Interesting Asian Politics

[GodEmperor Nicholas]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/04/2...ting/index.html

"At the moment Sino-Japanese relations face a difficult situation. Such a difficult situation is not one we want to see," Hu told reporters after the closed-door meeting.

If the problem cannot be solved "it would be detrimental to China and Japan and would affect stability and development in Asia," he added.

Koizumi told reporters it was a "very good meeting," as he left the venue.

It was the first top-level discussion since massive anti-Japanese protests erupted earlier this month in major Chinese cities over Tokyo's approval of school textbooks that China claims play down wartime atrocities.

Hu said the strong reaction of the Chinese people is "something the Japanese side should seriously reflect on."

The meeting came a day after Koizumi offered the most public apology in a decade over Japan's wartime aggression in Asia. Koizumi's expression of "deep remorse" broke no new ground, but the rare appeal was a clear attempt to reverse the worst erosion of ties between Tokyo and Beijing since diplomatic relations were established in 1972.

However, Hu said Tokyo should back up its words of remorse with action.

The two men are in Indonesia attending a summit of Asian and African leaders, which was opened on Friday by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

''I would like to convey (to Hu) that Japan believes friendly ties are important, especially when anti-Japan feelings exist,'' Koizumi said, according to Kyodo.

Koizumi's announcement followed his apology for Japan's wartime activities in Asia, made during his speech at the summit in Jakarta earlier Friday.

He expressed Japan's ''deep remorse'' and ''heartfelt apology'' for its wartime past.

But China's ambassador to South Korea, Li Bin, dismissed the remarks, saying "actions are more important" than words, The Associated Press reported.

Friction between the two countries has increased in recent weeks, with a string of violent anti-Japan demonstrations in China provoking demands from Japan for an apology.

China has refused, instead blaming Japan for not facing up to its wartime history.

Beijing has also expressed "strong dissatisfaction" by a visit Friday by Japanese lawmakers to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.

The shrine honors about 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including executed criminals such as World War II-era prime minister Hideki Tojo.

Clearly the Chinese are up to something, but its hard to say just what. I refuse to believe there country's government actually gives a ****** about the books being sold in some minor Japanese provinces, so its a play of some sort. Perhaps just a typical totalitarian move to rally the internal populace of a country to the government by inventing foreign tensions.

The other obvious option is that the timing is not coincidental, and the Asian Leaders summit is stalling on some policy that the Chinese want to have passed through, and so they are pressuring the Japs...

Still, interesting situation developing.

NM

[Torment]

I think it's really just pathetic how Koizumi is crawling through the dirt just to appease some sadistical Chinese president. Personally I would have given him the finger, but it's pretty obvious that Japan doesn't want to lose a trading partner as invaluable as China. I think it's just a very primitive way of the Chinese to show that they have the bigger muscles and can do with Japan whatever they want. With Japan still being dictated by the rules set up after WWII, there is nothing they can do but appease their big, commie cousins...

Also worth noticing:

On the Taiwan issue, Hu said he "hoped that the Japanese side will demonstrate concrete actions, its adherence to the One-China policy and opposition to Taiwan's independence."

Perhaps this is just the next step in the Chinese conspiracy to isolate and take over Taiwan. If not, Hu should know better then to talk about Taiwan so openly...

[Ldvs]

Yes, it's obvious China's government is pulling the strings and that this "incident" is but a part of a larger scheme. China is most displeased by Japan's attitude towards Taiwan, and there is still this matter about oil reserves. China is now Japan's first trading partner and they can't afford to lose such markets. China is using this means of pressure to make sure Japan's government will eventually bend the knee and step out of the "Taiwan problem". I'm not certain the Japanese will bear this situation for long though.

[Xiaodun]

This is just another act by the Chinese government to increase hatred of Japan again. Am I suposed to belive that the Chinese government actually cares about the "new educational material" (which is taught in ten minor schools), or the Japanese way of facing history (despite the fact we already apologized)? By flaring up anti-Japanese feelings within their population, they can get their people to forget the horrors of their own nation.

If Koizumi had half a brain he would ignore the Chinese government and actually work to create an equal partnership. But hey, the guy never does what we want

[GodEmperor Nicholas]

I was hopinig Deathdoom would have something to say

What is the sentiment in Japan like right now?

Cheers,

NM

[Xiaodun]

Originally posted by GodEmperor Nicholas@Apr 24 2005, 10:40 AM
I was hopinig Deathdoom would have something to say

What is the sentiment in Japan like right now?

Cheers,

NM

Well in short, we are looking at the protestors with disgust for their ignorance, anger at the CHinese government for their arrogance, and rage with Koizumi for his weakness. Our people are seriously angered by the governments on both sides for not representing the opinions of the people.

However, most rational Japanese people understand that this feud isnt between the Japanese and Chinese but between the extremists and leaders of both sides. We do, dispite some might say, actually feel sadness for what happened, and want to sincerly apologize.

[GodEmperor Nicholas]

However, most rational Japanese people understand that this feud isnt between the Japanese and Chinese but between the extremists and leaders of both sides. We do, dispite some might say, actually feel sadness for what happened, and want to sincerly apologize.

Indeed, it strikes me that you should be quite finished with events that occured some 60 years ago, and certainly something as minor as a textbook should not be the catalist for such an uproar.

The whole thing stinks of Chinese secret police...

NM

[Xiaodun]

Originally posted by GodEmperor Nicholas@Apr 24 2005, 10:56 AM

However, most rational Japanese people understand that this feud isnt between the Japanese and Chinese but between the extremists and leaders of both sides. We do, dispite some might say, actually feel sadness for what happened, and want to sincerly apologize.

Indeed, it strikes me that you should be quite finished with events that occured some 60 years ago, and certainly something as minor as a textbook should not be the catalist for such an uproar.

The whole thing stinks of Chinese secret police...

NM

Hey, as i said before, the only reason the Chinese government is bring this up is to distract their people from whats happening in their nation.

[Dirk Gently]

This, in my opinion, is much like Kristallnacht -- the night much jewish property was destroyed in a hail of broken glass.

Hey, as i said before, the only reason the Chinese government is bring this up is to distract their people from whats happening in their nation.

Adheres to the words of...

Hermann Goering: Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

...to some extent. The chinese government are trying to amaze and redirect like magicians away from what is tangible and effects the daily lives of over a billion Chinese. I mention Kristallnacht for this reason -- it was not a movement soley undertaken by the police, despite...

The whole thing stinks of Chinese secret police...

Rather, they just turned a blind eye within reason, and in some cases, assisted and/or provided materials for attack. The Chinese government is on the slipperly slope out of communism and right in to Fascism -- corporatist, militarist nationalism backed up by single party systems, propaganda and a will to dominate by force all opposition. It's amusing to see the ease with which the chinese people have adopted what people in the 40's would have seen as the total polar opposites in ideology, but not suprising -- Chinese history is rather suited to such a state.

[Aristophanes]

What do you think of this Kuomintang guy [Chen?] meeting with Hu Jintao: it's clear they both want a united China, and I think [Chen?] may believe that war is the greater of the two evils. If there could be a peaceful joining of China, would you support it? What do you think would happen to freedoms in Hong Kong and Taiwan once China was unified? How many Taiwanese would be purged or executed? How much worse would Japan and South Korea's security situations become with China suddenly owning this conveniently placed island?[and all its military hardware and technology]