Is China adopting the so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy"?

By Guo Sichen

"Wolf warrior" has become a byword for patriotism after the Chinese blockbuster Wolf Warrior II topped China's box office. 

The movie tells a story of a former special force soldier of the People's Liberation Army protecting Chinese people against foreign terrorists and drug dealers, and has won a high reputation among the Chinese.

However, the meaning of "wolf warrior" is distorted by Western media.

German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel on Dec. 8, 2020 published an article blaming China for the so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy".

It was about the denouncement made by the Chinese Embassy in Germany on a so-called hearing on China's human rights held by the German parliament's human rights committee on November 18.

The article accused the Chinese side of its fierce reaction, saying Chinese diplomats were "more aggressive."

Is China really adopting the so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy"?

Obviously, the protest and denouncement of the Chinese Embassy were not an evidence of it. The world should view China's diplomacy comprehensively and objectively.

China, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. It has been written in the Constitution of the CPC that the CPC shall uphold an independent foreign policy of peace, follow a path of peaceful development, and continue with the win-win opening up strategy. The diplomatic goal of the CPC is to advance the building of a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has always been a basis for the CPC to handle foreign relations. Since the five principles were firstly proposed in 1954, China has been offering assistance for developing countries, especially those in Africa, which has won it friendship with a number of countries. As a major country, China always treats other countries in a friendly and equal manner, regardless of their sizes.

"In fact, the lion of China has awoken, but what the world sees now, is a peaceful, amiable, civilized lion," said Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations in 2014.

What the Chinese President said exactly explained the Chinese diplomacy. China has risen as one of the strong countries, but it will always stay friendly in developing relations with foreign countries.

China's proposals to build a community with a shared future for mankind and build the Belt and Road also indicate that the country is pursuing a foreign policy of peace.

China is a responsible major country. Even in the hardest days of the COVID-19 epidemic, it didn't stop exporting medical materials to the rest of the world. On the contrary, over 80 countries banned such export. Now, China is working hard to advance vaccine aid, exporting and donating shots to countries in need.

Receiving the donation of medical materials from China, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic even kissed a Chinese national flag to express his gratitude.

Apart from that, China is also actively taking responsibilities and fulfilling promises in economic recovery, environmental protection, and other aspects, which proves that China's diplomacy is peaceful and friendly. "Wolf warrior diplomacy" is never supported by the ruling party in China.

However, there is a line that shall never be crossed. China will not allow any external force to interfere in its domestic affairs, viciously slander the country, or bully it with hegemony. That's how China deals with foreign affairs, which is believed to be common in every country.

The so-called hearing on China's human rights held by the German parliament's human rights committee was a slandering on China under the banner of human rights.

"I don't see any problem in living with that "wolf warrior" title, as long as we are fighting for China's sovereignty, security and development interests, national dignity and honor, and international fairness and justice," said Hua Chunying, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry when responding to the "wolf warrior diplomacy" accusation.

"Wolf warrior" protects national interests, and has nothing to do with the aggressive connotation forced upon by Western media.

Zhao Lijian, who is also a spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry, is considered another representative of the so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy" by Western media.

On Nov. 18, 2020, when responding to a joint statement issued by the Five Eyes Alliance unwarrantedly accusing China for violating the Sino-British Joint Declaration, Zhao said that no matter how many eyes they have, five or ten or whatever, should anyone dare to undermine China's sovereignty, security and development interests, be careful not to get poked in the eye.

His remarks were tough. However, Hong Kong affairs are China's domestic affairs that tolerate no foreign intervention. Hong Kong to China is like Scotland to the UK and Catalonia to Spain. Besides, the chaos in Hong Kong in recent years had a lot to do with the funding from Western NGOs. Chinese measures to maintain stability and prosperity in Hong Kong received only groundless accusation from the West, so the country had to fight back.

The dialogues on the high-level meeting between China and the U.S. in Alaska this year would probably better explain the core of this issue.

At the meeting, the U.S. side unjustifiably attacked and accused China's domestic and foreign policies and seriously prolonged its opening remarks.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Foreign Affairs expressed his dissatisfaction.

"In front of the Chinese side, the U.S. side is not qualified to speak to China from a position of strength. Even 20 or 30 years ago, the U.S. was in no position to speak to China from a position of dominance, because Chinese people wouldn't buy it," he said at the meeting

This indicates that some Western countries, led by the U.S., are worrying about their position in the world and their interests seeing the rise of China, and are oppressing China by their strength. One of their major rhetoric is to exaggerate the threat from China and gain a favorable position in the international public opinion. That's how the so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy" was fabricated by them.

Diplomacy can be both tough and friendly according to actual situations, and such choices are made for national interests. China is not the only country that had adopted a tough attitude in its diplomacy. For instance, the UK had once threatened other countries with its "gunboat diplomacy," and China was a victim of it. In 2018, the then Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson of the UK announced to send aircraft carriers to patrol in the South China Sea, which was no doubt a tough provocation.

Of course, we cannot listen to only the voices from the West. The recent dispute between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea was handled in a fairly nice manner. When the dispute occurred, the Foreign Minister of the Philippines protested against China on Twitter with mean languages, but Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said China remains a benefactor, and a conflict doesn't mean that the Philippines has to be rude or disrespectful. Later, the Foreign Minister apologized and showed kindness.

Many countries cherish their friendship with China, just like the Philippines does. They don't consider China as a threat, or agree that China is adopting the so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy".

It's incorrect to say that China adopts the so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy" just because of the tough remarks made by Chinese diplomats. They made such remarks to safeguard China's interests and protect the country's image when responding to foreign provocations. China will always pursue a foreign policy of peace.