Editorial 18.03.2022

The „wolf-like nature“ of the enemy makes it easy to fight them „bitterly and bloody“. When commonly used expressions degrade entire groups of people and incite hatred against them, they embed themselves in people’s minds. In today’s column, Johnny Erling warns about China’s ossified friend-foe speech. Propaganda introduced them under Mao and never adjusted them. In times of international strife, it’s a dangerous idea to label supposed enemies as animals and to leave no room for self-doubt. But China’s diplomats rather believe in the West’s „anti-Chinese chorus“ than question the toxic terminology in their own country.