China rox, Japan sux
19 April 2005

What a dilemma!

China’s government worries that if it is seen as too weak towards Japan, or cracks own too hard, the protesters could turn against the party. In the last century, pro-democracy unrest in China was often closely linked with patriotic demonstrations. Many participants in the recent protests have been university students, a group kept under particularly close watch by the authorities since the student-led protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. The internet and mobile phones have enabled rapid mobilisation (organisers say more than 20m people have signed an electronic petition against Japan’s UN bid). The nationalist genie, once unbottled, could prove hard for China to restrain.

If I was a government minister, I’d be staying up nights, trying to work out how to deliver more jobs, money, and Louis Vuitton handbags to these young Chinese so they won’t start thinking about non-CCP versions of freedom and democracy.

5 Comments

  1. on the other hand, giving unemployed disgruntled people a common enemy to hate really helps doesnt it?

    China's stance on this has been enigmatic. On one hand they do not dissuade the people from getting mad. But then they post troops to make sure things do not get out of hand.

    Comment by caleb — 19 April 2005 @ 10:51 am

  2. Caleb, unless the unemployed disgruntled people start thinking a bit harder about why they're unemployed, the CCP is safe. That's why they've warned demonstrators not to use these protests as an excuse to agitate for democratic reform.

    Comment by Andrea — 19 April 2005 @ 11:43 am

  3. not related to the post but: do you want a free flickr pro account? i've got 2 to give away…as far as I know, you don't have any flickr account at all yet, so you may not be interested, but i wanted to at least offer it to you first, since you're my favourite internet person and i lurve you and all that. :o)

    Comment by kristen — 19 April 2005 @ 12:28 pm

  4. NO TONGUES!!!

    Comment by neil — 19 April 2005 @ 2:02 pm

  5. Tongues are okay if we can watch.

    Comment by Terry — 20 April 2005 @ 3:17 am

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