In a webinar sponsored by the Washington State China Relations Fund and the World Affairs Council Tacoma, author Peter Martin discussed his new book, China’s Civilian Army: The Making of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy.
Peter Martin is a reporter for Bloomberg news based in Washington D.C., covering the Pentagon and State Department. He had just returned from travelling with Secretary Blinken to Kiev when he spoke to us. He lived and worked in China in the early 2000s and has extensive experience tracking and writing about China over the last two decades. His new book was motivated by an interest in understanding the role and evolution of China’s diplomatic corps.
The phrase” Wolf Warrior” diplomacy has been used to describe the aggressive style of Chinese diplomacy that became more strident under Xi’s administration. The name is adopted from a well-known Chinese action film released in 2015.
Though the phrase was relatively new, Peter noted that traditionally Chinese diplomats are expected to model the behavior of the Chinese military, hence his “China’s Civilian Army.” The notion of Chinese diplomats acting as civilian soldiers dates from the early days of the PRC. He noted that Chinese diplomats walk a tightrope. For the Chinese audience, diplomats need to be perceived as adhering closely to the party line, which often forces them to be rigid and aggressive in style. At the same time, in order to succeed in overseas postings, they need to embrace international diplomacy norms and exhibit personal charisma.
The question was raised whether Wolf Warrior behavior is effective. Peter opined that, in general, Wolf Warrior diplomacy has been counterproductive for China’s image and reputation. China has become less favored, as illustrated in recent surveys. However, Peter does not expect Chinese diplomats to change their style anytime soon. He noted that the Wolf Warriors are appealing to a domestic audience and there is no one in China, Xi Jinping included, who has indicated that the diplomats should lessen their vitriol. Peter noted that many in the Chinese government feel that they are being “attacked” by foreigners who comment negatively on China’s policies and actions. Wolf Warrior diplomacy often entails vigorous and at times vitriolic rhetoric to counter these perceived foreign sleights.
Click here to watch the recording of the book talk.
Dear WSCRC Members and Friends,