**  Thoughts Triggered by Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s
International Press Conference at the People’s Congress  **
  
The media world has changed significantly in recent years, and this evolution has two driving forces. One kind of power comes from the development of science and technology. Due to the rapid progress and wide-spread of telecommunication networks and communication equipment around the world, through oceans and space covering the globe, we now see increased speed, coverage, popularity, and diversification of media in both aspects of information: transmission and presentation. Multimedia has surpassed the scope of printing and radio/television broadcasting and entered a variety of new info-vision technologies. On the one hand, media is taking advantage of high-speed networks including wireless and space communications, and on the other hand, media is spreading to mobile phones, electronic notepads, and even electronic watches. This has had a revolutionary impact on the media industry, especially in news reporting. The invisible shortening of time and space enables a large amount of media information to be disseminated around the world in real- time. This is a good change. Advances in technology have also provided opportunities for innovation. For example, TikTok has provided an innovative platform for media entrepreneurs who create self-made media content..
 
But the media is also impacted by a second force, which is the power of capital. The above-mentioned scientific and technological progress is naturally the result of capital investment. Therefore, without large capital, it is impossible to operate large, progressive, and diversified media enterprises. The unfortunate result is that the world's media has gradually become controlled and monopolized by a few multinational consortia. The media consortia have great influence on news coverage, commentary, and distribution around the world. Furthermore, coupled with the advancement of media technology, the number of media professionals required has increased significantly, and many technology-savvy workers are required for interviewing, content production, dissemination, and marketing of news. This is also the reason why small companies cannot compete and survive in the media market. At present, in the media industry, large companies have annexed and integrated small media operators through mergers and acquisitions. Big media enterprises have become owners of mass media.
 
This phenomenon took shape when the United States was leading the development of technology. With the advancement of technology, American media enterprises have grown into international conglomerates controlling global mass media. Although the United States advertises freedom of speech, the so- called freedom is controlled by capital. The greater the capital brings the stronger the control, and offers greater competitiveness which can win the greater market share. Therefore, under the two-party political system in the United States, the media industry has also evolved into a bi-polar system. The American people are influenced by the polarized media;, thus they tend to exhibit polarized views and behavior. People with self-discipline and reasoning ability often give up on American mass media, shaking their heads and sighing that the polarized mass media offer nothing worth watching and reading. Under the atmosphere in which the mass media serves its patrons and owners for making profits, the mass media naturally loses its independence and impartiality regarding journalism. What's more, think-tank researchers in the United States are also influenced by their funders. Hence, they often take the same stance and tone as their sponsors who have certain media affiliations. This is often seen in commentaries on news issues. This situation is extremely prone to produce false or biased news reports and analyses. The recent ‘coordinated’ news coverage of the Chinese civilian balloon drifting into the United States is an example that confirms the above phenomenon.
 
Unfortunately, the sentiment of ‘fear of China's rise’ has made the U.S. politicians of both Republican and Democrat parties have the same anti-China stance as the military-industrial complex and their corporate financiers do. This has led to a nearly unanimous anti-China media in the U.S. The discussions at recent press conferences at the White House and Congress are all anti-China. News about China is selectively reported in the mass media, for example, the Chinese civilian balloon drifted over the U.S. was highly publicized with criticism, but the latest achievements of China’s space station program were hardly mentioned in mass media. The distorted interpretation and negative reports on China's positive proposal of promoting world peace and its twelve-point guidelines for persuading cease-fire in the Russo-Ukraine confrontation clearly demonstrated that the U.S. media has lost its credibility. Of course, some fair and rational discourses on issues related to China can still be found in the United States, but they cannot enter the controlled mass media. Americans have no choice but to be led by the mass media. The above-mentioned 'TikTok' media platform is very popular with individuals, especially young people all over the world, including the United States, to express their ideas, but it is now facing the crisis of being banned by legislation in the US Congress for national security concerns. Obviously, freedom of speech is second to capitalists' financial interests.
 
China's new foreign minister Qin Gang's performance and remarks at the international press conference of the two sessions are very impressive. Instant Translator is also very good. With the development of global media technology, it is impossible for this press conference to be completely buried by the West, but it will never be widely reported in the United States. After watching the video of Foreign Minister Qin's press conference, the author naturally had the above thoughts. From getting information point of view, Foreign Minister Qin gave very good answers to all questions. For example, to a pointed question by a Japanese journalist about the future relationship between China and Japan, Qin reminded Japan not to forget history and repeat behaviors leading to war crimes. The Chinese people will not forget or forgive such crimes. This is indeed the key point to the Sino-Japan relationship. The minister also gave informative answers to questions about the Belt and Road Initiative, supported by numerical data and details. Qin also welcomed other countries to propose development plans to join BRI, if there is no ideological intent or selfish geopolitical objectives, China is willing to cooperate with everyone. This press conference contains a lot of information and positive answers, in sharp contrast to the recent American official press conferences full of accusations with no evidence. Qin's conference is very worthy of our world's attention. Today's media needs this kind of positive press conference, let's circulate it through the organic media.

 
Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte made a 3-day state visit to the U.S. from November 29 to December 1st. This is the first state visit of Biden’s Administration, officially announced as the most important visit of an old ally, freedom and democracy fighter, and key partner of the U.S. (after the U.K. exited the EU, PM Boris Johnson and Liz Truss resigned and Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel retired). It was clear that the ‘bromance’ between Trump and Macron was soured over Trump’s view on the expansive and expensive NATO. Later the U.S. - France relationship hit the bottom since the U.S. highjacked the Australian submarine deal from France. The current overextending Russia-Ukraine war, the U.S. Indo-Pacific policy targeting China raising world tension plus a list of global issues such as Iran, climate, energy, supply chain and economy all hanging over Macron’s mind despite his frequent phone calls with Biden (7 one on one calls and a dozen joint calls with other leaders). Although the U.S. diplomatic stand is playing up the old U.S.-France ally relationship and praising Macron with words pleasing to his ears such as strongest U.S. partner, leader of G7 and EU and defender of democracy, the real concern of Macron is that as a 44-year old young world leader, he is standing at a crossroad. The first choice is to follow the U.S. leadership in joining the U.S.-led alliance targeting rising China. The second choice is to act independently rallying the EU to consider its own interest in dealing with world affairs, particularly its relationship with China. Put it in a plain language, Macron needs to check the GPS signal and the real road signs at the crossroad to determine where to go. This glamorous U.S. State Visit and his planned trip to China next year may just prove to be an orientation scout tour to find out whether Uncle Sam is a true pro-Atlanticist caring about the EU or the old Oriental China really has world harmony in her DNA.
 
Prior to the State Visit, Macron had made his complaint clear that the U.S. in solving its domestic problems should not transfer them to Europe. Specifically, he is referring to the U.S. subsidy program to help the U.S. domestic electric vehicle industry which will hurt the European auto industry and export economy, and the U.S. semiconductor policy luring hi-tech manufacturing and supply chain to move to the U.S. while cutting off export to China. These subsidies clearly violate WTO regulations which supposed to protect the free market principles. After the glamorous visit, did Macron obtain any substantial concession from Biden? Based on their joint announcement, press conference, and media report, we would say that the U.S. did not admit any wrongdoing, neither the Administration nor Congress would apologize for their domestic measures. Macron said he did not want the U.S. to give France/Europe anything special whereas Biden offered a conciliatory tone by agreeing to ‘review and adjust’, if necessary. This outcome is expected since the White House had all along decided to pacify Macron with a first glamorous State Visit but would not yield anything to him for two reasons. One, the U.S. would not boost Macron’s gesture as the leader of Europe. Second, the present Europe did not have much to bargain for. Biden essentially treated this State Visit as a social event no matter how hard Macron tried to convince him that  he needed to change his policies and how hard he tried to reach the American people (Macron resorted to English answers in the press conference to reach Americans directly).
 
However, the above observations were on the surface, a lot of events might have a direct or indirect impact on the U.S.- France or U.S.-Europe relations. By reviewing these events, we might discover more hidden truths than what meets the eye. The Russian-Ukraine war is certainly the focal point of world affairs. It is increasingly clear that the rage Russia-Ukraine conflict has become a U.S.-Russia confrontation with Europe acting as an ally of the U.S. As the war rolled on with the bombing of the ocean gas pipes compounding oil sanctions, some European countries, especially the leading nations have experienced severe economic hardship. The only country that benefitted from the Russia-Ukraine war seems to be the U.S. (chipping in surplus weapons but gaining huge profits from energy sales replacing the Russian sales). The U.S.-China policy (Indo-Pacific strategy) not only appears more like Cold War II but also mimic the Russia-Ukraine war with Taiwan Strait tension. The similarity is that the U.S. might be again the only beneficiary when U.S. allies in NATO and Indo-Pacific were dragged into the anti-China conflict. Chancellor Schotz of Germany visited China last month. European Council President Charles Michel is visiting China as Macron is completing his visit to the U.S. Are these separate trips independent of each other? Hell no, for all you know, these trips were all coordinated prior to, during and after the EU Council meeting in October.
 
If Macron were serious trying to get the EU to carve out an independent path free from U.S. control, he must convince the EU to act as a union. He also needs to get Germany’s full support. It is likely that these trips convinced their suspicion that the U.S. will be stubborn in strategy to maintain its supremacy by crushing China’s rise no matter who else will be the collateral victim. These trips may also convince these leaders that China’s rise may not be a real threat to Europe, or the world as being painted. Europe stands to benefit in a multi-polar world especially with China’s market opening to Europe while the U.S. market is shrinking from Europe. If this scenario were true, then Macron’s State Visit to the U.S. may open a new chapter of world diplomacy. We shall be able to see its new direction clearly after Macron steps onto China’s soil next year.