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When Beijing says relations have “turned around,” it’s not reassurance — it’s a test. Thursday's PRC Foreign Ministry readout of talks with Canada’s PM is packed with familiar phrases: mutual respect, core interests, seeking common ground, pragmatic cooperation. That language isn’t descriptive. It’s designed to set terms — redefining the relationship so criticism becomes friction and restraint becomes goodwill. This is diplomatic gatekeeping, not reconciliation. And it’s part of a broader CCP playbook aimed at linking economic cooperation to political acquiescence.
Read up on how this language works to shape perceptions so you don't swallow the slogans:
Chinese MFA readout:
Jan 16
at
4:00 PM