Editor's note: This article is translated from an original article from Yangtse Wanbao (扬子晚报). The article reports on American Ambassador Gary Locke's public image in China and how it may relate to other notable Chinese officials. Public opinion is divided as to whether Locke's "common" attempts at saving money and living the normal life are a show or if his actions are true to his nature. Brief mention is also made to his and the American Government's involvement with Chen Guangcheng, the blind activist. 

Recent controversy around the US Embassy's involvement with Chen Guangcheng, a blind civil rights activist who not long ago hide inside US Embassy, has sparked public outrage amongst Chinese. It seems that in the Beijing media's eyes, American Ambassador Gary Locke and the American Embassy itself have overdone their part in terms of Chen's fleeing. This, together with Ambassador Locke's public behaviour (carrying his own back pack, flying economy, using a coupon at Starbucks, and overall acting like a "normal citizen", as well as publically monitoring and reporting air quality, and now allowing Chen Guangcheng to be protected by the American Embassy), has led Chinese people to believe that this embassy does not heed caution and is instead blatantly stirring up bilateral debates.

In May of this year, Chen Guangcheng willingly left the American Embassy. However, the recent actions of the American Embassy have led Beijing media sources to proclaim, "The American Foreign Service cannot overstep its privileges in international relations, especially with China." Many of these news sources also claim that the incident will irreparably harm the progress already made in China/US relations. In light of these recent developments, two types of public opinion have formed.

Yes or no? Public opinion towards US Ambassador divided  

On the one side, there is a great amount of opposition towards the American Embassy's actions. One of Hong Kong TV's most famous news hosts and interviewers, Qin Feng wrote on her "Weibo" microblog account that Ambassador Locke is a "banana": "What kind of behavior is that of a diplomat? Why is he trying to incite conflict between China and the US? Aren't their any rules about expelling those diplomats that publically interfere with national affairs of a country?" Other online commentators and peers have commented on how her words are similar to those of her relative and the previous Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Li Zhaoxing.

On the other side of the debate, a famous author named "Tianyou" copied Qin Feng's comments to his microblog and commented, "If flying economy class, buying an old bed mattress, using a coupon to buy coffee and carrying your own backpack is considered ideological, then we can also call it humane; and therefore in turn we could consider your ideology as blatantly touting the party line."

In reality, since August 13, 2011, after Ambassador Locke assumed the ambassador's station in China, this type of public debate has failed to cease and desist. For instance, on the day he took office, Lock was carrying a shoulder pack, while his wife and children were also carrying bags of different sizes without security and with only a small entourage, as if he was a regular Chinese-American bringing his family on vacation to China. On the eve of his flight to China from Seattle International Airport, he was spotted with one of his daughters trying to use a coupon to buy coffee, which was refused by the Starbucks attendant.

In August of 2011, Ambassador Locke chose fly economy class to participate in the Dalian Davos Forum. At the Forum, CCTV reporter Rui Chenggang while interviewing the Ambassador quipped: "Is your flying economy class to a meeting a method of reminding people that America owes China money?" Ambassador Locke replied that rules state that all members of the State Department, even government officials, no matter if they work for an American consulate or the American Embassy in Beijing (including the members of the Presidential Cabinet), should generally fly economy class.

Ifeng.com later conducted a survey asking netizens what they thought of Ambassador Locke's response. The result was that 45% of people believe that this question is "a Chinese official's approach to examining his country's administrative system". Whether people believe that Ambassador Locke's flying economy class is just for "show", 41% said they "didn't care if it was for show or not, but hoped that more Chinese officials would follow his example by flying economy."

In April of 2012, differences between Chinese and American officials were, once again, highlighted when Ambassador Locke, while participating in the Hainan Boao Forum for Asia, refused to stay in the assigned 5 star hotel because the price of the rooms exceeded the American government's business travel allowance threefold.

Politician's show or choice of frugal lifestyle? 

Even before his first meeting with the media on August 4, 2011, Ambassador Locke had stated, "My family and I are representatives of the American people and of the freedom, equality, and opportunity from the land of hope. I, in an official capacity, am to serve the president and the American people as the Ambassador of the American Embassy in Beijing, as well as to represent these everlasting hopes and values…"
Although he is supposedly "representing 100% of Americans and their values", Ambassador Locke, from the beginning, has made it clear that his work and the colour of his skin share no relation. However, China's people, whether consciously or subconsciously, tend to compare him to other Chinese officials (with his frugal lifestyle against the lavish lifestyle of many Chinese officials ).  such comparison is even extended to the current political leader in Taiwan, Ma Yingjiu.

President Ma Yingjiu's humble lifestyle, which includes wearing old suits, eating fast food (so much so he went by the nickname "fast food king", cycling to work, wearing a digital watch, and living in an apartment, was very endearing to the public. His wife, too, followed suit by using public transportation. These little details of their lives became viral as many posted pictures and information concerning the couple's lifestyle.

In the midst of all this endearment, news of mainland students starting to suspect that President Ma's actions were maybe just for show became more and more frequent, similar to the current debates about Gary Locke. Non-official news sources have reported that mainland students were starting to suspect President Ma of putting on a show for spectators. President Ma answered that his image was a result of the media and the Democratic Progressive Party's public statements. Like Locke, whether his lifestyle really was a personal choice or just clever PR remains open to debate.

Ulterior motifs behind Locke's lack of spending?

The People Daily's column "Global Report" stated that Ambassador Locke "greatly exaggerated his role as a public figure" as well as "used clever tactics to enter public discourse and increase misunderstanding and suspicion between the United States and China". At a public lecture at Shanghai's Fudan University, Editor in Chief of China Economic Weekly, Tian Junrong hoped that the public could spot the real reason for Ambassador Locke's actions: "Why does [Ambassador Locke] fly economy class? Because the United States Government business travel budget is a large lump sum.  He can keep the leftover budget for himself." Previously mentioned CCTV Reporter, Rui Chenggang also relayed similar suspicions on his Sino microblog (weibo):  "After Gary Locke became mayor of Washington State, he well understood how to handle the media."

Source: Yangtse Wanbao (扬子晚报)
 

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Keywords: Us ambassador China Gary Locke public image Chinese attitudes towards US ambassador