DIPLOMAT DIALECT

BY GINGER HUANG (黃原竟)

DIPLOMAT DIALECT

BY GINGER HUANG (黃原竟)

The delicate art of saying nothing

怎樣像外交官一樣說話

In a press conference in 1963, Western journalists asked what weapon hit a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft from Taiwan, and Chen Yi, the then foreign minister, replied, “We poked at it with bamboo sticks.”

Today, the world has changed, and Chinese diplomatic language has developed into a whole new system that's much less humorous while adopting a programmed style. It takes more than a little decoding to understand it, so, everyone, here's a bit of a cipher.

FRIENDS WITH (DIPLOMATIC) BENEFITS

Like all diplomatic language, when the term “friendly” is used, it does not always mean friendly. But a good indicator of sincerity is when it is used in conjunction with the word“amiable”, for example:

The conversation was carried out under amiable and friendly circumstances.

Tánhuà zài qīnqiè yǒuhǎo de fēnwéi zhōng jìnxíng.

談話在親切友好的氛圍中進行。

Although, it should be noted that such a conversation is purely social and entirely unimportant. When the conversation is not just friendly, but is also carried out “seriously” (認真的 rènzhēn de) or “candidly” (坦率的 tǎnshuài de), it usually signi fi es the opposite of a close relationship. These talks are often carried out when in disagreement and/or con fl ict. For example, former Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka visited China in 1972, and had a “serious and friendly” talk with China's then Premier Zhou Enlai, and the communication was, again, noted as being “serious and candid”. During these talks, China concluded that the two countries had been in an “abnormal relationship” (i.e. long-term, burning hatred) and that it should be brought to an end.

So, who's a friend? Well, the most well-known code here is to call a person or a country “an old friend of the Chinese people”. If this is said, things are probably going along nicely. For example:

Xi Jinping praised Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh as old friends of the Chinese people, who have made important contributions to the development of the Sino-India relationship.

Xí Jìnpíng zànshǎng Suǒníyè·Gāndì hé Xīn,gé shì Zhōngguó rénmín de lǎopéngyou, chángqī yǐlái wèi Zhō ng-Yìn guānxì fāzhǎn zuòchūle zhòngyào gòngxiàn.

習近平贊賞索尼婭·甘地和辛格是中國人民的老朋友，長期以來為中印關系發展做出了重要貢獻。

Truly affectionate friendships can usually be found between China and its old third-world comrades who fought together against the imperialist, capitalist dogs. For example, one can fi nd such diplomatic speech used in the relationship between China and Zimbabwe; it's abundant with unalloyed warmth and affection:

Chinese people will never forget old friends who have stuck through thick and thin together and understand and support each other.

Zhōngguó rénmín yǒngyuǎn bú huì wàngjì céngjīng fēngyǔ tóngzhōu、xiānghù lǐjiě hé zhīchí de lǎopéngyou.

中國人民永遠不會忘記曾經風雨同舟、相互理解和支持的老朋友。

China is willing to continue the long friendship with Zimbabwe and strengthen cooperation in various aspects. China and Zimbabwe should be good friends, good partners, and good brothers who treat each other fairly, support and benefit each other, and develop hand in hand.

Zhōngfāng yuàn tóng Jīnfāng yídào, hóngyáng chuántǒng yǒuyì, jiāqiáng gè lǐngyù hézuò, zuò píngděng xiāngdài、xiānghù zhīchí、hùlì gòngyíng、gòngtóng fāzhǎn de hǎopéngyou、hǎohuǒbàn、hǎoxiōngdì.

中方愿同津方一道，弘揚傳統友誼，加強各領域合作，做平等相待、相互支持、互利共贏、共同發展的好朋友、好伙伴、好兄弟。

ALL WORDS FALL PALE AND POWERLESS IN FRONT OF THE INTENSE FRIENDSHIP THAT IS THE ULTIMATE, UNDYING BROTHERHOOD OF THAT BETWEEN CHINA AND CUBA

And if you can't get into bed with Mugabe, who can you get into bed with? The somewhat lavish use of repetitious structure here can be confusing, but in Chinese rhetoric it is a simple parallelism, frequently employed to show intense emotion in diplomatic language. However, all words fall pale and powerless in front of the intense friendship that is the ultimate, undying brotherhood of that between China and Cuba:

China cherishes its long friendship with Cuba. No matter how the international situation changes, China will always adhere to the everlasting friendship with Cuba, which is an established policy.

Zhōngfāng zhēnshì Zhōng-Gǔ chuántǒng yǒuyì, búlùn guójì xíngshì zěnme biàn, jiānchí Zhōng-Gǔ chángqī yǒuhǎo shì Zhōngfāng de jìdìng fāngzhēn.

中方珍視中古傳統友誼，不論國際形勢怎么變，堅持中古長期友好是中方的既定方針。

We are determined to deepen our sincere, loyal friendship, cooperate on a mutually beneficial basis, and be partners in reforms and development.

Wǒmen yào jiāndìng bùyí shēnhuà gāndǎn xiāngzhào de yǒuyì, jiāndìng bùyí kāizhǎn hùlì shuāngyíng de hézuò, jiāndìng bùyí zuò gǎigé fāzhǎn de huǒbàn.

我們要堅定不移深化肝膽相照的友誼，堅定不移開展互利雙贏的合作，堅定不移做改革發展的伙伴。

Ah, young love based on Cold War politics and a mutual, perpetual distrust and hatred of he US. Get a room, you two.

OF COURSE, THE TERM IS MOST OFTEN APPLIED TO CHINA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ITS OLD PAL, JAPAN

HURTING THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S FEELINGS

A classic but mild level of protest and condemnation is for the Chinese government to “reproach trongly”.

The China-related remarks recently made by Australian senator Palmer are unreasonable and ridiculous. We eproach it strongly.

Aodàlìyà liánbāng zhòngyìyuá n Pà'ěrmò ìnrì shè Huá yánlùn shífēn wúlǐ、huāngtá ng, wǒ men yǔyǐ qiángliè qiǎnzé.

澳大利亞聯邦眾議員帕爾默近日涉華言論十分無理、荒唐，我們予以強烈譴責。

A higher level of condemnation is “a strong dissatisfaction and fi rm opposition”. Make sure to always use the two phrases together, although it doesn't matter which comes fi rst. It is always applied in response to perceived offensive gestures against China. Of course, the term is most often applied to China's relationship with its old pal, Japan:

China expresses a strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition [against Japan's latest defense white paper].

Zhōngfāng biǎoshì qiángliè bùmǎn hé jiā njué fǎnduì.

中方表示強烈不滿和堅決反對。

Also, there is the United States' constant harassing of China on human rights issues:

China expresses firm opposition and strong dissatisfaction towards this. We urge the United States to immediately correct its wrongdoings, and cease all words and deeds that interfere with China's domestic affairs.

Zhōngfāng duì c ǐ biǎoshì jiānjué fǎ nduì hé qiángliè bùmǎn. Wǒmen yā oqiú Měifāng lìjí jiūzhèng yǒuguān cuòwù zuòfǎ, tíngzhǐ yíqiè gānshè Zhōngguó nèizhèng de yánxíng.

中方對此表示堅決反對和強烈不滿。我們要求美方立即糾正有關錯誤做法，停止一切干涉中國內政的言行。

How the US (or “Western media”as is commonly cited) interfered is not important, but the important thing to take away is: China mad! China smash!

An upgraded version of condemnation is “solemn representations and strong protest”, which usually indicates a really serious injury to China's interests or dignity. An occasion, for example, would be Japanese cabinet members visiting the Yasukuni Shrine:

China has made solemn representations to Japan and protests strongly. We urge Japan to cease all provocative acts that go contrary to the trend of the times.

Zhōngfāng yǐ xiàng Rìfāng tíchū yánzhèng jiāoshè hé kàngyì. W ǒmen dūncù Rìfāng tíngzhǐ yíqiè yǔ shídài cháoliú bèi dào ér chí de tiǎoxìn xíngwé i.

中方已向日方提出嚴正交涉和抗議。我們敦促日方停止一切與時代潮流背道而馳的挑釁行為。

Also, an offense is plainly unforgivable when it “injures the Chinese people's feelings”, which seems to happen rather a lot. But, hey, we Chinese are a sensitive lot, and if anyone knows how all of us feel, it's the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

This action seriously interfered with China's domestic affairs, injured the feelings of the Chinese people, and damaged Sino-US relations.

Cǐ jǔ yánzhòng gānshè Zhōngguó nèizhè ng, shānghài Zhōngguó rénmín gǎnqíng, sǔnhài Zhōng-Mě i guānxi.

此舉嚴重干涉中國內政，傷害中國人民感情，損害中美關系。