and forthright.
Chi also said she likes the style of the Chinese diplomats who “are not afraid of the US’ provocations and can fight back at ease.”
“I remember that many years ago, some citizens sent calcium tablets to the foreign ministry to express their dissatisfaction with its inadequate diplomatic tone,” Chi said. “Now I’m pleased to see our diplomats firmly say ‘No’ to the provocations and attacks to uphold our national dignity.”
“I’m willing to call them ‘Wolf Worriers’ and even lions,” she told the Global Times.
A fundamental difference between China’s and some Western countries’ diplomacy is that China’s seemingly tough tone is not a tool to attack others but a reaction to outside suppression and smear campaigns, said Chu Yin, a professor at the University of International Relations.
“In general, Chinese diplomacy is not inclined toward offense but defense,” Chu told the Global Times.
“It is soft and flexible when there are no attacks toward China.”