Chapter 59 Chapter 8 Wu Jianmin brandishes the sword of diplomacy

On the afternoon of March 21, 1991, Wu Jianmin, who had just stepped down from the post of Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Belgium, walked into the press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Beijing International Club.This is the first time he has appeared in public as the "Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson" since he served as the 10th director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has become the ninth spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since China's reform and opening up. The spokesperson system of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was first established in 1983 by Qian Qichen, then director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was also the first spokesperson of the Chinese government.Since then, the spokesperson system initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been promoted in other government departments.

Being a government spokesperson is a very challenging job. The person involved must not only have a keen political sense and profound cultural accumulation, but also need to have flexible coping skills and the ability to take the initiative on the spot.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a sensitive nerve of the country, implicating national interests and foreign relations, and even a slight mistake will cause irreparable losses.However, from 1991 to 1994, Wu Jianmin presided over a total of 170 press conferences as a "spokesperson" without any mistakes.His quick thinking, excellent eloquence and calm, decisive, tough and soft coping skills have been well received by domestic and foreign colleagues, politicians and journalists.

People will never forget the hard work and sweat that the Chinese put in to bid for the right to host the 2000 Olympic Games, let alone the days and nights when the soldiers of the Beijing Olympic Bid Committee went to Monte Carlo in the fall of 1993 to win the right to host the Olympic Games. On September 16, 1993, the Beijing bid city delegation headed by Li Lanqing flew to Monte Carlo, Monaco to attend the 101st plenary meeting of the International Olympic Committee.The meeting will decide the bid cities for the 2000 Olympic Games.In order to increase the propaganda power of the Olympic bid, the Beijing Olympic Bid Committee added Wu Jianmin, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in addition to Wu Chongyuan and Ding Weijun, who are in charge of propaganda.

At that time, due to the follow-up impact of the "89 Incident", some Western countries continued to blame China on "human rights" and other issues, and China's diplomacy was under great pressure.After the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution against allowing China to host the Olympics in July of that year, the European Parliament formally passed a resolution on September 16 against giving Beijing the right to host the 2000 Olympics.The governments of the UK and Australia are also cooperating with each other. On September 14, when Australian Prime Minister Keyan visited the United States, he publicly stated that "don't let politics overwhelm sports ideals" and asked the International Olympic Committee not to choose Beijing; In a TV station breakfast interview, he told reporters, "The best choice is Manchester. If Manchester loses the election, everyone should come to Sydney to participate in the Olympic Games. It would be a bad idea to choose Beijing."There are various indications that Western "prepared" journalists will besiege China in Monte Carlo.

On the afternoon of the 17th, the IOC Executive Committee opened at the Sivi Sports Palace in Monte Carlo.Wu Jianmin and Wu Chongyuan held the first press conference at the Monte Carlo Press Center. After introducing the situation of the Beijing delegation, they unceremoniously criticized Hurd's statement in Sydney that "it would be a bad idea for Beijing to host the Olympic Games". On the 20th, the 101st plenary session of the International Olympic Committee opened.Wu Jianmin held his 4th press conference in Monte Carlo at the Monte Carlo Press Center.As one might expect, some Western journalists took this opportunity to take turns attacking China on the "human rights" issue.Wu Jianmin responded passionately:

"The Chinese government is very concerned about human rights. The Chinese people rose up in revolution and struggled for more than 100 years, just for human rights and the right to be human... Before 1949, 80% of the Chinese people could not eat. Millions of people died of hunger. When the hungry and cold Chinese people were living in dire straits and struggling to die, who in the western powers sympathized with China's human rights? Who would appeal for China's human rights? On the contrary, they They are all on the side of the oppressors—this is an indisputable historical fact. But today, the Chinese people are fed and clothed, and they 'care' about human rights in China. Isn't that weird?!"

A reporter saw Wu Jianmin's expression was very serious when he spoke, and knowingly asked, "Why are you so excited?" Wu Jianmin said: "You should understand that if a person is scolded for no reason, can he remain calm and not get agitated?" Another reporter said: Your Chinese "emphasis on human rights" is "political interference in sports." Wu Jianmin said: "It's not that the Chinese are the first to talk about human rights, but someone scolded us every day. We scolded us for four days. We have already retreated. Don't we even have the right to defend ourselves? That's too unfair!" Shout out in English: "The Olympic spirit is pure, and the ideal is noble."

All the reporters present were shocked by Wu Jianmin's fearless spirit.The Associated Press evaluated Wu Jianmin's speech as "full of emotion" and "speaking in fluent English without a speech script" in a newsletter that day, and said that "the change in tone and way of talking seems to be due to the voting time." approach to improve Beijing’s image.” Vice Premier Li Lanqing, who was in Monte Carlo, also spoke highly of Wu Jianmin’s outstanding performance. In the spring of 1994, US Secretary of State Christopher visited China with Clinton's "Most Favored Nation" card and the stick of "Human Rights".As a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wu Jianmin held a "briefing" after the Chinese leader's meeting with Christopher.

An American reporter came up and asked: "The United States believes that its diplomats can freely and freely meet foreign citizens abroad. What is your comment on this?" Wu Jianmin replied: "The United States has American laws, and China has Chinese laws. China cannot be the same as the United States. Some people always think that the United States is the best, but it is not necessarily the case. I have stayed in your country for 10 years. I think If China wants to learn from the United States, even if it is 100% successful, China will not be peaceful. There are 5 million homeless people in the United States, and China’s population is 5 times that of the United States. Think about it, if 25 million homeless people Wandering around in China's big cities, will China still be peaceful?"

Another American reporter asked: "Now that June 3 is not far away, what actions does China intend to take to meet the seven demands raised by the United States on human rights issues in order to maintain the most-favored-nation status?" Wu Jianmin said: "This remark typically reflects the character of you Americans. You are very anxious! Why are you so anxious? You Americans have American personalities, and we Chinese have Chinese personalities. Why should we learn from you? This The time limit is set by you Americans, not by us Chinese. The United States has American plans, and China has Chinese plans. Neither of us should impose on others. I participated in the meeting between President Jiang Zemin and President Clinton in Seattle last year. Clinton The president also said that neither of us, the United States and China, should impose on others, which is very good! You Americans follow the American way, and we Chinese follow the Chinese way. The Chinese have walked their own way for 5,000 years. !"

Speaking of this, there was a burst of laughter from the venue. At this time, a Western reporter asked: "You are heavily guarded when Christopher visits China, as if you are facing a big enemy, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid that your regime will not be stable?" Wu Jianmin hadn't thought of this question beforehand, and he didn't have a unified answer in advance, so what should we do?Wu Jianmin suddenly thought of what he had personally experienced in Seattle.He said: "In November 1993, when I participated in the informal meeting of APEC leaders in Seattle as a staff member of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once I got on the elevator, just as a leader was about to walk over, the American security guards slapped me. I pushed it away." The reporter asked seriously, "Did you protest?" "Although I'm unhappy, I understand that the security guard is performing his duties." Wu Jianming said firmly, "The Chinese government has nothing to fear. I haven't seen any country in the world that grows at double digits. , the government will fall." The CNN reporter who was present in Beijing said to Wu Jianmin: "Well said, I have been waiting for two years to say this." Another Beijing-based reporter from Hong Kong excitedly called him China's "diplomatic hotpot".