| China: Big, Strong and Really, Really Sensitive |
|
|
Tag it:
| Written by Li Feng | |
| Wednesday, 02 September 2009 | |
 A sensitive China suffers diplomatic slings and arrows
For a country aiming for superpower status, with 1.3 billion citizens and a standing army of 2.5 million, China certainly gets its feelings hurt a lot. With the Dalai Lama, China's bête noir, traipsing around Taiwan to comfort those afflicted by Typhoon Morakot, China's reaction so far has been astonishingly muted, given Beijing's usual response to the Tibetan religious leader's incursions into the Chinese political sphere. When China feels offended – more often than not over a visit by the Dalai Lama to somewhere, the Foreign Ministry's diplomatic response almost invariably contains the words "hurt feelings" to describe the damage done to the Chinese people. By actual count, according to Fang Kecheng, a Chinese blogger and journalism master's degree candidate at Peking University and others who keep count, China's feelings have been hurt officially at least 140 times by at least 42 countries as obscure as Iceland and Guatemala as well as a bunch of organizations since the Communists threw out the Kuomintang in 1949. The government, the bloggers think, ought to give up the phrase because it makes them look weak. "The (incident/statement) grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, gravely hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and damaged the political basis of China-(offending country) bilateral relations" is a typical response. Most recently it was Australia and the Melbourne Film Festival that China's Foreign Ministry said "hurt the feelings of Chinese people" when in August it hosted exiled Uhygur activist Rebiya Kadeer and screened a documentary about her called "10 Conditions of Love." China's pique – not only contrary to its own mantra of "no interference in China's domestic affairs" when its Tibet policy is questioned – also had the predictable effect of boosting Kadeer's international profile and sparking so much interest in the heretofore obscure film that it went from being screened in a 750-seat cinema to selling out the 1,300-seat Melbourne Town Hall. Kadeer has been demonized by the Chinese government and state-media as using long distance Internet voodoo to almost supernaturally instigate the riots between Muslim Uyghurs and Han Chinese in the western province of Xingiang that left more than 200 people dead on July 5. But it was China-generated controversy over the Dalai Lama that sparked Fang's interest. He wrote that when he read that "after French President Nicolas Sarkozy's meeting with the Dalai Lama on December 6th, 2008, Deputy Foreign Minister He Yafei said, ‘The meeting grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, severely undermined China's core interests, gravely hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and damaged the political basis of China-France and China-EU relations.' "When this phrase came into my eyes," Kang said, "an idea flashed in my mind: to find out when ‘hurt feelings' became a tradition for the Chinese government, and how often does the government use it?" Fang plugged into an online archive of People's Daily at Peking U that dates back to the founding in 1948 and began typing the Chinese characters for "hurt feelings" into the search data base. The result has become his master's thesis for which he has graphed the number of times the Chinese people's feelings been officially "hurt" and what countries have done it the most. He found a sharp distinction between the Mao era (1949-1978) when Chinese feelings were hurt only three times, and the reform era (1978-present) when a bar graph he created showed hurt feelings spiking at 11 times in 1989 and 1998 and 12 times in 2000. "The reaction (from netizens) has been beyond my imagination," Fang said. "After I posted it in my blog, the page view of my blog increased dramatically and it was copied and posted on so many other blogs and forums. Most Chinese netizens said they considered it to be interesting and instructive. "But for me, the most interesting reaction I received was from a famous ultra left-wing Maoist bookstore in Beijing called "Utopia" which posted my research in their website. They wanted to use it to show the "greatness" of the Mao Zedong era, because the government seldom used the phrase "hurt-feelings" at that time. "Things changed after Mao's death and the ‘open door policy,'" Fang wrote in his thesis. "The number of countries with diplomatic relations with China grew to more than 160. The former "imperialist enemies" became friends instead of countries doomed to be beaten. The sharp reduction of words such as "indignation", "anger" and "denounce" clearly showed the change. Nowadays, these words are used to criticize public enemies such as terrorists." So the Chinese government chose "hurt the feelings" as the substitute? A possible explanation lies in cultural tradition. China's society is based on personal feeling and human sentiment. Hurting a friend's feeling is severe in Chinese culture. To denounce someone as hurt the feelings of another is a strong moral sanction. "But international affairs are not part of Chinese cultural tradition," Fang continued. "When western countries hear China complaining that they have ‘hurt the feelings of the Chinese people' it means nothing but ‘I am the weaker one.' It's time for the Chinese government to look for another set phrase as substitute," he concluded. Specifically, Fang found, between 1946 and 2006 exactly 21 countries and organizations hurt the feelings of all 1.3 billion or so Chinese. Japan was the worst offender, 58 times beginning in 1985. The others: United States: 27 times, starting in 1980, when Los Angeles flew the Taiwan flag for the Olympics NATO: 10 times, mostly relating to the 1999 Belgrade embassy bombing India: 9 times, starting in 1959 and mostly relating to border issues France: 6 times, starting in 1989 Nobel Committee: 4 times Germany: 3 times, starting with a meeting with the Dаlаi Lаmа in 1990 Vatican City: 3 times, starting in 2000 EU: 2 times, starting in 1996 Guatemala: 2 times, both in 1997 Indonesia: 1959, when a newspaper inflamed anti-Chinese sentiment Albania: 1978, for criticism of Chairman Mao and the Chinese Communist Party Vietnam: 1979, for a high official's slander of China United Kingdom: 1994, over the Taiwan issue The Netherlands: 1980, over the government authorizing a company to provide submarines to Taiwan The Philippines: 1987 Denmark: 1997 Iceland: 1997, for allowing then-Taiwan "premier" Lien Chan to visit (Ironically, in 2005 he met with President Hu Jintao in the highest level exchange since August 1945 when Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek met in Chongqing) Jordan: 1998, for allowing Lien Chan to visit Nicaragua: 1995, for supporting Taiwan's bid to join the UN South Africa: 1996, for proposing a two-China policy But feeling that Fang had perhaps undercounted, another Chinese blogger, "Arctosia," who posts from New Zealand, did his own research and created a world map showing countries that "have been clearly fingered by state media or representatives of the Chinese government of hurting the feelings of the Chinese people."  Countries that have hurt the feelings of the Chinese people in black (Arctosia) Arctosia listed 42 countries by region: Europe (12): Vatican City, UK, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, The Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Albania North America (2): USA, Canada Central America (6): Guatemala, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Honduras, Nicaragua South America (1): Chile Oceania (4): New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Marshall Islands Africa (9): Chad, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Swaziland, São Tomé and Príncipe, Gambia, Liberia, Senegal, South Africa Asia (8): Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Jordan, (disputed: Cambodia, Laos) (source: Arctosia, danwei.org) Comments
(26)
...
written by Tiffany Necklaces , September 26, 2009
hurt the feelings of Chinese people"
Votes: +1
This is coming from a regime that doesn't allow it's people to freely express their feelings. report abusevote downvote up report abuse
vote down
vote up
...
written by Diane , September 17, 2009
Sensitive my ASS!
Votes: -1
The Communist Government of China is pissed off that almost every country on earth respects the Dalai Lama and everything he stands for. They know they went in and stole Tibet by force and are trying to hold on to it with everything they have. The party itself is holding on for dear life and know at any time their 1.3 million people could and hopfully will rise up and take their freedom back. They deserve to live in freedom not under this pathetic rule!!!!!!!!! THE WHOLE WORLD SEE'S RIGHT THROUGH THIS " SENSITIVE" BS!!!!! report abuse
vote down
vote up
let 's put ms.Tee in a box with the short males
written by T Long , September 09, 2009
the annoying commentor Dynas Tee has three posts here below, of which only one has yet to be emboxed as a Lowly Rated Comment. It calls for the presumably forcible expulsion (from ethnic-striven regions, or from the entire main Chinese control zone? surely not from the HKSAR! ) of the 'Anti-China' / 'separatist' activity-purveyors who make up most 'Western Media' ('Hostile forces', Sept 8 ).
Votes: +5
Hers is a call for a return to the Bamboo Curtain days, when Chinese leaders practiced inscrutability externally and absolute unaccountability internally. This bad old tactic was actually dusted off in the Himalayas last year - but global revulsion at it so nearly derailed the party/govt's precious Olympic Games that it has determined to handle this year's Autonomous Regional strife in the more worldly way. (well, until recently it has). the Sentinel being a typically free if diminutive voice in Hong Kong-based media, ms.Tee's bad old suggestion should be ridiculous - at any other time. but one does not laugh, seeing the treatment recently meted out in the XAR to reporters from TVB, Now TV, RTHK & Commercial Radio, treatment quite harmonic with Tee's desire to 'kick butts and not just being polite to these bastards'. report abuse
vote down
vote up
USA wants to slow down China, Lowly rated comment [Show]
Fearful Japs, Lowly rated comment [Show]
Hostile forces
written by Dynas Tee , September 08, 2009
The Chinese should boot out most of the Western Media agencies who are obvious purveyors of Anti-China and separatist activities for the West. It is time to kick butts and not just being polite to these bastards.,
Votes: -5
report abuse
vote down
vote up
Ozzie Platform, Lowly rated comment [Show]
So sissy to say. "..have hurt the feelings.."
written by Siew Siew , September 07, 2009
It is so blady sissy for the Chinese government to say, "....have hurt the feelings of the Chinese people." I think they should just be blunt and say it like it is, "...you really pissed us off. " At least that kind of expression is easily understood by the likes of Americans, Brits, Aussies, and the French. It is so fifties for a government to say its feelings are hurt.
Votes: +0
report abuse
vote down
vote up
Leaders axed for Xinjiang rioting after syringe attacks
written by Democrat , September 07, 2009
" It is not entirely unusual for a communist party boss to be sacked in China following an accident, scandal or some kind of crisis. It is one of only a few ways the authorities can show ordinary people that they've taken their feelings into consideration."
Votes: +3
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8239591.stm report abuse
vote down
vote up
Don't feel hurt, Just get even
written by Ah Fook , September 07, 2009
When you deal with western countries, you will not get respect by saying that you feel hurt over this and that. You need to get even. Then they will respect you. Yes, Rambo mentality is what makes western nations tick. The French president was going to boycott the China Olympics opening ceremony until the Chinese started boycotting their goods. If China shows signs of weakness, they will trample all over China again like they used to do during the 19th century. So the Chinese government should stop saying they feel hurt, but to say, "Up yours!".
Votes: +0
report abuse
vote down
vote up
5000 Years?
written by Ah-bin , September 07, 2009
It's important to make a distinction between "regime" and "people" - something that isn't done enough in English language media. Saying "China thinks..." when referring merely to what the Communist Party has announced just reinforces the idea that all Chinese think alike and that their feelings can be hurt.
Votes: +5
On a slightly different tack....Isn't China supposed to be just sixty years old next month? If 5000 years of history is so important, why make a fuss about the anniversary of the CCP take over? report abuse
vote down
vote up
the Axis of Credit
written by T Long , September 06, 2009
Commentor Loong ('"Don't get hurt"', Sept 2), advocates the use of 'Western' / 'American'-style economic sanctions by China upon offending states. Commentor Faka ('What big sticks?', immediately below) derides this idea, either as being unfeasible or because she has not really read Loong's post and mistakes the stick in question. As far as the feasibility of money-bombing, China is certainly capable of badly damaging many of the planet's states. Even the vaunted USA is in hawk to Chinese creditors up to her doughnut neck (although practically speaking the Wal-mart debt is one that China could never call in).
Votes: +10
The other option for para-diplomatic punishment which ms.Faka may be deriding is military aggression - the 'fist', the 'smack him in the face' as advocated in some idiot's Lowly Rated Comment (further below). But here as well Faka has scoffed too soon : the People's Republic has used military force (admittedly only against its immediate neighbours) on many occasions, and with usual success. The pro-DPRK, anti-USA/UN war in Korea was staggering-costly but did result in the maintence of a communist buffer state - and this despite macArthur, who would have A-bombed a dozen seaboard cities (since become the backbone of China's economic miracle) had his head of state not fired him. Zhou Enlai may have called off the quasi-domestic invasion of Jinmen (Quemoy), but India was shown it couldnt hope to resist Chinese invasion (as discussed in another current Sentinel story 'Troubled Area' ). Mao may have chosen to relinquish that prize, but China will not relinquish the Paracel islands, seized by PLA navy in 1975. Deng's war on VietNam is derided in 'Western media' as a humiliating outclass for a 'ramshackle, guerrilla-esque' PLA, but the punishment he inflicted on Soviet-allied Viet Nam was no joke - the massive destruction of infrastructure is there to be seen to this day. Deng's war on Hanoi-allied Cambodia by Khmer Rouge proxy was successful (if in tandem with covert USA funding etc), in that Hanoi was pushed out and the UN ushered in. Jiang's military modernisation brought the leap in rocket capability and the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation. So the military brand of para-diplomacy is quite feasible, thank you. Commentor Walker ('China a sook?', Sept 5) condemns this option, but oddly seems to imagine that it is advocated by Li Feng's article (above), or by PKU blogger Fang Kechang's thesis. Walker rightly decries the illegal 'Axis of Evil' invasions / occupations by the United Anglo powers with their characteristic high rates of 'collateral damage' civilian dead. These actions are international war-criminal and - let us face it - apparently pre-meditated. Who can believe crowd-bombings are 'accidental' time after time after time? Not i, and not Commentor Chye ('It is with regret', Sept 5 ); Chye however has missed the point of Fang's thesis and Li's article (and of the less idiotic red-hearted patriotic posts here below) - ie that most of us can no longer believe the Chinese party/government, especially when it pretends to speak for 'the People'. The tired clichEs of propaganda, of which 'hurt feelings' are but one example, are a main reason for this on-going public relations disaster. report abuse
vote down
vote up
What Big Sticks?
written by MazaFuka , September 05, 2009
"It is about time China behave like the big boys and wield their big sticks like the Americans."
Votes: +2
What f*cking big sticks? report abuse
vote down
vote up
and other countries...?
written by Shnarf , September 05, 2009
Okay, so you have some rudimentary figures.
Votes: +12
But it's for just one country. To have any sense of whether these figures are in any way meaningful we need similar stats collected for the US, Britain, France, etc. Who knows, other countries might be more offended than China. report abuse
vote down
vote up
"It is with regret...." ( that they have just killed a few hundred villagers, but missed their target)
written by Huat Chye , September 05, 2009
Westerners can't see the plank in their eye, but can see the dust in others'.
Votes: +4
So what's wrong with the expression that " our feelings are hurt" ? We are tired of the western powers' standard expression of "It is regretable that.....". They can send in their planes to drop a few bombs to kill a few hundred civilians just on suspicion that maybe there is one person on the wanted list somewhere in there. Then even if it turns out that they have missed that wanted guy, but have destroyed a whole village, you get this crap "It is with regret...." expression. report abuse
vote down
vote up
China a sook? What about The Axis of Evil Illegal Invasions?
written by Syd Walker , September 05, 2009
So China is a 'sook', because from time to time it's leaders feel their nation has been affronted?
Votes: +8
Is the author's thesis that 'real nations' don't just grumble - they invade (on wholly false pretenses), bomb (mainly civilians) and occupy (even countries half a world away)? report abuse
vote down
vote up
Another anti China crap
written by Ah Beng , September 04, 2009
Asia Sentinel is nothing more than an AntiAsian website. Just look at the pattern of the news. All anti tis and that country of Asia. It is either Anti China, Anti India, etc etc. Nothing positive on Asia. AS is just a crap westerner website which is always putting down anythins Asian.
Votes: +2
report abuse
vote down
vote up
It's about time CCP stop self-pitying !
written by Oma , September 04, 2009
I think China have to find a way to democratize their internal institutions to be in pair with their Economic might, what actually the late Hu Yaobang, and General Secretary Zhao Ziyang, tried to prepare before the later was purged, to gradually reform and implement not only a market Economy but also a political liberalization which would have relaxed the system which allow the CCP to bully the World whenever a foreign and sovereign leader host the Delai Lama ,exiled activist and founder of the Falun Dafa Li Hongzhi, or exiled Uhygur activist Rebiya Kadeer China-generate a disproportionate controversy .
Votes: -5
report abuse
vote down
vote up
..., Lowly rated comment [Show]
our feelings your head
written by T Long , September 03, 2009
Dear kyle
Votes: +14
It is undeniably true that our education (or if you will indoctrination) system encourages us to identify person-emotionally with the honour (or face, or glory) of the present state and its arguable historical antecessors. It is undeniably true that SOME Chinese 'actually believe every foreign person is out there to get them, do disrespect them' - and it may be true of more of the Chinese who deal with you - but you can't say this of Chinese generally, let alone exhaustively. It is true that some Chinese - and maybe more of those who deal with foreigners - have 'inferiority complex', but isn't this is a typical mind-set of many post-(semi)-colonial societies? A western friend of mine insists that the worst of us in this regard, the ones most likely to 'get in yr face about it', are 1.short 2.drunk 3.males. He would suggest you spend more time in conversation with females, and less of it in pubs. And avoid people who have no choice but to look up to you. And while you may not exactly 'piss on their 5000 years of history', you do by yr own admission 'not care about all that'. Try pub-crawling in the UK and telling the english you don't care about '1066 and all that' - or tell them you like the Jon-bon Jovie movie where the USN busted the Enigma cypher - you'll be out on yr arse! No Chinese has any business taking you to be an apologist for Western government crimes, but you should know a few of them. Ignorance can feel like arrogance, and infuriate. You may be 'average joe' but there is nothing ordinary about 'living our lives in a foreign countries' : that is a privilege, and a luxury most on this side can only dream of. Cultural sensitivity is what should distinguish the expat from the tourist. I will never tell you to leave China. Isn't it the Americans who say 'Love it or leave it' ? I would ask you not to say Jesus so much. We like our godless land and we do aim to keep it. report abuse
vote down
vote up
grow a pair
written by kyle , September 03, 2009
for us living in China, "hurt our feelings" is a fundamental point in all our interactions with chinese friends.
Votes: +3
De memoir d'homme I've never seen people as sensitive as chinese. you'll be amazed at the speed at which each minor misunderstanding between two average joes chinese/expat becomes a national us vs them issue. I bet my ass i will be reading about "you hurt our feelings" post soon after i post this one or that " if you don't like china just leave" Jesus....seriously you guys have to grow a pair and stop taking everything personally. Chinese actually believe every foreign person is out there to get them, do disrespect them and piss on their 5000 years of history. the truth is We don't care about all that. we're ordinary people living our lives in a foreign countries. get over your inferiority complex and please don't make everything about the world against china. Jeez!!! report abuse
vote down
vote up
Mao's China
written by Frank of Seattle , September 02, 2009
"between the Mao era (1949-197
Votes: -5
 when Chinese feelings were hurt only three times" Looks like China needs another Mao. Threat of economic sanction is NOT enough. report abuse
vote down
vote up
Cliches
written by MichaelinSydney , September 02, 2009
There's a comforting familiarity about the cliches that the Chinese state media use on a regular basis. As well as 'hurting the feelings of the Chinese people', there is also overuse of terms such as 'sincerity' and those ever present split infinitives like 'firmly oppose' and 'warmly welcome'. I hope they don't drop them.
Votes: +9
report abuse
vote down
vote up
"Don't get hurt". Just impose sanctions, like the west.
written by Xiao Loong - Oversea Chinese , September 02, 2009
I agree, China should stop saying that its feelings are hurt over this and that. They should learn from the "big brother USA" and the wannabes like France and UK. Don't say you are hurt. Say you are considering imposing sanctions!!!
Votes: +3
China should threaten to impose sanctions on those wayward countries that pussyfoot with the Dalai Lama and the Uighurs to create trouble. Impose sanctions on them, like refusing to give cheap credit facilities to them, refuse to buy their treasury bills (means I.O.U. toilet paper), etc. Don't buy their bullet trains. Boycott their iron ore, beef, lamb, etc . Revoke their permits to operate banks and hyper markets in China! Yeah threaten them. Of course, just like sanctions by western countries don't work, sanctions by China will not work too. But boy, it feels good to threaten sanctions, instead of the pussy statements of " We feel hurt" ! It is about time China behave like the big boys and wield their big sticks like the Americans. report abuse
vote down
vote up
...
written by Cn , September 02, 2009
"hurt the feelings of Chinese people"
Votes: +8
This is coming from a regime that doesn't allow it's people to freely express their feelings. report abuse
vote down
vote up
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
The Risk of Travel in AsiaOur Correspondent A new report by International Risk says it's a jungle out there
Full Story |
| Other Articles |
Cyber-war With Chinese Characteristics Beijing nurtures the best IT talent to boost its Net-based warring capacities
Full Story |
| most read... |
Alice Poon
| Freedom of Expression Too Precious to Throw AwayThursday, 04 February 2010 | Alice Poon
In a free society, there will always be more than one single opinion. In a free society, it is accepted that everyone should have an equal right to express his/her opinion without fearing... Full Story |
| Previous posts: |
John Elliott: Riding the Elephant
| From vultures in Delhi, to coups in Pakistan, a journalist's un-edited take on current events |
Donate to Asia Sentinel
And if you love the Chinese government so much, then GET BACK THERE, WORK IN A FACTORY (with your wages being paid by one of these 'nasty' foreign countries) IN GUANGDONG OR A FARM EARNING $US100 A MONTH LIKE THE REST OF YOUR PEOPLE!
Face the facts, the ONLY reason you are enjoying life as an overseas Chinese is because your own country is F*CKED and you have DESERTED them while rushing into the welcoming arms of some nation that has 'hurt your feelings'. Grow up.