Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng delivered the keynote speech at the International Influence Forum of Think Tanks and the 6th Symposium on the Construction of New Think Tanks hosted by the Chongyang Institute of Finance of Renmin University of China and the Literature and Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on December 5. In his speech, Le Yucheng said the label "War Wolf Diplomacy" is at the least a misunderstanding of China's diplomacy. Asserting that 'China has always been a country of etiquette, and peace is the most important thing', he claimed 'It has never proactively provoked others, nor has it ever gone to other people's homes, nor has it ever been to other people's homes', but when people 'come to our door to show off their weapons, interfere in our housework, and verbally slander us', then 'we have to stand up and defend our national interests and dignity'. He called "wolf war diplomacy" as another version of the "China threat theory" and another "discourse trap". Le Yucheng emphasized that because China 'could not describe ourselves well, others described us as "yellow peril" and "sick man of East Asia." He said 'they are still taking advantage of the discourse formed in history to stigmatize and demonize China'. Stating that it is far from enough, he said 'General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that backwardness will lead to beating, poverty will lead to starvation, and aphasia will lead to scolding. Now that we have resolved the first two issues, we must resolve the issue of "scolding" and exhorted experts and scholars to go to the media, tell them about Chinese culture, Chinese stories, Chinese spirit, and Chinese contributions. He said 'The success of the socialist road with Chinese characteristics provides us with rich material for telling Chinese stories'.

A Global Times (December 6) article on 'Wolf Diplomacy' said Su Hao, founding Director of the Center for Strategic and Peace Studies at the China Foreign Affairs University, assessed that the "discourse trap" of the West aims to restrain the development of China's diplomacy and force China to sacrifice its national interests. China's diplomacy style has become another excuse for the West to bash China. He advocated that China should continue to carry out diplomatic actions in legitimate and rational ways, lashing out against any country that harms China's national interests.

Su Hao argued that with China's rapid rise, Western countries led by the US have ramped up their crackdowns on China. In particular, some of the diplomatic rhetoric and practices of the US and its allies have gravely jeopardized China's core national interests. It said 'China does not have to tolerate smears levelled by other countries. It is crucial to make the necessary explanations and then fight back. This is also a manifestation of safeguarding China's national interests, which is beyond reproach'.