[Beijing Diary] Wang Yi Holding a Blue Pen, Qin Gang Holding a Red Book

One of the most prominent political events in China, the Two Sessions (National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference), saw the most intense media attention focused on Wang Yi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. As one of China's top political stars, his long experience is reflected in his rhetoric and demeanor during press conferences, imbued with a distinctly Chinese character. Consequently, every word he utters and every term he uses often sparks various interpretations and rumors.

Last year, the two major figures attracting attention were Li Qiang, newly appointed as the 'second-ranking member of the Communist Party,' and Qin Gang, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, who symbolized China's 'wolf warrior diplomacy.' There was particular interest in how aggressively Minister Qin would target the West, especially since this was a period when US-China relations were deteriorating rapidly following the downing of a US reconnaissance balloon.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

When asked about Taiwan, Minister Qin held up a red copy of the constitution and began reading the preface, stating, "Taiwan is a part of China's territory, and accomplishing national reunification is the sacred duty of the Chinese people." He himself said, "I knew the Taiwan issue would definitely come up today, so I specially brought a copy of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China," indicating that this was a premeditated and prepared performance. Regarding diplomacy, he sharply warned, "If the United States continues down the wrong path without hitting the brakes, no matter how many guardrails there are, derailment cannot be prevented, and there will only be collisions and confrontations."

This year’s atmosphere was quite different. A notable moment during Minister Wang’s press conference on the 7th came when a foreign correspondent from China-Arab TV asked about "the importance of effectively conveying China's story in the new era and what role foreign journalists can play in this." Wang Yi picked up a blue pen in front of him, pointed at the reporter, and smiled brightly, saying, "Aren't you the young man who danced the 'Kemu San' dance? I saw it in the video. Do you still dance?"

The context is as follows. The reporter who asked the question was the very person who performed the Kemu San dance at a reception held by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for foreign journalists on February 2nd, ahead of the Lunar New Year. The Kemu San dance began trending on Chinese social media and gained popularity in Korea as well, known as the 'Haidilao dance' or 'Naruto dance.' Both Foreign Ministry spokespersons Hua Chunying and Mao Ning attended the event and greeted reporters, but Minister Wang did not. It is presumed that Minister Wang later viewed the event video and recognized the reporter’s face. Although speculative, it is possible that his recognition and greeting were a deliberate event.

The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left and right) is smiling while pointing at a foreign correspondent from China-Arab TV (center) during a press conference held at the Beijing Media Center on the 7th. (Photo by Baidu, China)

Additionally, Minister Wang continued with conciliatory remarks such as, "We hope to strengthen dialogue and communication with the United States, promote friendly exchanges among people from all walks of life, and build more bridges of mutual understanding to eliminate unnecessary misunderstandings and prejudices," and "I firmly believe it is entirely possible for the two great powers to find a path to coexistence." Regarding the Taiwan issue, he stated, "We will never allow independence," but this remains consistent with China’s existing stance. A year ago, Minister Qin used much stronger language, saying, "Anyone playing with fire on the Taiwan issue will be burned to death."

While last year’s biggest topic in China was 'With-Corona,' this year’s external goal seems to be something like 'With-China.' Leading up to and during the Two Sessions, officials including the Premier have persistently emphasized opening up. On the 7th, the State Council even issued guidelines encouraging cash usage to improve payment convenience for foreigners, instructing ticket offices and retail stores in domestic tourist spots to "prepare change." The question now is who and how many will join China (in investment) this year. The results will gauge China’s true capabilities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.