A Chinese diplomat on Thursday said that the “wolf warrior” label applied to them is unfair and that the communist country’s envoys have more in common with Simba from Disney’s ‘The Lion King’, reported AFP. 

The comments came in response to a German report that said Beijing practised “wolf warrior” diplomacy, referencing a film about a Rambo-like Chinese special forces soldier who takes on foreign mercenaries that was wildly popular in China.

A group of Chinese diplomats have used Twitter since 2019 to vociferously defend and promote China and its interests, prompting the comparison. Beijing on Thursday sought to reshape the characterisation.

Referring to those who used the wolf warrior label, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, “I don’t know if they have watched the Disney cartoon ‘The Lion King. I wonder what they think of the cute little lion Simba, who grew and matured under various suspicions and blame.”

The “wolf warrior” diplomacy sparked a diplomatic spat a few weeks back with Canberra after a Chinese government spokesman tweeted about “the murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers”.

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The tweet was accompanied by a graphic illustration of a man dressed as an Australian soldier holding a bloody knife to an Afghan child’s throat.

Australia’s prime minister angrily denounced the “repugnant”, “outrageous” and “appalling” tweet and demanded Beijing formally apologise.

Hua defended the aggressive communications, saying: “Is it that those who criticise China on unwarranted charges can act like wolves and tigers, but China can only be a silent lamb?”

She added that criticism of China’s wolf warrior diplomacy was just another manifestation of the theory that China is a threat.

“China does not actively cause trouble, but is also not afraid of trouble and will not be coerced or blackmailed,” she said.