Can someone offer an opinion of the general quality of the Chinese foreign ministry's diplomats/diplomacy? In particular, it feels like the public pronouncements of Chinese ambassadors (like Lu) are frequently ham-handed and grating.
Is this because most of their public statements are actually not for communication but more for internal consumption? What is the general assessment of Chinese foreign ministry diplomats at the ground level? They seem to be reasonably successful in Africa, but is that because that's where their best people go? Or because that's where the solutions are the easiest ('sure, we'll buy your stuff, if you give us leases') and the interactions with the press are the simplest?
I second this motion! But like Richard I suspect that loyalty and ideological reliability may trump competence. China appears to be going through a rather nationalist phase and strong nationalism seems to be a big risk-factor for ham fisted diplomacy-especially in powerful countries.
Can someone offer an opinion of the general quality of the Chinese foreign ministry's diplomats/diplomacy? In particular, it feels like the public pronouncements of Chinese ambassadors (like Lu) are frequently ham-handed and grating.
Is this because most of their public statements are actually not for communication but more for internal consumption? What is the general assessment of Chinese foreign ministry diplomats at the ground level? They seem to be reasonably successful in Africa, but is that because that's where their best people go? Or because that's where the solutions are the easiest ('sure, we'll buy your stuff, if you give us leases') and the interactions with the press are the simplest?
I’d say I wouldn’t assume competency in any part of the current PRC leadership as Xi clearly prizes loyalty/non-threatening personnel over all else.
I second this motion! But like Richard I suspect that loyalty and ideological reliability may trump competence. China appears to be going through a rather nationalist phase and strong nationalism seems to be a big risk-factor for ham fisted diplomacy-especially in powerful countries.
People who should really be worried here are the Mongols.
Wolf Warrior diplomacy can do no wrong!