A welcome and useful debate on diplomacy

Delivering a speech on the modern world and China's diplomacy at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing on March 30, Wu Jianmin, China's former ambassador to France and former president of the university, said the main theme of the world is peace and development, and criticized the Global Times for publishing some articles with extreme views which could mislead readers into believing in war and revolution.

Wu said Hu Xijin, Global Times chief editor and a leading commentator, cannot see the big picture and the general trend of the world despite being a learned man.

In response, Hu wrote an article on his micro blog on April 7 saying Wu represents an outdated mode of diplomacy and assumes the media do nothing but make trouble by professing extreme nationalism.