"Illegal Nationalization"
"Illegal Nationalization"
The anger and outrage that Chinese citizens are demonstrating against Japan's claims of sovereignty over a disputed little chain of islands is not exactly a spontaneous expression of antipathy. It represents a very old grudge, one that Japan most certainly earned in its early 20th Century occupation of China and the extent of its dreadful brutality. Strained relations between the two economically powerful countries have marked their relationship since then.But trade and investment ties have been strong, since both countries recognize it is to their advantage. Recurring incidents of diplomatic flaps over the past surface from time to time, leading to their continuing uneasy relationship. But the current mob action across over 50 Chinese cities as the scene of mass protests against Japan does owe its volatility to official Chinese incitement. And now that the protests have succeeded in delivering the needed message to Japan, official China is attempting to defuse the immediate rage.
Those large Chinese mobs more than satisfied Beijing's desire to demonstrate to Tokyo just how incensed the purchase of the larger of the islands by the government of Japan has made the Chinese, convinced that the islands are sovereign to China, despite being in Japanese territory. Mind, a territory that was historically China's. And China is belligerently contesting all its neighbours over offshore sovereignty, as a resource-hungry monster.
These are small, barren, stone islands, worthless in and of themselves. But the watery territory upon which they sit is held to be rich in an abundance of natural energy resources. Resources that both countries are anxious to claim. Japan hoped to head off a confrontation over the issue, when the mayor of Tokyo intended to purchase the islands from a private Japanese family that owned them, planning to provoke Beijing in the process by solidifying Japan's official claim.
Instead, the government move to pre-empt the Tokyo mayor's plan, landed the country in the hot water of agitated resentment. Japanese flags were burned, hotels stormed, businesses torched, Japanese-produced vehicles destroyed, and Japanese living in China threatened with violence.
"How could it be that Japan wants another lost decade and could even be prepared to go back by two decades? China has always been extremely cautious about playing the economic card, but in struggles concerning territorial sovereignty, if Japan continues its provocations then China will take up the battle", thundered an editorial in China's state owned China Daily.
"The gravely destructive consequences of Japan's illegal purchase of the Diaoyu Islands are steadily emerging, and the responsibility for this should be borne by Japan", said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei. His government would protect Japanese firms and citizens, calling for protesters to obey the law, but his government was not at all happy.
Japanese manufacturers including Nissan, Honda, Canon, Mazda and Panasonic have closed their factories. Retailers like Jusco, 7-Eleven and Uniqlo warn their outlets would be closed until the hysteria died down. Some dealerships had been gutted by fire or looted over the past weekend. Japanese staff have been cautioned to remain indoors for the next few days.
And as China marks the anniversary of the 1931 "Manchurian incident", when Japan invaded China, cautionary measures have been taken with the closing of Japanese schools. That purchase of the main islands of what Japan calls Senkaku, known as Diaoyu by the Chinese, has been condemned by China as an "illegal nationalization".
Labels: China, Conflict, Japan, Natural Resources, Political Realities
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, September 18, 2012
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