Foundinchina.com

Here is part of an analysis of Rudd’s speech to the students at Peking University:

Rudd then spoke about China joining the rest of humanity as “a responsible global stakeholder” - a lead-in to addressing the pressing issue of Tibet. By framing his comments in such a manner, he established his right - and by extension the right of others - to disagree with both Chinese official and mainstream opinion on matters of international concern. There is a venerable Chinese expression for this position: “A true friend,” Rudd went on, “is one who can be a zhengyou, that is a partner who sees beyond immediate benefit to the broader and firm basis for continuing, profound and sincere friendship.”

The subsequent Chinese media discussion of Rudd’s use of the powerful and meaning-laden term zhengyou - the true friend who dares to disagree - has been considerable. That is because the more common word “friendship” (youyi) has been a cornerstone of China’s post-1949 diplomacy.

To be a friend of China, the Chinese people, the party-state or, in the reform period, even a mainland business partner, the foreigner is often expected to stomach unpalatable situations, and keep silent in the face of egregious behaviour. A friend of China might enjoy the privilege of offering the occasional word of caution in private; in the public arena he or she is expected to have the good sense and courtesy to be “objective”, that is to toe the line, whatever that happens to be. The concept of “friendship” thus degenerates into little more than an effective tool for emotional blackmail and enforced complicity.

Rudd’s tactic was to deftly sidestep the vice-like embrace of that model of friendship by substituting another. “A strong relationship, and a true friendship,” he told the students, “are built on the ability to engage in a direct, frank and ongoing dialogue about our fundamental interests and future vision.”

The distinction was not lost on the Chinese. The official newsagency Xinhua reported: “Eyes lit up when [Rudd] used this expression … it means friendship based on speaking the truth, speaking responsibly. It is evident that to be a zhengyou first thing one needs is the magnanimity of pluralism.” Of course, in the land of linguistic slippage it is easy to see that while for some zhengyou means speaking out of turn, for others it may simply become another way for allowing pesky foreigners to let off steam.

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This is exactly how all foreign leaders should be engaging China, and who better than Rudd with his command of the language and culture after spending years as a diplomat in Beijing. As Rudd realises, you get nowhere by kowtowing to Beijing’s expectations of flattery with superlatives and the use of language designed to tread safely on eggshells.

There is a real need for the kind of frankness that China typically reacts to using empty terms such as ‘unwise’, ‘irresponsible’, or ‘unnecessary’.  Let’s hope that the Chinese government can embrace the hand of zhengyou and learn to accept criticism and disagreement from overseas with the same alacrity that she currently criticises foreign countries. That will need a more widespread adoption of pluralism than Beijing is presently comfortable with. 

It is the rejection of pluralism (as in the case of the recent and ongoing Tibet/torch saga) that has caused a wave of anti-western feeling to sweep over the country through the use of emotive propaganda in the state-controlled media. This has even reached my door. Simply by being a foreigner I’ve been informed several times (anonymously, I should add) that I should be ashamed of myself for the west’s portrayal of China!!  This does not augur well for a country preparing to play host to the world.

Ultimately, in a totalitarian regime, the government is responsible for producing this self-serving anger against western critics. Rudd was brave enough to tell the Chinese in their own language that criticism is not synonymous with being anti-China, and that Beijing has a responsibility to allow the dissenting voice to be heard.