Top-of-the-Week Links, Diaoyu Islands Edition: Yes, there are plenty of Chinese who oppose these protests, the reincarnation of Mao, and Laowai Comics

Via John Kennedy

Apologies for the delay. Along with no free water, Air Asia also does not offer Wi-Fi on its international flights. But here, on the anniversary of the Mukden Incident, is a special Diaoyu Islands links edition.

UPDATE1: 1,000 Chinese boats to arrive in waters near Senkakus: report bit.ly/PrhVcW

— Kyodo News English (@KyodoNewsENG) September 17, 2012

The other, very important side to this: not all Chinese are irrational. “It’s always wrong and dangerous to generalize or stereotype a race. This cannot be any truer in a country as vast and complex as China where contradictions and conflicts abound. When I first the horrific scenes, I was so ashamed of my own race, seeming so barbaric and outrageous through the lens, that at one point, I felt that such a lawless nation will never have any hope of becoming a peace-loving superpower that is deserving of respect, and that there is no point of staying in a country that can come to Armageddon so easily. // But after reading posts that have flooded Sina Weibo, vehemently condemning such violence, I realize that while the rabble and the crimes they’ve committed in the name of love for China have irreversibly smeared the image of Chinese people, there are much more people who have utter contempt for them.” [Jing Gao, Ministry of Tofu]

State-sponsored? “The evidence that China is turning a blind eye to these protests is overwhelming. The absence of China’s police forces is glaringly obvious, especially in contrast to the vast numbers that turn up and start jumping in front of lenses and smashing cameras whenever a protest China’s government doesn’t like is scheduled to take place. China has clearly shown it is more than capable of keeping anti-Japan protests under control if it wants to. The obvious conclusion now — the only conclusion now — is that it doesn’t want to.” [China Geeks]

Corollary: A most interesting theory, from the above link: “A Chinese friend emailed me a theory that I find very interesting. Make of it what you will:

The whole anti-Japanese thing is definitely state-owned, no doubt.
But I think you can go deeper…one party, different fractions
/clique…as far i as I am concerned,there are three major fractions
in ccp.

As for this event..it is Hu’s and Jiang’s at play….

Look at the most violent cities, Xi’an, Chang’ sha, etc…they all are
under Hu’s folks
Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou…lol….Shanghai clique…”

Good to know the police are being helpful in some places. “The first thing that struck me about the anti-Japanese protests in Beijing on Sunday was how helpful the authorities were, to me and everyone else who went. // Being the goose that i am, i went to the wrong embassy — the old one on Ritan St that’s awaiting demolition. I wasn’t alone, however, for a handful of locals had also made the same mistake. The policemen on duty very obligingly told us where to go, and the options for getting there, and even let us listen in on their radio for the latest update, which was that about 350 people were over there protesting.” [South Sea Conversations]

Who’s a good boy, Global Times? Yes, you’re a good boy, Global Times. “Violent protests plague many countries, especially developing economies. Anti-US protests are currently marring the Arab world. China has been making progress in staging orderly protests in recent years. Street protests have not necessarily been disorderly on every occasion. In major hubs such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, protests are often carried out in a more civilized way. Meanwhile, voices against violent protests are on the rise. This time is no different. Violence cannot be tolerated simply because the protests are aimed at Japan.” [Global Times]

Free eggs, you say? “Cartons of ‘free rage eggs’ were given to protesters to throw at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.” [NPR]

Rioting in Changsha. “The Pinghe Tang building is Japanese owned (that is why the people chose that spot to gather), but the business inside are all Chinese owned and staffed. The cars in the video being destroyed are Chinese owned. It is terrifying to see the Chinese turning on their own people. They are so blinded by hatred and ignorance they don’t even see that they are only hurting themselves and each other.” [Two Americans in China]

And in Liuzhou… “Not wishing to be outdone by a bunch of Beijingers or Shanghainese, about 200 Liuzhou sheep students took to the streets this morning (16th September 2012) to protest about Japan’s  “purchase” of the Diaoyu Islands (钓鱼岛) and to call for a boycott of Japanese goods (while photographing each other with their Japanese cameras). The officially sanctioned demonstration appeared to be led by a teacher, and I’m in no doubt that many of the students were ordered to spontaneously demonstrate.” [Liuzhou Laowai]

And Shanghai. “Entry to the Japanese consulate-general was completely cordoned off, and we thought we had missed the protest. People working in the neighbourhood told us that busloads of protestors had been dropped off here at regular intervals. They were right. In just a few minutes, the next batch of demonstrators would arrive…” [Shanghaiist]

So you hate Japanese products so much, huh? Let’s see how you do without them. “Some major Japanese brand name firms announced factory shutdowns in China on Monday and urged expatriates to stay indoors ahead of what could be more angry protests over a territorial dispute between Asia’s two biggest economies. // China’s worst outbreak of anti-Japan sentiment in decades led to weekend demonstrations and violent attacks on well-known Japanese businesses such as car makers Toyota and Honda, forcing frightened Japanese into hiding and prompting Chinese state media to warn that trade relations could now be in jeopardy.” [Reuters]

Han Han weighs in. “His latest Chinese-language post, entitled ‘Chess pieces that jump off the board,’ (跳出棋盘的棋子) has already garnered over 126,000 retweets and over 25,000 comments. The chess metaphor loses much in translation, but Han’s post makes a number of interesting points, among them: // Buying a Japanese car does not equate to a lack of patriotism…” [Tea Leaf Nation]

The US Embassy’s statement for its citizens: “In light of news of ongoing and likely further protests in China related to a territorial dispute in the East China Sea between China and Japan, the United States Embassy and Consulates General in China remind U.S. citizens that even gatherings intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.  U.S. citizens are therefore urged to avoid areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution when in the vicinity of any demonstrations.  U.S. citizens should stay abreast of media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.” [Embassy of the US - Beijing]

Totally unrelated to Diaoyu Islands interlude:

Finally…

“Grandpa Mao once said ‘Fuck Japan.’” [Offbeat China]

One Japanese mother in Shanghai’s take on all this. [Isidor's Fugue]

Rules for demonstrating. [China Digital Times (also see: pictures)]

Perhaps it should include a “no kids” requirement? [MIC Gadget]

If you haven’t read it yet, Eric Fish’s account of the protests outside the Japanese embassy on Saturday now has a video appended. [Sinostand]

Finally, finally…

Laowai Comics

Okay, one more:

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