Keep Putting on a Show, Gary Locke!

The United States Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, took office in August. He and his family believe in, support and represent values such as freedom, equality and democracy, which are considered God-given human rights in America. Consequentially, he is doomed to become a new walking and talking benchmark for Chinese people who want to compare him to Chinese officials. He is also fated to be a topic of heated debate wherever he goes in China.

The elites of China are unhappy

Yet, some of the so-called elites of China are unhappy and even afraid of Locke. The representatives of these elites have started to sully his name, criticizing his actions and deeds in China.

The famous Rui Chenggang disapproved of Locke’s conduct during his visit to China. Besides harshly mocking Locke during the Davos conference, he said on his blog that Locke “always takes every opportunity he can get to promote American values as much as possible.” In Rui’s eyes, Locke has virtually become China’s annoyance. What’s more, Xiang Xiaodong, another member of China’s so-called elite, wrote an article on Guangming Online entitled “Watch Out for Gary Locke and the American Neocolonialism He Brings.” Xiang believes that Locke’s arrival “signifies a high-point information age neocolonialism and signifies that the ideological clashes between China and America have erupted on a large-scale,” interpreting Locke’s belief in equality and sensitivity to the people’s needs to be a scam to ultimately “win the hearts and minds of the Chinese people.” This ploy will be enacted to “factionalize China” and its belief groups. According to Xiang, this has “exposed America’s base and despicable plans to use Chinese people to control China, causing turmoil in the Chinese government.”

An article appeared in government-controlled media outlet Global Times entitled “Hopefully Gary Locke Can Do a Good Job as Ambassador to China.” The article even more strongly disapproved of Locke’s “show of being a common man” and “show of honesty.” It even seriously warned Locke that in the future, he should do his job well and should not try to start a “new revolution.” At the same time, the paper remembered to warn other media outlets that had warmly praised Locke to “conduct themselves with dignity.”

Goodwill gushes from the people

Even when faced with deception from the government-controlled media outlets and some of China’s elites, the Chinese people are not going to be fooled. All the mud that the elites have been slinging has not only failed to repress the goodwill that the common Chinese feel toward Gary Locke: On the contrary, they have become a lesson in what should not be done. Rui Chenggang’s speech attracted numerous mocking and cynical remarks from the netizens after it was aired. Xiang Xiaodong’s argument was called “an article written by a brain-dead person” and “an article with the flavor of a Red Guard from the Cultural Revolution.” As for the patronizing article written by Global Times, the online response to its content can be easily inferred.

It is true that Locke put on an “American show” while he was in China; that is, he was fulfilling America’s expectations for how an official should act. He was simply embodying the democratic ideals: First, American officials should not have special privileges, and second, they should not be able to waste taxpayers’ hard-earned money. He was also embodying the values that America upholds: liberty, equality and democracy. Thus, the contrast between the “show” that Locke puts on and the “show” that many officials put on in China is as sharp as night and day. It gives the Chinese people a feeling of warmth and hope. Moreover, Locke’s actions, which demonstrate the values of liberty, equality and democracy, are exactly what the Chinese people hope for and ought to have. Gary Locke, be bold, and continue to put on your show!