Face is used to rile the public, but it's rarely the motivation of those calling the shots. If face were at play Xi wouldn't have suddenly opened up with covid

Face is used to rile the public, but it's rarely the motivation of those calling the shots. If face were at play Xi wouldn't have suddenly opened up with covid, backed down after threats when Pelosi visited, or let the Diaoyu Island situation go. In China tens of millions watched the live stream Pelosi's plane flying to Taiwan, expectantly waiting for it to be shot out of the air like their leadership insinuated. Those people believe in face saving efforts, while those in charge buy homes in Japan and send their children to American universities.