Make China look ‘loveable’, Xi tells officials

President Xi Jinping has asked China's bellicose official media and "wolf warrior" diplomats to present the image of a "credible, lovable and respectable China" to the world, in what observers see as a rare admission of Beijing's growing isolation exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Xi, 67, who carries the image of being the most powerful Chinese leader after “Chairman” Mao Zedong with possible lifelong tenure in power, in a candid conversation at a study session for the ruling Communist Party's top leadership on Monday said that new concepts, domains and expressions should be created to tell China's stories in a better way. In a comment seen as an expression of dissatisfaction with the current lot of "wolf warrior" diplomats and aggressive official media outlets, Mr Xi spoke of the need for conveying the image of a "credible, loveable and respectable China."

He said a tone that displayed openness, confidence and conveyed modesty and humility must be maintained, the state-run China Daily said in its report on the speech.

China needs a voice that matches its national strength and international status, it said.

It is necessary to give better play to the role of highlevel experts and use platforms and channels such as important international conferences and forums and foreign mainstream media to speak out, Mr Xi said. He also emphasised the efforts to introduce the Chinese culture abroad and strive to shape a reliable, admirable and respectable image of the Communist giant. It is necessary to make friends, unite and win over the majority, and constantly expand the circle of friends [when it comes to] international public opinion, Mr Xi was quoted as saying.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here on Wednesday that Mr Xi’s comments were in line with China's "peaceful development".

◗ Xi, who carries the image of being the most powerful Chinese leader after “Chairman” Mao Zedong with possible life-long tenure in power, in a conversation at a study session for the ruling Communist Party’s top leadership said that new concepts and expressions should be created to tell China’s stories in a better way