In what is assumed to be a sign to rethink diplomatic relations, China is aiming to revamp its image. President Xi Jinping has urged Chinese officials to create a 'trustworthy, lovable and respectable' image for the country. The President said that Beijing needed 'a grip on tone' in its communication with the world and that it should be open and confident but also modest and humble.
President Xi Jinping told senior Communist Party leaders on Monday that China must make friends extensively. According to a report in Bloomberg, the President told the officials that China must 'continuously expand its circle of friends with those who understand and are friendly to China.'
China is likely to take US President Joe Biden as inspiration to forge friendlier relations. The country might aim for a communication strategy makeover similar to Biden's work to bolster US relationships that were rendered weakened after former President Donald Trump's 'America First' policies.
China's diplomatic strategies often criticised as 'Wolf Warrior' diplomacy has been blamed for setbacks with partners that appeared open for closer ties, including the Philippines and the European Union.
Director of Renmin University's Institute of International Affairs and a former Chinese diplomat Wang Yiwei told Bloomberg that China's assertive diplomacy arose in response to those who showcased the country as a threat. However, that has satisfied neither domestic nor international audiences. Moreover, the image of the country deteriorated since the pandemic. A Pew Research survey showed that negative views of China reached historic highs last year.
"The growth in China's power needs to be accepted by the world. That would be the real growth of power," said Yiwei.
Executive dean of Renmin University's Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies and adviser to the government Wang Wen told the news agency that Chinese leaders see misrepresentations of China's image has led to negative impact on the country's core interests.
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