China Power | Diplomacy | East Asia

Whatever Happened to ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy?

In recent years, Beijing has become a lot more selective in how, where, and when it deploys the assertive diplomatic tactic.

In recent years, Beijing has adopted a calmer tone in its foreign policy, as President Xi Jinping has called on officials to build a “credible, lovable, and respectable image of China.” This transition has led many observers to conclude that China has abandoned “wolf warrior” diplomacy.

This is not entirely the case.

Rather than retreating from its well-known “wolf warrior” diplomacy, which it adopted in 2019, Beijing has differentiated its diplomatic messaging according to audience, issue, and strategic objective. In short, China did not abandon wolf warrior diplomacy but has rather become far more selective in where, when, and against whom it deploys the tactic.

The Rise of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy 

China has pursued a more assertive foreign policy since Xi Jinping came to power in 2012. Xi introduced the concept of “major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics,” in which he highlighted two points: first, building a “community with a shared future for mankind”; and second, what Xi coined as the need to “dare to fight,” whereby China strives to defend its core interests and assert itself in international discourse. The 19th National Congress in 2017 mentioned “national sovereignty, security, and development interests” alongside the “core national interests,” but China has never published any official documents to more specifically identify its core interests. This leaves Beijing with room to maneuver. 

Starting in 2019, Chinese foreign policy became noticeably more assertive in its language. The trend was labeled “wolf warrior diplomacy,” named after the Chinese Rambo-style action film. Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry and a key figure of wolf warrior diplomacy, frequently used social media to publicly criticize foreign governments. Scholars Yaoyao Dai and Luwei Rose Luqiu found a “steady and sharp increase in the hostility in diplomatic sentiment during Xi’s presidency” focused on sovereignty, terrorism, human rights, and Taiwan/One China.

For instance, in 2019 China’s ambassador to Sweden said in a radio interview that “We treat our friends with fine wine, but for our enemies we’ve got shotguns.”

In March 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhao Lijian speculated on Twitter that “It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan,” fueling a conspiracy theory. “US owe us an explanation!” Zhao demanded.

During the 2021 United States-China talks in Alaska, Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Yang Jiechi said that “the United States should not be ‘condescending’ in its tone when speaking to China, as the Chinese people never buy it.”

In 2023, Beijing warned Taiwan and its allies to stop “playing with fire.”

Since then, the headlines about jaw-dropping comments have dwindled. But Beijing did not abandon wolf warrior diplomacy; it simply became more selective about using it. China now tailors its messaging according to the strategic importance of the audience and the issue at hand.

The United States continues to face Beijing’s most assertive diplomatic rhetoric on issues that China sees as its core interests, particularly Taiwan and national security.

One example would be during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit in May 2026. While the visit was mostly a showcase of cordiality, it did have a sharp edge. Xi Jinping described Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations,” warning that mishandling the issue could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” and push bilateral relations into a dangerous situation. At the same time, both governments emphasized the importance of maintaining a “stable relationship despite their differences, with discussions focusing on strategic stability, economic cooperation, and managing competition.”

On issues involving its core interests, such as Taiwan, Beijing continues to take a firm and uncompromising position. At the same time, it increasingly presents these positions alongside the language of dialogue, cooperation,........

© The Diplomat