China's diplomats were once masters of negotiation
They honed their tactics over decades to:
-Face down great powers like ๐บ๐ธ&๐ท๐บ
-Take on ๐ฎ๐ณ in Asia
-Hide๐จ๐ณ's ambitions for power
A ๐งตon ๐จ๐ณ's most potent negotiating tactics๐ (1/15)
(From @VGokhale59's "The Long Game")
They honed their tactics over decades to:
-Face down great powers like ๐บ๐ธ&๐ท๐บ
-Take on ๐ฎ๐ณ in Asia
-Hide๐จ๐ณ's ambitions for power
A ๐งตon ๐จ๐ณ's most potent negotiating tactics๐ (1/15)
(From @VGokhale59's "The Long Game")
(2/15)
Tactic 1: Win negotiations before they've even begun
How?
1. Do your homework: know everything abt. your opponent, what their position is, what they've said in the past
2. Psychological tricks help. For example, negotiating on home ground works for you
Tactic 1: Win negotiations before they've even begun
How?
1. Do your homework: know everything abt. your opponent, what their position is, what they've said in the past
2. Psychological tricks help. For example, negotiating on home ground works for you
(3/15)
Example: ๐จ๐ณ outplayed ๐ฎ๐ณ in 1949 when diplomatic ties were established
- ๐จ๐ณdid its homework on ๐ฎ๐ณ leaders like Nehru & figured he was desperate to recognise ๐จ๐ณ's new govt for goodwill
-Knowing this, ๐จ๐ณ called ๐ฎ๐ณ's rep. to Beijing rather than go to Delhi as a power move
Example: ๐จ๐ณ outplayed ๐ฎ๐ณ in 1949 when diplomatic ties were established
- ๐จ๐ณdid its homework on ๐ฎ๐ณ leaders like Nehru & figured he was desperate to recognise ๐จ๐ณ's new govt for goodwill
-Knowing this, ๐จ๐ณ called ๐ฎ๐ณ's rep. to Beijing rather than go to Delhi as a power move
(4/15)
Result: ๐จ๐ณ's superior understanding of ๐ฎ๐ณ's position, which was desperate to recognise Mao's PRC before the West, allowed it upper hand in negotiation.
๐ฎ๐ณ sent its rep to ๐จ๐ณ & lost the psychological contest
Got concessions from ๐ฎ๐ณ on breaking ties w. KMT-govt in Taiwan
Result: ๐จ๐ณ's superior understanding of ๐ฎ๐ณ's position, which was desperate to recognise Mao's PRC before the West, allowed it upper hand in negotiation.
๐ฎ๐ณ sent its rep to ๐จ๐ณ & lost the psychological contest
Got concessions from ๐ฎ๐ณ on breaking ties w. KMT-govt in Taiwan
(5/15)
Tactic 2: Use silence
Talks aren't going your way? Don't want to talk about an issue?
Use silence. ๐จ๐ณ gets a few things:
- Kick can down the road & buy time to prepare
- Hide true intentions
- If other side takes your silence for agreement, use it against them
Tactic 2: Use silence
Talks aren't going your way? Don't want to talk about an issue?
Use silence. ๐จ๐ณ gets a few things:
- Kick can down the road & buy time to prepare
- Hide true intentions
- If other side takes your silence for agreement, use it against them
(6/15)
Example:๐จ๐ณ used silence w. ๐ฎ๐ณ over border negotiations in 1950s
Nehru declared ๐ฎ๐ณ's borders to be fixed & not open to negotiation
๐จ๐ณ's diplomats like Zhou Enlai took notice but said nothing. They studied their claims & waited
๐ฎ๐ณ assumed ๐จ๐ณ's silence was agreement
Example:๐จ๐ณ used silence w. ๐ฎ๐ณ over border negotiations in 1950s
Nehru declared ๐ฎ๐ณ's borders to be fixed & not open to negotiation
๐จ๐ณ's diplomats like Zhou Enlai took notice but said nothing. They studied their claims & waited
๐ฎ๐ณ assumed ๐จ๐ณ's silence was agreement
(7/15)
Through early 1950s, ๐จ๐ณ did not raise boundary issue w. ๐ฎ๐ณ which lulled Delhi into false sense of security
When ๐จ๐ณ was ready, it declared its own claims & rejected ๐ฎ๐ณ's
It had done its homework, improved border infra & its grip over Tibet
In short, ๐จ๐ณ used silence
Through early 1950s, ๐จ๐ณ did not raise boundary issue w. ๐ฎ๐ณ which lulled Delhi into false sense of security
When ๐จ๐ณ was ready, it declared its own claims & rejected ๐ฎ๐ณ's
It had done its homework, improved border infra & its grip over Tibet
In short, ๐จ๐ณ used silence
(8/15)
Tactic 3: Let someone else do the fighting
๐จ๐ณ hides behind others & works through them to block policies it disagrees with
Benefits:
-Avoid taking unpopular stand
-Keep good relations w. everyone
-Allows you to act reasonable but let no one know what you really think
Tactic 3: Let someone else do the fighting
๐จ๐ณ hides behind others & works through them to block policies it disagrees with
Benefits:
-Avoid taking unpopular stand
-Keep good relations w. everyone
-Allows you to act reasonable but let no one know what you really think
(9/15)
Example: ๐จ๐ณ worked through European pwrs. to block ๐ฎ๐ณ during 2000s nuclear deal
๐จ๐ณ wanted to stop ๐ฎ๐ณ's efforts to get a waiver from Nuclear Suppliers Group
๐จ๐ณ didn't oppose publicly & worked through small European pwrs. Maintained ambivalent stance in public
Example: ๐จ๐ณ worked through European pwrs. to block ๐ฎ๐ณ during 2000s nuclear deal
๐จ๐ณ wanted to stop ๐ฎ๐ณ's efforts to get a waiver from Nuclear Suppliers Group
๐จ๐ณ didn't oppose publicly & worked through small European pwrs. Maintained ambivalent stance in public
(10/15)
Tactic 4: Use "no"
๐จ๐ณ's negotiators will repeat their position endlessly & won't give way to compromise
Benefits:
-If opponent gives up on demands easily, you'll know it wasn't a core demand
-๐จ๐ณ uses "no" to frustrate opponents into offering a better deal
Tactic 4: Use "no"
๐จ๐ณ's negotiators will repeat their position endlessly & won't give way to compromise
Benefits:
-If opponent gives up on demands easily, you'll know it wasn't a core demand
-๐จ๐ณ uses "no" to frustrate opponents into offering a better deal
(11/15)
Tactic 5: It ain't over till it's over
If ๐จ๐ณ knows it lose negs., it will work behind the scenes to delay defeat
After frustrating opponents through delays, ๐จ๐ณ turns reasonable & agrees to "compromise" in exchange for concessions in other fields
Tactic 5: It ain't over till it's over
If ๐จ๐ณ knows it lose negs., it will work behind the scenes to delay defeat
After frustrating opponents through delays, ๐จ๐ณ turns reasonable & agrees to "compromise" in exchange for concessions in other fields
(12/15)
Result: Ctries. feel grateful to ๐จ๐ณ for being a "reasonable" party
Example: ๐จ๐ณ tried to use this tactic vs. ๐ฎ๐ณ during listing of Masood Azhar as a terrorist
๐จ๐ณ knew it was the only country blocking Azhar's listing. Didn't want to be seen as terrorist sympathizers
Result: Ctries. feel grateful to ๐จ๐ณ for being a "reasonable" party
Example: ๐จ๐ณ tried to use this tactic vs. ๐ฎ๐ณ during listing of Masood Azhar as a terrorist
๐จ๐ณ knew it was the only country blocking Azhar's listing. Didn't want to be seen as terrorist sympathizers
(13/15)
๐จ๐ณ knew it would lose the battle to block Azhar's listing. So Beijing approached ๐ฎ๐ณ & said it would reconsider its block if Delhi agreed not to list any more Pakistan based terrorists
๐ฎ๐ณ called ๐จ๐ณ's bluff & refused the request b'cuz it knew pressure was mounting on ๐จ๐ณ
๐จ๐ณ knew it would lose the battle to block Azhar's listing. So Beijing approached ๐ฎ๐ณ & said it would reconsider its block if Delhi agreed not to list any more Pakistan based terrorists
๐ฎ๐ณ called ๐จ๐ณ's bluff & refused the request b'cuz it knew pressure was mounting on ๐จ๐ณ
(14/15)
Tactic 6: Play your opponent
๐จ๐ณ believes in playing the opposing side's negotiators
Does this by:
- Tactical displays of friendship: calling opposite negotiator a "friend of China", giving them Chinese name
- Theatrics like shouting to unsettle
Tactic 6: Play your opponent
๐จ๐ณ believes in playing the opposing side's negotiators
Does this by:
- Tactical displays of friendship: calling opposite negotiator a "friend of China", giving them Chinese name
- Theatrics like shouting to unsettle
(15/15)
As promised to @FinestYew, my short summary of from @VGokhale59 's "The Long Game" on how ๐จ๐ณ negotiates with ๐ฎ๐ณ
It's a brilliant book & I'd recommend reading it in full
Next thread: How ๐ฎ๐ณ has periodically outplayed ๐จ๐ณ's devious tactics
As promised to @FinestYew, my short summary of from @VGokhale59 's "The Long Game" on how ๐จ๐ณ negotiates with ๐ฎ๐ณ
It's a brilliant book & I'd recommend reading it in full
Next thread: How ๐ฎ๐ณ has periodically outplayed ๐จ๐ณ's devious tactics
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