A 'wolf warrior' as Xi Jinping's new diplomacy chief
Ambassador to the US Qin Gang is expected to be the new foreign minister, replacing Wang Yi. Critics consider him too aligned with Xi and incapable of forging solid diplomatic relations. Tensions with Washington are still expected. Beijing's focus is now on neighbouring nations, Belt and Road partners, and Europe. The invasion of Taiwan can wait.
Beijing (AsiaNews) - Ambassador to the US Qin Gang will most likely be China's next foreign minister, an appointment that will come in the spring. It seems that Xi Jinping has chosen another "loyalist" for his government team, after packing the Politburo Standing Committee, the centre of Chinese political power, with trusted allies.
More than a pragmatic weaver of relations, Qin is seen as a 'wolf warrior'. He is the new generation of Chinese envoys, more aggressive in conveying the supreme leader's message abroad and protecting national interests. One case in point: the recent image of the Chinese consul in Manchester, Zheng Xiyuan, taking part in the beating of a Hong Kong demonstrator in front of the diplomatic headquarters.
According to several observers, Qin's appointment does not herald an improvement in relations with the US. He is accused - even in China - of having gone too far in defending Xi's line, thus risking the possibility of establishing a viable connection with the top echelons of US politics: something his predecessor in Washington, Cui Tiankai, had instead managed to accomplish.
With the imminent departure of State Councilor Yang Jiechi, currently China's highest diplomatic authority, and his replacement by current Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China's top diplomats will lack a true expert on US policy: Qin is not.
Analysts point out that the series of high-level meetings Xi has had in recent days reveal a lot about the country's immediate foreign policy goals. The Chinese president first received the Secretary General of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, signalling a desire to improve relations with neighbouring countries marred by territorial disputes.
The meetings with the Pakistani premier and the Tanzanian president, on the other hand, would reflect the intention to strengthen ties with developing countries, partners of the Belt and Road Initiative. Today's face-to-face meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was finally an opportunity to try to overcome the growing tensions with Europe.
The hottest issue remains reunification with Taiwan. The choice of his own enforcers at the top of power, especially Li Qiang as the new premier, does not rule out the possibility that Xi might shelve plans for complicated war adventures against Taipei: the priority is national economic recovery and geopolitical instability does not further this aim.
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19/06/2023 19:10
10/01/2023 13:59
