China Communications Intelligence today:
1. China's new ambassador to the United States arrives
2. China offers the Taliban a warm Tianjin welcome while urging peace talks
3. Cold War tactic to better understand China's intentions seeks funding
4. The propaganda war during the Sherman visit
5. China's techlash gains steam - Global capitalists are spooked
China's new ambassador to the United States arrives.
Qin Gang, China's new ambassador to the United States, arrived in Washington on Wednesday.
Known for his bold tone as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, he delivered sizzling one-liners. He pioneered a more brash communication style during pressers from the Chinese foreign ministry's stage.
But as ambassador, will he pivot to a more diplomatic tone in DC?
Unlikely.
As Chris Buckley of the New York Times reports, Qin has a record of vigorously contesting Western criticism. His appointment suggests that Beijing is steeling for extended tensions with Washington.
Qin rose from working for a foreign news agency to becoming a trusted aide to Xi Jinping.
Qin will most likely convey to Washington that Xi expects China to be treated as a great power, reflecting confidence that stems in part from China's success in controlling the coronavirus epidemic and a growing economy.
Unlike nearly all of China's ambassadors to Washington since the 1980s, Qin - who will be the 13th person to hold this post - has never specialized in dealing with the United States, nor has he been posted here previously.
"For the last 20 years, you've had a string of America experts posted to Washington. Somebody whose career has been staked more on upholding the dignity and equal treatment of Chinese senior leaders will come to the job potentially with a different mindset." -- Drew Thompson, professor at the National University of Singapore.
You can see his Ministry of Foreign Affairs profile - here.
China offers the Taliban a warm Tianjin welcome while urging peace talks
Worried about the war in Afghanistan, China has stepped up diplomatic efforts with the government and the group to encourage a political settlement after the US withdrawal.
China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, called the Taliban "a pivotal military and political force" but urged their leaders "to hold high the banner of peace talks," according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.
Chinese officials have met with Taliban envoys before, including a meeting in Beijing in 2019, but not at such a high level and in such a public way. This meeting underscores how much the former rulers of the country, who were toppled by the United States 20 years ago after the Sept. 11 attacks, have succeeded in reshaping how international powers deal with them.
Cold War tactic to better understand China's intentions seeks funding
A bipartisan bill was introduced that aims to improve the understanding of China and potentially other strategic rivals of the United States.
The House bill introduced by Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Bill Keating (D-MA) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) would provide for the establishment of a federally funded Open Translation and Analysis Center (OTAC) focused on China.
The legislation follows the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS), which provided translation and analysis of the Soviet bloc and other foreign government media during the Cold War.
Referring to the acronyms of the People's Republic of China and its ruling Communist Party and armed forces, the OTAC would "systematically translate PRC/CCP/PLA speeches, documents, reports, strategies, news articles, commentaries, journal articles, procurement contracts into English and publish them freely online."
The propaganda war during the Sherman visit
China's online media began issuing the first news bulletins Monday morning covering the remarks made by Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng as he met with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Tianjin.
Usually, the first take on US-China relations -- the most critical relationship for Beijing -- comes from state-run outlets such as Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television. Having the bulletins come from online news media was unconventional.
Though the Xie-Sherman meeting was private, Beijing waged a fierce propaganda war behind the scenes in a calculated and complex manner, utilizing online media.
The episode demonstrates that China is diversifying its ways to propagate foreign and security policies.
China's techlash gains steam - Global capitalists are spooked
First, it was fintech.
Then Alibaba and Tencent were targeted by Chinese trustbusters.
This month regulators banned Didi Global's ride-hailing app over data transgressions.
And now, ed-tech companies were told they could no longer profit or use offshore vehicles to trade their shares abroad.
These actions reflect the Chinese government's "overriding concern" that it has less control over its internet - a sector that has been underregulated for years.
Who will be next?
Look for video gaming, internet-connected cars, and online health care.
Presently only Chinese-based companies have been the targets of such heavy-handed regulation. Still, as always, Western multinational companies are wise to modify behavior to meet local Chinese law and cultural direction.
These types of actions are capitalism with Chinese characters.
China Communications Intelligence is actionable insights + global political trends for senior corporate communications executives.
