Michael Gritzbach
When was the last time you called an automated customer service hotline, desperate to explain your issue, only to find that none of the options fit your needs? Now imagine the hotline keeps parroting irrelevant responses – except millions of lives depend on you getting your point across. This is the daily reality for many military personnel in the Pacific when dealing with their Chinese counterparts.
While global conflicts have been avoided in the past through diplomacy and direct communication – even between bitter adversaries like the United States and Russia – China’s military and Communist Party officials often rely on rigid, scripted responses that obstruct meaningful dialogue. Instead of exchanging information, they parrot party lines, ignore pressing questions, or refuse to engage altogether.
The stakes could not be higher. Misunderstandings in this fragile geopolitical environment, especially with current shifts to more militarization and conflict, risk triggering unnecessary escalations that could spiral into full-scale conflict.
Chinese military officials and diplomats have long displayed a frustrating communication style that prioritizes adherence to party doctrine over constructive engagement. At Harvard Kennedy School, a high-ranking U.S. military official recently described meeting with a senior Chinese counterpart: Every question posed to the Chinese delegation was met with scripted responses. Even worse, these responses bore no relation to the actual questions. While U.S. officials sought to build trust and mutual understanding, the Chinese side remained steadfastly robotic, effectively stonewalling any meaningful exchange.
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