File image of Zhao Lijian. AFP
Combative. Spreading propaganda and disinformation. Making controversial remarks that can sever ties between two nations.
These are not attributes you will associate with a diplomat. But in China, these are the very traits that can help an official rise up the ranks.
Zhao Lijian who was until this month the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry became synonymous with this kind of diplomacy popularly known as “wolf warrior” diplomacy.
Named after an eponymous Chinese action movie, wolf warrior diplomacy has become a hallmark of president Xi Jinping’s administration.
It is marked by a combative and rhetorical approach to foreign policy.
Zhou shifted to obscure boundary department
However, things seem to have taken a turn after Zhao was transferred from the foreign ministry to the boundary department where he will be overseeing matters related to China’s land and maritime borders.
Now, many experts have interpreted this transfer as a “demotion.” The boundary department is not insignificant but Zhao will seize to be in the limelight, unlike his previous role in which he regularly held press briefings.
According to reports, Zhao is one of three deputies in his new department.
His transfer coincides with Qin Gang taking over as China’s new foreign minister. It’s widely speculated that the wolf warrior diplomacy did not go hand in hand with Qin’s less belligerent approach to the West.
How ‘wolf warrior’ triggered diplomatic spats with Aus, US
Speaking of belligerence, during his tenure as the foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao’s antics triggered a massive diplomatic spat between China and Australia.
In 2020, Zhao shared a morphed illustration of an Australian soldier killing an Afghan child. This came after Australian Defence Force conducted a probe and found that its troops had killed 39 civilians in Afghanistan.
Then-Australian PM Scott Morrison demanded an apology from Beijing which the latter refused to do so.
But Zhao’s theatrics predate his appointment as the foreign ministry spokesperson.
In 2019, former US president Barack Obama’s national security adviser Susan Rice called Zhao a “racist disgrace” over his tweet about American race relations. The tweet by Zhao is unavailable now.
Zhao became the foreign ministry spokesperson a year later.
During his stint in Pakistan, the diplomat gained prominence due to his combative statements on Twitter- a site that is banned in China.
Some experts have warned against reading too much between the lines.
Wife’s posts during COVID put Zhou in tough spot
According to reports, Zhao’s wife Tang Tianru travelled to Germany when China was under strict COVID curbs. Pictures of the trip triggered a massive outrage on social media.
According to US journalist Bill Bishop, she made the situation worse for Zhao when in December 2022 she posted on Chinese social media that COVID-positive Zhao was unable to get medicines.
It has to be noted that China has been constantly trying to downplay the coronavirus crisis at home by not revealing the actual number of cases and deaths.
Then comes, Zhao’s own troubles. In November 2022, he was caught off guard when asked about the protests in China against coronavirus curbs, during a press conference.
Zhao went blank for a few seconds before answering. The clip was widely shared on social media.
If reports are to be believed, China is likely to nominate vice foreign minister Xie Feng as its ambassador to the US.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, the choice of “US expert” Xie signals that Beijing is trying to improve strained ties with Washington.
Whatever may be the case, one thing is clear, the era of China’s most well-known ‘wolf warrior’ diplomat Zhao Lijian is over.
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