China’s wolf warrior approach

28 Jul China’s wolf warrior approach

(GS PAPER-2, DIPLOMACY

SOURCE- THE HINDU)

Context:

China’s assertive new diplomatic approach in the era of  Xi Jinping has come to be recorded as “wolf warrior diplomacy”, stuck by a muscular posture in pursuing China’s vital interests.

What is wolf war diplomacy

• “Wolf-warrior diplomacy,” was named on one of the famous Chinese dramas and movies, describing offensives by Chinese diplomats to defend China’s vital interests, often in offensive ways.

• It emphasizes a presumed transition of Chinese foreign diplomacy from conservative, passive, and low-key to assertive and proactive roles.

Instances:

• In the last year, the Chinese foreign ministry has taken a growingly strident pitch against the United States, India, Australia, and other quad countries.

• In the south China sea, China declared the naming of 80 islands, reefs, seamounts, shoals, and ridges, triggering angry protests from other claimants areas

• China also tried to enter India from various places.

Why is China resorting to wolf-warrior diplomacy?

 Nationalism: Since 2010, when China’s GDP overtook Japan as the world’s second-largest, the Chinese confidence rises and China’s foreign policy has become more assertive.

China as a great power: The earliest diplomatic offensive act of china is one of the parts of the official effort to project China as a great power that is leading the global fight against the COVID-19. China’s image was badly suffered during the covid crisis due to its bungled handling of the outbreak at the early stage.

How successful has this approach been in a holistic way–

• The wolf-warrior diplomacy is already creating hurdles in China’s foreign policy, since it has created pushback, such as Australia’s calls for independent surveillance into the coronavirus’ origins.

• China’s soft power is very weak worldwide; a lethargic approach will further damage China’s global image.

• Wolf warrior tactics, along with its military assertiveness on the China-India border, has summed up pushing India much closer to the U.S., and pushing a billion plus-person economy.

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