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Don’t Feed China’s Nationalism
So why doesn't the Chinese regime see this? Beijing has a particular problem. Now that communism is dead, the Communist Party sees its legitimacy as linked to its role in promoting and defending Chinese nationalism. It is especially clumsy when it comes to such issues. Clever technocrats though they are, China's communist leaders—mostly engineers—have not had to refine their political skills as they have their economic touch. In the past they have stoked anti-Japanese and anti-American outbursts, only to panic that things were getting out of control and then reverse course. They fear that compromising over Tibet would set a precedent for the unraveling of the Chinese nation. China has grown and shrunk in size over the centuries, and its dynasties have often been judged by their success in preserving the country's geography.
In fact, in almost all cases—Turkey, India—granting autonomy to groups that press for it has in the end produced a more stable and peaceful national climate. But that is a lesson the Chinese government will have to learn for itself; it is unlikely to take instruction from outsiders. Its handling of the protests in Tibet is disgraceful. But humiliating the entire country over it would make matters worse.
Read Jonathan Alter's opposing view on a boycott.
© 2008
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Member Comments
Posted By: greentree425 @ 05/08/2008 10:52:10 PM
Comment: This article sounds reasonable. I have one question to the author:
I am a Chinese American. I love America, and I also love China.
What are you going to call me? A patriotic American and a nationalistic Chinese or Nationlistic American and a patriotic Chinese?
Posted By: Jazzman555 @ 05/08/2008 5:04:28 PM
Comment: I wonder how people can write such a bulls**t about thigh which they don't know about. I am Russian and i "enthusiastically supported" that "brutal response" because we had a bunch of animals who was killing our women, children and old people, bombed hospitals, captured slaves and trade them, trade weapon, drugs, etc. For some reason, you call those Chechen bandits heroes fighting for independence. For some reason, you who have never been here think that you know everything better than me who lives in Russia and whose neighborhood was under terrorist's attact and i could die if i go out 20 minutes earlier.
So, you are not that smarta$$ as you think.
Posted By: Historian2008April @ 05/07/2008 11:59:18 AM
Comment: Tibet is part of China since 13th century.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=x9QNKB34cJo
This is the picture that you will not see from CNN, where Protesters Took Advantage of Handicapped Torchbearer's Disability.
http://www.anti-cnn.com/jinjing/paris_protesters_took_advantage.dwt
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NDLfj8cKmc0
CIA???s Secret War in Tibet
http://www.historynet.com/cias-secret-war-in-tibet.htm
Michael Parenti - Tibet: Friendly Fuedalism?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWGGjpJJCKE
Dalai "Da-Lie" Lama's Naked Truth Exposed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1O-eLmAA8Y
Free Tibet, wait, where is Tibet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twHzXN3kNTs&eurl=h
Lakota Nation Breaks Away From America
http://theblacksentinel.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/lakota-nation-breaks-away-from-america/
Tibet: The Truth (oppression, monks, nuns... you're wrong)
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=Xsoc4-QnplY
Tibet! The real Tibet may have you shocked!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siBqFgwL-lA&NR=1
Reality and History
http://www.peaceintibet.com/history.html
BBC: A Year in Tibet Episode1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3725573386055408291
BBC: A Year in Tibet Episode2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4651674230515514021
Comment: CCTV9 Documentary on Lhasa, Tibet, China Riots (Part 1 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z_prFMROC8
CCTV9 Documentary on Lhasa, Tibet, China Riots (Part 2 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiVunJBIGoM
Comment: The Olympic Torch Relay Campaign
http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/en/fulltext/56145