How ping -pong diplomacy helps to break the firm ice of Sino -US relations in the early 1970s. It is a well -known story.In fact, when the formal relationship between the two countries is tense or does not exist at all, informal diplomacy can help relieve tension or bridge differences.

As an informal diplomacy, folk diplomacy was once again reflected in the current global fighting coronary virus.In the severe period of working in China to control the epidemic, people in many countries expressed sympathy and support by donating medical supplies from China.In return, Chinese companies and individuals have also donated anti -epidemic supplies to countries currently suffered by coronary viruses.This informal diplomacy is often quietly carried out in the folk, and it is unique to the formal diplomacy that is different from national leaders and diplomats at the government level.

On the carton of rescue supplies transported to Wuhan in China, Japanese donors posted two slang words embroidered by the thousands of words embroidered by the Tang Dynasty monks:The mountains and rivers are exotic, and the wind and moon are the same.Many Chinese are deeply moved and believe that the enemy in Japan is a real friend of China.

This obviously has opened a new diplomatic trend that proves that culture can be used in international relations to establish goodwill.For example, South Korea's donations to China are also printed with Chinese classical poetry.

No one expects all historical disputes between China and Japan to disappear, but the Japanese people's intimate and poetic actions will at least help reduce the hostility between the two countries.

When asked how China thinks of this kind of neighbor and friendly movement in Japan, Geng Shuang, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted the verses in the Book of Songs: I voted for Mi Tao and reported it to Qiong Yao, implying that China would report to Li.

In fact, when Japan and South Korea were attacked by coronary viruses a few weeks later, the Chinese people returned to the two neighboring countries to give masks and protective clothing.When the 1 million mask donated by Alibaba founder Ma Yun used to Japan, the carton was affixed with Aoyama on the carton, with the words of the wind and rain.

When the coronary virus spread to Europe and North America, the Chinese began to support friends from afar.When Ma Yun donated 500,000 virus testing kits and 1 million masks to the United States, he used the words familiar to Americans: unity is stored, and division is dead.Alibaba Public Welfare Foundation also donated 2 million protective masks to European countries.

When Italy made a call for help, and its EU partner initially turned a deaf ear, China sent a team of medical professionals to Italy and transported a large number of medical products including masks and respirators.China Technology Corporation Xiaomi posted a piece of paper on the material box transported to Italy, printed with the famous saying of ancient Roman philosopher Seneca: We are the waves of the same sea, the leaves of the same tree, and the flowers of the same garden (WeAre Waves of the Same Sea, Leaves of the Same Tree, Flowers of the Same Garden).

On the material box shipped to France, the Chinese use the famous saying of the French Wenhao Hugo: Unis Nous Vaincrons (unity can win).Sympathy for the predicament needs a broad mind; if you can express it artificially in the language of the other person, the meaning will be more extraordinary.

International relations scholars often distinguish the so -called high -level politics and low -level politics.High -level politics is related to the survival of a country and includes issues involving military, national security and formal diplomatic.The survival of a country is not a crucial issue, but it belongs to low -level politics, usually including economic and social issues, and most domestic problems.

Classical realism only values high -level politics, and completely ignores low -level politics.Liberalism believes that in a world of interdependence, low -level politics is important, but it does not deny high -level politics.During the Cold War, economic issues were considered low -level politics, but now it is obviously upgraded to high -level politics, because economic competition between countries has become a major feature of the contemporary world.

National leaders rarely deal with low -level political issues.When the president, the prime minister, and their cabinet handle the alliance, signing the treaty, and other high -level politics such as national security -related affairs, they usually assign social and cultural affairs that belong to low -level politics and assigned to administrative officials.

In international relations, government officials often focus on security, military or trade, and despise or completely ignore other soft levels in international politics.State leaders often safeguard their national interests, emphasize the differences between the country, and ignore the common interests of the country.

In the efforts of global anti -coronary viruses, the current informal diplomatic wave reminds us that as humans, we have many commons in common mdash; mdash; we all appreciate the beauty of nature, long for peace and health, and cherish family and friendship.The coronary virus also reminds us that in this interdependent world, we face a joint challenge to cooperate at the government and non -governmental level.

Chinese companies such as Huawei and Alibaba have been actively participating in informal diplomacy, which also provides them with good opportunities for their social responsibility.At the beginning of China's reform and opening up, Deng Xiaoping had said that he became rich and glorious.For a long time, Chinese businessmen have been focusing on making money and lacking understanding of the concept of corporate social responsibility.Now, Chinese companies are increasingly aware of their social responsibilities in local and global as members of community members.

Charity is obviously a field where they are committed now.Therefore, many Chinese companies, like other places, are not surprising to donate masks, kites and other medical supplies to nationals that have been affected by coronary virus.This low -key civil exchanges will undoubtedly help enhance the goodwill and friendship between the country.

Of course, for enterprises, this is also an opportunity to expand public relations.For example, Huawei hopes to shape himself into a responsible and caring company and improve its international image.Huawei's international image is severely damaged because the US government has accused it of being related to the Chinese military.In fact, Governor of New York State Governor has publicly thanked Huawei to donate N95 masks, isolation clothes, medical goggles and gloves to New York residents.

If you want to walk fast, then act alone; if you want to go far, then go with each other, the African proverb says.We will continue to fight crown diseases in all countries in the world. We hope that people around the world will work together to deal with this common challenge through informal diplomacy.It is not time to accuse others, but to unite the time to defeat the fatal virus.

(The author is a professor of international relations and politics at the University of Barker University. This article is a THINKCHINA Pure of English Electronics Magazine (ThinkChina), a subsidiary of Lianhe Zaobao. The original English title is Informal Diplomacy: The Way to Solidarity in A Global Crisis.Gold Shun Translation)