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| Anchors From Fox and Chinese State TV to Hold Live Debate on Trade | Anchors From Fox and Chinese State TV to Hold Live Debate on Trade |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| BEIJING — Call it the battle of the anchors. | BEIJING — Call it the battle of the anchors. |
| With tensions between China and the United States running high, the fight between the two global powers has shifted — at least for now — from dry back-room trade negotiations to a buzzier, more high-profile arena: American prime-time television. | With tensions between China and the United States running high, the fight between the two global powers has shifted — at least for now — from dry back-room trade negotiations to a buzzier, more high-profile arena: American prime-time television. |
| On one side is Trish Regan, an American television host from the Fox Business Network. On the other is Liu Xin, the Chinese host of an English-language program on China Global Television Network, an international arm of China’s propaganda machine. | |
| After days of sparring on Twitter, the hosts, whose two television networks are most favored by their respective national leaders, will face off in a live debate about trade and technology on Wednesday night in the United States (Thursday morning in China). | After days of sparring on Twitter, the hosts, whose two television networks are most favored by their respective national leaders, will face off in a live debate about trade and technology on Wednesday night in the United States (Thursday morning in China). |
| The debate is unlikely to be seen live by the public in China, where international television channels are largely limited to five-star hotels that cater to foreigners. Still, many Chinese are excited about the showdown, with some academics mobilizing to support Ms. Liu by offering her talking points via social media. | The debate is unlikely to be seen live by the public in China, where international television channels are largely limited to five-star hotels that cater to foreigners. Still, many Chinese are excited about the showdown, with some academics mobilizing to support Ms. Liu by offering her talking points via social media. |
| It all started earlier this month when Ms. Regan argued on her show, “Trish Regan Primetime,” that American tariffs on Chinese goods were a necessary response to the Chinese theft of American intellectual property, which the United States government estimates costs the American economy as much as $600 billion a year. | It all started earlier this month when Ms. Regan argued on her show, “Trish Regan Primetime,” that American tariffs on Chinese goods were a necessary response to the Chinese theft of American intellectual property, which the United States government estimates costs the American economy as much as $600 billion a year. |
| Ms. Liu, speaking on her show, “The Point With Liu Xin,” accused Ms. Regan of “economic warmongering” and being “all emotion and accusation supported with little substance.” | Ms. Liu, speaking on her show, “The Point With Liu Xin,” accused Ms. Regan of “economic warmongering” and being “all emotion and accusation supported with little substance.” |
| Not backing down, Ms. Regan responded on Twitter by challenging Ms. Liu to a live debate on trade. | Not backing down, Ms. Regan responded on Twitter by challenging Ms. Liu to a live debate on trade. |
| Much to the delight of Chinese back home, Ms. Liu accepted, on one condition: No mudslinging. | Much to the delight of Chinese back home, Ms. Liu accepted, on one condition: No mudslinging. |
| News of the upcoming debate has since gone viral in China, where nationalist sentiment has surged amid growing tensions with the United States over a protracted trade war and a fight over Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant. | News of the upcoming debate has since gone viral in China, where nationalist sentiment has surged amid growing tensions with the United States over a protracted trade war and a fight over Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant. |
| The debate is scheduled to be broadcast live on the Fox Business Network on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Ms. Liu said on Twitter on Wednesday that CGTN did not have permission from the American network to livestream the discussion but would “report on it closely.” | The debate is scheduled to be broadcast live on the Fox Business Network on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Ms. Liu said on Twitter on Wednesday that CGTN did not have permission from the American network to livestream the discussion but would “report on it closely.” |
| On the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo, the hashtag “Fox News female anchor proposes debate after being accused by CCTV of being emotional” — using a former name for CGTN — has been viewed over 120 million times. Many users posted messages of encouragement for Ms. Liu and praised her for stepping up to defend her country. | On the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo, the hashtag “Fox News female anchor proposes debate after being accused by CCTV of being emotional” — using a former name for CGTN — has been viewed over 120 million times. Many users posted messages of encouragement for Ms. Liu and praised her for stepping up to defend her country. |
| “Challenge accepted,” wrote one user on Weibo, calling on Ms. Liu to teach Ms. Regan “how to be a decent human being.” | “Challenge accepted,” wrote one user on Weibo, calling on Ms. Liu to teach Ms. Regan “how to be a decent human being.” |
| In the days leading up to the debate, academics and ordinary Chinese have rallied around Ms. Liu, gathering data and facts that could be useful in sparring with Ms. Regan. | In the days leading up to the debate, academics and ordinary Chinese have rallied around Ms. Liu, gathering data and facts that could be useful in sparring with Ms. Regan. |
| “Let’s put our heads together, focus on the debate and back her up with specific data and strategies,” Chen Dingding, a professor of international relations from Jinan University in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, told a WeChat social media group he created to help Ms. Liu in the debate. “Please avoid talking about the issue in general terms.” | “Let’s put our heads together, focus on the debate and back her up with specific data and strategies,” Chen Dingding, a professor of international relations from Jinan University in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, told a WeChat social media group he created to help Ms. Liu in the debate. “Please avoid talking about the issue in general terms.” |
| As of Wednesday afternoon, the group had more than 450 members, mostly scholars and students, as well as Ms. Liu. | As of Wednesday afternoon, the group had more than 450 members, mostly scholars and students, as well as Ms. Liu. |
| Regardless of the outcome, experts say the debate represents a rare opportunity for the Chinese Communist Party to present its narrative directly to American audiences. | Regardless of the outcome, experts say the debate represents a rare opportunity for the Chinese Communist Party to present its narrative directly to American audiences. |
| In recent years, the government has spent billions of dollars expanding China’s media presence abroad, part of a broader project to increase Chinese soft power overseas. | In recent years, the government has spent billions of dollars expanding China’s media presence abroad, part of a broader project to increase Chinese soft power overseas. |
| In America, however, it has had limited success. While CGTN America reaches 30 million households in the United States, the Communist Party-controlled network has struggled to establish itself as a serious media outlet, particularly since it was pressured earlier this year by the Justice Department to register as an agent of foreign influence. | In America, however, it has had limited success. While CGTN America reaches 30 million households in the United States, the Communist Party-controlled network has struggled to establish itself as a serious media outlet, particularly since it was pressured earlier this year by the Justice Department to register as an agent of foreign influence. |
| Zhan Jiang, a retired professor of journalism at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the debate would help CGTN raise its profile among American viewers. | Zhan Jiang, a retired professor of journalism at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the debate would help CGTN raise its profile among American viewers. |
| “With this opportunity, they are really going to become famous,” Mr. Zhan said. “They are showing that they aren’t weak, that they’re not going to remain passive in the face of a challenge. This is different than before.” | “With this opportunity, they are really going to become famous,” Mr. Zhan said. “They are showing that they aren’t weak, that they’re not going to remain passive in the face of a challenge. This is different than before.” |
| Even Chinese officials have chimed in to support Ms. Liu. | Even Chinese officials have chimed in to support Ms. Liu. |
| “I hope everyone can watch,” Lu Kang, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regularly scheduled briefing on Tuesday. “You know, in China we have a saying: The truth becomes clearer through debate.” | “I hope everyone can watch,” Lu Kang, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regularly scheduled briefing on Tuesday. “You know, in China we have a saying: The truth becomes clearer through debate.” |
| An English major and accomplished debater from the eastern province of Jiangsu, Ms. Liu was the first Chinese student to win an international public speaking competition in London in 1996. She began working for CCTV after she graduated the following year. According to her official biography, she spent six years as bureau chief in Geneva, where she covered the Iran nuclear talks and the Syria conflict, before returning to China to start her own show. | An English major and accomplished debater from the eastern province of Jiangsu, Ms. Liu was the first Chinese student to win an international public speaking competition in London in 1996. She began working for CCTV after she graduated the following year. According to her official biography, she spent six years as bureau chief in Geneva, where she covered the Iran nuclear talks and the Syria conflict, before returning to China to start her own show. |
| Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, in recent years has emphasized the importance of the state news media’s absolute loyalty to the party. But he has often cautioned that it needs to “tell China’s story well” by projecting a compelling, party-sanctioned narrative of China’s rise to global audiences. | Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, in recent years has emphasized the importance of the state news media’s absolute loyalty to the party. But he has often cautioned that it needs to “tell China’s story well” by projecting a compelling, party-sanctioned narrative of China’s rise to global audiences. |
| Some reporters from state media outlets seem to have responded to Mr. Xi’s call with an enthusiasm that borders on nationalistic bullying. Last fall, Kong Linlin, a CGTN reporter in London, was charged with common assault after she heckled a human rights activist and slapped a volunteer at a public talk about the erosion of freedom in the semiautonomous Chinese territory of Hong Kong. | Some reporters from state media outlets seem to have responded to Mr. Xi’s call with an enthusiasm that borders on nationalistic bullying. Last fall, Kong Linlin, a CGTN reporter in London, was charged with common assault after she heckled a human rights activist and slapped a volunteer at a public talk about the erosion of freedom in the semiautonomous Chinese territory of Hong Kong. |
| When she faces off with Ms. Regan on Wednesday night, Ms. Liu may take a different approach, one honed from years of personal experience talking to her husband, a German man of Turkish descent, and their children at home about “China’s story.” | When she faces off with Ms. Regan on Wednesday night, Ms. Liu may take a different approach, one honed from years of personal experience talking to her husband, a German man of Turkish descent, and their children at home about “China’s story.” |
| “Because they are greatly influenced by the West, if I tell them, ‘China is this way’ or ‘China is that way,’ then they’ll say, ‘Mom is praising China again,’” Ms. Liu told The Paper, a Chinese online media outlet, in 2017. “After that I learned, O.K., you can’t come on too strong.” | “Because they are greatly influenced by the West, if I tell them, ‘China is this way’ or ‘China is that way,’ then they’ll say, ‘Mom is praising China again,’” Ms. Liu told The Paper, a Chinese online media outlet, in 2017. “After that I learned, O.K., you can’t come on too strong.” |
| It remains to be seen whether that tactic will succeed in her debate with Ms. Regan, a Columbia University graduate and former Goldman Sachs analyst. | It remains to be seen whether that tactic will succeed in her debate with Ms. Regan, a Columbia University graduate and former Goldman Sachs analyst. |
| On Wednesday, just hours ahead of the debate, the hype was still growing. Many Chinese were circulating grainy videos of Ms. Liu’s past speeches at international competitions. | On Wednesday, just hours ahead of the debate, the hype was still growing. Many Chinese were circulating grainy videos of Ms. Liu’s past speeches at international competitions. |
| Others pointed out the irony that much of Ms. Liu and Ms. Regan’s discussion about the debate was taking place on Twitter, which is blocked in China. | Others pointed out the irony that much of Ms. Liu and Ms. Regan’s discussion about the debate was taking place on Twitter, which is blocked in China. |
| “What’s Twitter?” one user said. | “What’s Twitter?” one user said. |
| “Don’t even bother, it has nothing to do with you,” another responded. | “Don’t even bother, it has nothing to do with you,” another responded. |