Reuters reported (December 4) that Chinese diplomats have been instructed to promote Beijing's view more aggressively in the backdrop of the trade war with the United States, anti-government protests in Hong Kong and other crises that could dent its image. It cited three sources to say China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, prodded officials at a gathering of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) last month to display stronger "fighting spirit" in the face of international challenges, adding that Wang Yi did not give explicit direction at the event. Another source is reported to have said "This is the first time we have been told to show more 'fighting spirit'" .More than 1,000 current and former officials attended the event in Beijing, singing patriotic songs to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the foreign ministry. Zhao Lijian, a deputy head of MFA's Information Department, has been one of the highest profile diplomats on the platform, building on a Twitter following he started when posted to Pakistan until taking his new post in October. In the last six months, Chinese Ambassadors to Austria, Iran, the Maldives, Mali, Namibia, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Suriname, the United States and the UK joined Twitter. On December 2, the MFA launched a Twitter account, which had nearly 10,000 followers within a day and a half. Hu Xijin, Editor-in-Chief of Global Times said China's pushback, while perhaps appearing defensive at times, was natural. The West's voices are more numerous and its "apparatus of public opinion" more developed than China's. "I think this is a problem for China," he said.
|
