When Beijing no longer minces its words about the US
All eyes were on Qin Gang, China's new foreign minister, as he held his first press conference on 7 March on the sidelines of the Two Sessions (两会, Lianghui) - the annual meetings of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
Looming shadow of China-US relations
Compared with his predecessor Wang Yi, this "post-60s" top diplomat was slightly reserved on his debut, with few expressions and body language. In the nearly two-hour long press conference, he answered 14 questions from domestic and foreign reporters, almost half the number of questions Wang had answered during the same press conference last year.
However, Qin did not shy away from major topics such as China-US relations, the Russia-Ukraine war and the Taiwan Strait situation. Unfazed by pointed questions involving China's "wolf warrior diplomacy", Qin lightheartedly said, "I recall when I just arrived as Chinese ambassador to the United States, American media exclaimed, 'Here comes a Chinese wolf warrior.' Now I am back as the foreign minister, the media have stopped calling me that way. I kind of feel at a loss."
... Qin's responses would tie back to the overarching theme of China-US relations, whether directly or indirectly. Clearly, China-US relations is a top priority for Beijing in its foreign affairs.
Throughout the press conference, it was the pervasive influence of China-US relations on Chinese diplomacy that left the strongest impression.
Be it China-Japan relations, regional situation, the Russia-Ukraine conflict or the Taiwan Strait issue, Qin's responses would tie back to the overarching theme of China-US relations, whether directly or indirectly. Clearly, China-US relations is a top priority for Beijing in its foreign affairs.
Qin made use of a few metaphors when discussing China-US relations. For example, when criticising the US for its distorted perception and views of China, he said, "This is like the first button in a shirt being put wrong. And the result is that the US China policy has entirely deviated from the rational and sound track."
He also used the analogy of an Olympic race to attack the US for not "focusing on giving one's best" but always trying to "trip or even injure the other".
Without mincing his words, Qin also claimed that the US's so-called competition means to "get the two countries locked in a zero-sum game", asserting that the US does not want China to respond in words or action when slandered or attacked, which is "just impossible".
Direct criticisms of the US
Qin took office as foreign minister last December, shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden met each other on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. Both sides were preparing for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China, and Beijing was still hopeful that China-US tensions would ease.
But in just two months, this hope was diminished by a series of events. First, there was talk of US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's visit to Taiwan. Then, China and the US became embroiled in the balloon saga. Following which, the US reached an agreement with Japan and the Netherlands to restrict exports of advanced chipmaking machinery to China, further strengthening the US's technological containment of China. Most recently, it was reported on 7 March that Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen plans to visit the US next month, and will most likely meet McCarthy in California.
Judging from Qin's press conference, Beijing has already adjusted its earlier, slightly more moderate attitude.
Before the Two Sessions, Wang Yi, who has been promoted to Politburo member, kicked off a Europe tour with the aim to resist the US but bring Europe close. He expressed China's position on the balloon incident during an informal meeting with Blinken in Munich, and even lambasted the US in front of world leaders at the Munich Security Conference. He then met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
A "small spring" in China-US relations was already a luxury, and after these ups and downs, the chances of stabilising bilateral relations are looking grimmer. Judging from Qin's press conference, Beijing has already adjusted its earlier, slightly more moderate attitude.
Tough statements of a "zero-sum game" where only one can survive, and that it is "just impossible" for China not to respond in words or action when slandered or attacked, shows that Beijing is convinced that Washington's so-called "competition" is to "cripple" China and delay its development.
In fact, the day before the press conference, a comment by Chinese President Xi Jinping also shows that Beijing might not hold any more illusions about China-US relations.
Over the years, China's leaders have generally used the words "some countries" or other vague terms in criticising the US when speaking in public about China-US relations, and have never named the country specifically.
Chinese media reported that at a session of the CPPCC on 6 March, Xi gave a sharply worded criticism of the US in a rare display. He said, "Western countries - led by the US - have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression against us, bringing unprecedentedly severe challenges to our country's development."
Over the years, China's leaders have generally used the words "some countries" or other vague terms in criticising the US when speaking in public about China-US relations, and have never named the country specifically.
Furthermore, at the Two Sessions, which is focused on planning the domestic economy and responding to public concerns, Chinese leaders and officials also usually speak of the external environment in general terms, seldom directly spelling out the pressure from the US.
A more dangerous phase
Going back to the Two Sessions five years ago when the leadership was reshuffled, China and the US were just entering the trade war. The US had just begun to contain Chinese companies, banning ZTE from buying US chips and blocking Huawei from building 5G networks in Western countries.
At their respective press conferences that year, the Chinese premier and foreign minister responded to questions about the China-US trade war, but with more gentle terms. They called for calm negotiations and constructive dialogue, while other officials were also careful in avoiding touching on the China-US conflict. A colleague even described the China-US strategic competition as the elephant in the room at the Two Sessions.
The China-US tussle has entered a new and more dangerous phase that makes one worry that if these two powers go into a "battle to the death", the entire region will also be dragged in.
Five years on, China-US relations are still on the path of deterioration, and Washington has reached an unprecedented consensus on its tough stance towards China. It is adamant about containing China's development and continues to test Beijing's limits on the Taiwan issue; some even suspect that Washington is trying to bait Beijing into a war.
On their part, Beijing's leaders no longer avoid the elephant in the room and are more frequently emphasising the two countries' "rivalry", showing signs that it will no longer seek to ease bilateral relations through compromise, and that it is preparing for a tussle with the US whereby only one can survive.
The China-US tussle has entered a new and more dangerous phase that makes one worry that if these two powers go into a "battle to the death", the entire region will also be dragged in.
This article was first published in Lianhe Zaobao as "中美对抗不再是两会"房间里的大象"".