Even as tensions between Beijing and Tokyo grow by the day, there are good reasons to believe outright conflict can be avoided.
The sequel seldom improves on the original. Yet Shinzo Abe, Japan’s newly re-elected prime minister, has already displayed more conviction during his second spell at the Kantei than in the entire year of his first, unhappy premiership.
Political energy is a plus only when it’s wisely deployed however, and some fear that Abe is picking a fight he can’t win when it comes to his hardline stance on China.
Rather than attempting to soothe the tensions that built between Beijing and Tokyo in 2012, Abe has struck a combative tone, especially concerning their dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands – a keystone for nationalists in both countries. Each time fighter aircraft are scrambled or ships are sent to survey the likely flashpoint, we hear more warnings about the approach of a war that China and Japan now seem almost eager to wage. The Economist, for example,recently observed that, “China and Japan are sliding towards war,” while Hugh White of the Australian National University warned his readers: “Don't be too surprised if the U.S. and Japan go to war with China [in 2013].” News this week of another reckless act of escalation – Chinese naval vessels twice training their radars on their Japanese counterparts – will only have ratcheted up their concerns.
These doomful predictions came as Abe set out his vision of a more hard-nosed Japan that will no longer be pushed around when it comes to sovereignty issues. In his December op-ed on Project Syndicate Abe accused Beijing of performing “daily exercises in coercion” and advocated a “democratic security diamond” comprising Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. (rehashing a concept from the 2007 Quadrilateral Security Dialogue). He then proposed defense spending increases – Japan’s first in a decade – and strengthened security relations with the Philippines and Vietnam, which both share Tokyo’s misgivings about China’s intentions. An alliance-affirming trip to the U.S.is expected soon, and there is talk of Japan stationing F-15s on Shimojijima, close to the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
However, Abe would argue that he is acting to strengthen Japan in order to balance a rising China and prevent a conflict, rather than creating the conditions for one. And he undoubtedly has a more sanguine view of the future of Sino-Japanese relations than those who see war as an ever more likely outcome. Of course, there is a chance that Chinese and Japanese ships or aircraft will clash as the dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands rumbles on; and, if they do, there is a chance that a skirmish could snowball unpredictably into a wider conflict.
But if Shinzo Abe is gambling with the region’s security, he is at least playing the odds. He is calculating that Japan can pursue a more muscular foreign policy without triggering a catastrophic backlash from China, based on the numerous constraints that shape Chinese actions, as well as the interlocking structure of the globalized environment which the two countries co-inhabit. Specifically, there are seven reasons to think that war is a very unlikely prospect, even with a more hawkish prime minister running Japan:
Photo Credit: Wikicommons
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aristeon
Future generations will curse us if we let a row over a few tiny uninhabited islets trigger a major war. Instead of dealing with the real issue that are important for people – more equality, healthcare, fairer trade, higher standards of living etc. – in order that people might enjoy a better life, politicians and nationalists (no matter if in China, Japan or the US), quarrel over a piece of land like kindergarten children. Probably it's too complicated to take care of the real problems in our society.
@my-new-life-in-asia.blogspot
Be Way
@aristeon,
Totally agreed with your viewpoint but only if Japan can at least show some little remorse for its past crimes, by returning the stolen war loot, Diaoyu Islands, back to its rightful owner, China, as well as to drop its repelling demand on Dokdo Islands that belongs to Korea. Otherwise the Far East region will never be peaceful until Japan is punished the second time. The second time could be the final sayonara.
Cyrus
That loot was not part of the territories seize in WW II, besides I remembered that China gave them to Japan in perpetuity.
nirvana
In Europe we have the cases of Rockall and Gibraltar, two little rocks that are sources of disputes between nations. But these disputes have never reached this level as in Asia. They are likely to be settle in a court. Why?
I believe that nationalism in Asia is the crux of the problem.
As long as we continue to teach our young children about the "mother land", we are sowing trouble. If we want to spare them the wars our fathers have fought, the wars that some of us have fought or suffered, we should not teach them neither about past glory nor past humiliation. We should not teach them neither about ideology nor dream. We should teach them about the mistakes we have made, the danger that our race may be exterminated before the end of the century, mostly not by their fault but ours.
Bib Bob
You do NOT understand the hurt and hate between Chinese common people and the army of Japan. I am a professional working in Hong Kong. Educated in the west and hold a EU passport. Yet, my dad was nearly shot to death in Hong Kong some 70 years ago by a Japanese solider when Japan occupied Hong Kong during world war II. WIll there be a war, yes I am afraid.
Andao
It was 70 years ago! The people responsible are dead and gone. When are you going to let it die? Watching these events unfold, I think there is nothing Japan can do to make the Chinese like them, except all jump into the ocean at once. And that's terrible, because I think Japan has done a great deal for the world in those past 70 years.
Justin
Undoubtedly, no Westerner can grasp the animosity and resentment that many Chinese feel towards Japan in light of Japanese atrocities during WW II. On the other hand, China must be very careful not to inch its way to war with Japan as a way of wreaking her revenge on Japan for the evils of the past. It is humanly natural for the Chinese to want to visit upon Japan some of what they endured in the 1930's and 1940's, but the final outcome could bring even worse devastation upon China. I wish the Chinese people could be satisfied with the horrors visited upon Japan by the two atomic bombs and accept that as sufficient retribution. If anything, it might serve as a lesson for both nations about the horrific suffering a nuclear war cause Chinese and Japanese alike. Surely, no one in their right mind could want that.
John Chan
@Justin,
It was the American nuked the Japanese not the Chinese; please bring any issue regarding excessive retribution to the Americans, not to the Chinese. Japanese got off their war crimes cheap, now they can claim victimhood to white wash their war crimes and gloss over the atrocities they committed in China with self-righteousness.
Japan has learnt nothing from the nuclear war, they had been stockpiling war grade nuclear material and technologies for decades that allow them to rearmed themselves with thousands nuclear warheads in a month as their politicians boasted.
CLJF
And yet Japan hasn't actually built any nuclear weapons yet. Unlike China.
But thanks to China's continued provocations and aggression that might well change. If Japan does go ahead and actually use all that nuclear material to build nuclear weapons, China will have no one to blame but itself.
Masterful diplomacy, that.
John Chan
@CLJF,
Can the Japanese for once take some responsibility for themselves? Since when does the Japanese need excuse to start atrocities? Historically Japanese is notorious of creating incidence then expands the incidence into full scale war in order to carry out unprecedented atrocity and destruction on the victims.
Did the Japanese get permission from China to stock pile those illegal war grade nuclear materials? Did the Japanese ask China first for acquire the technologies to build nuclear weapons? Did the Japanese get permission from China before encroaching on the Diaoyu Islands? Did the Japanese ask China first to start harass Chinese ships and airplanes with warplanes and warships? Did the Japanese ask China first before it starts demonizing China? …
Robert
Philippines was brutalized by Japan in World War 2. Filipinos babies are thrown in the
and bayonet, that is the past. The present is China BULLYING the Philippines by stealing our Island, Scarborough Shoal. Most Filipinos despise China if War breaks out, our Govt. will side with JAPAN. I look China a menace and evil empire.
John Chan
@Robert,
It seems the Filipinos enjoy to be bayoneted and beheaded; welcoming Japanese back to enjoy the same cruel treatment surly is a funny addiction; I didn’t realize that mentally colonized people is also addict to self-mutilation; they hate people kind to them and enjoy being abused.
Errol
Sarcasm doesn't help your cause JC. It makes you look immature and bitter. His point was to get over the past and learn to appreciate the future. Assuming you have one, of course.
John Chan
@Errol,
Are you saying the Western culture treasured "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" mentality is immature and bitter?
Errol
Silly. It's the sarcasm that's immature and bitter. I would like being bayoneted and beheaded as much as you do. Unless you have an inclination to experience those. But who am I to argue?
Cyrus
I do concur, we must never let the past dictate the present. Japan has repented for its sins and have helped the Philippines in the form of Japanese Aid not to mention the war repatriation that was given as well.
Now the immediate threat is China and not Japan, I do agree if War breaks out we would likely side with Japan over China. Oh, and btw China was also colonized by the Westerners.
a_canadian_observer
A simple test for the chinese: If they can show remorse and be apologetic to the crimes the PLA had done to the Vietnamese people (children, old, pregnant women) during their 1979 invasion, then they can be angry with the Japanese. Otherwise they are just BS.
John Chan
@a_fake_canadin,
Vietnamese always claimed they taught China a lesson even with their children, old and women militia, are you saying the Vietnamese are just BS?
nirvana
@John Chan,
The Vietnamese can teach Chinese a lesson. While they were slaves of their Northern neighbor for a thousand years, colonized by France, looted by Japan, brutalized by the US, betrayed by the PRC, they never taught their children any "century of humiliation". The lesson is: when you are weak, it is your fault. When you win, make peace. When you look for revenge, you are sowing the seed for the next war.
a_canadian_observer
John Chan has failed the test miserably. Any other taker from the CCP camp?
Mao Kim
John Chan is a smear on the people of China. His comments only serve to make China look immature, underdeveloped and purely racist even though many Chinese I know, work with and respect are quite the opposite.
John Chan
@Mao Kim,
Because you live in the world of predatory imperialist manufactured consensus, it does not mean all other people is hoodwinked like you.
a_canadian_observer
Well, since there is no other from the china camp to take on the test, the conclusion is, people from china like to play the victim card, yet having no remorse for what they have done to others. What is this condition called? With such behavior, do they deserve any respect?
Wildforestlad
yes, dont agree… China has something to gain and is sending a signal to Asian nations that believe the US will support them that the US may not. The US failed to do anything about Nth Korea sinking the Sth Korean destroyer, or other provocative acts by Nth Korea… Japans economy is bankrupt like the USA, it very simplistic to suggest China cant afford loss of 'face/ego'… Japan has hard decisions to make, my view is from an Australian, many Australians now accept the Asian Century…the USA has a lot of work to do to restore its economy….Japan must make choices
c c wang
It makes both sides having causes to strenthen military and political influence , no warfare shall be inaugurated untill the ultimate has been reached .
zo
Far from a bungling, I’d say that Noda’s handling of a difficult situation displayed a great deal of tact and restraint.
Be Way
Unless you are blind not to see how he blundered and poisoned the fragile relationship between Japan and all its neighbors. He is weak, insensitive, lackadaisical and most of all, irresponsible person.
Mao Kim
Wrong. China was already rocking relationships with its neighbors. Noda actually showed the guts to rock back. And the only other party interested in the Senkaku’s are your half brother Taiwan. Every other Asian country (ex-Korea) is uninterested or sympathetic to Japan.
Miyoyon
Nothing new
Masahiko F.
Bet your life on it Mr. Moss, not ours.
1913intel
How did the death of one fruit vendor bring down the Middle East?
How did the death of one archduke start World War I?
The answer to these questions and the China-Japan question is history. What was the history leading up to that point?
In the case of China and Japan, there was the Japanese humiliation during World War II. Before that there was the western humiliation in the mid-1800s. The Chinese remember these humiliations and vow revenge through a little parable: The Parable of Goujian.
Currently, the leaders in China are worried about the prospects of revolution. Maybe not today, but who knows in a few years.
What this says is that China cannot back down. It can only move forward. For to back down will likely mean revolution. Even nuclear war might be better than backing down. Revolution will surely mean death to the leaders, but nuclear war means death to the people. In a nuclear war the leaders survive, but many of the people die.
So if a fruit vendor can bring down the Middle East, then surely some tiny islands in the East China Sea are capable of much more than people think possible. But is now the time for a great war? Historically, when an empire goes into decline that is a dangerous period. At the end of 2008, it is generally acknowledged that the US went into decline. That's the most sign, but there are other signs too. I'm tracking these over at my blog.
Justin
While I agree with you that the situation is a potential tinderbox that could spark a war, I do not agree with your statements about nuclear war. Even if China's leaders managed to survive a nuclear war, they would still have to face the radiation fall out for possibly decades to come, and a completely devastated infrastructure. That outcome could hardly be called a victory, and China's "rise" would effectively be over, leaving the U.S. and Japan to fill the power vacuum.
Be Way
@1913intel
China is the only few countries beside India, that has repeatedly re-affirmed its no-first-use nuclear pledge. However the same principle is never being pledged by the rogue U.S regime. How many times in the past decades has U.S threatened to use nuclear weapons against China like during the Korean War or when China detonated its first nascent nuclear bomb.
The world is in total catastrophic danger arising from the possession of thousands of nuclear bombs under the hand of the rogue U.S regmine.
a_canadian_observer
@Be way: "China is the only few countries beside India, that has repeatedly re-affirmed its no-first-use nuclear pledge" –> Unfortunately, china's words don't carry much weight. No nation believes china.
Be Way
@a_canadian_observer,
If you want to talk fact, please show evidence which country doesn't trust China. Don't just pluck out from the air and quote your stupid nonsense over here. It only reflected your low mentality..
a_canadian_observer
@Be Way: since you want fact (which you've never provided), the only countries I could think of are NK, Iran, Pakistan, perhaps Cambodiw and some rogue states in Africa. However, do you really believe those countries trust china?
Mao Kim
Because the chinese definition of all democratically elected governments is “rogue”. How did Chinese people choose its new leader? Oh yeah, you didn’t. And the world should trust the words of self appointed dictators who are in no way responsible to its people. Right, that’s very logical… Only in Chinese fantasyland
Be Way
Democracy is NOT a license to invade and kill millions of innocent people with impunity as what U.S has done. Don't blind yourself with idiocy and useless talking.
Cyrus
@Be Way
Since the Qin Empire you have already done that, way before the USA even existed.
JohnX
1913intel wrote: "the end of 2008, it is generally acknowledged that the US went into decline.".
I must say that I have a problem with your analysis. It took the Roman Empire 200-300 years to finally decline. The British Empire is only finally coming to an end of a decline 100 years after it started. You say the USA has started in 2008.
What point are you making? That China will rule the World in 2058 or when? A decline of an empire is never a quick thing. Nor is a rise for that matter.
But hey, China and Chinese have always been arrogant prats, its historically their greatest weakness. Let them make a new Empire and I will die of old age before they max it.
lee
1,wrong!
2,wrong!
3.right
4.wrong!
5.right
6.wrong
7.wrong
ChinaGamerGuy
Lee,
a little more reasoning would make your assertions more interesting. For example, I might note in support for the correctness of 1 & 3 there was just this week a PLA navy conference discussing the 1894 defeat of the then-recently-modernized Qing fleet at the hands of the Japanese where generals and admirals were basically these points.
Kim’s Uncle
This article makes a good argument why there will not be war over Senkaku islands. The Chinese military is not ready to take on a modern military. If they did and they get embarrassed, then china will be humiliated and Chinese insecurity, humiliation, and embarrassment will only deepen further. Chinese fragile ego will manifest in more “hurt feelings”!
a_canadian_observer
The other thing is: throughout history, china has never had the courage to stand up to strong nations. It's been notorious for bullying smaller/weaker nations only.
Observer’s elbow
Ever heard of the big 'bug-out' that occurred in the great Korean War of 1950-53 ?
Observer’s elbow2
Histrory, even though written by the west, will never deny that George W. Bush did say 'sorry' to Beijing so that the crew of the U.S. spy plane could go home after that infamous aerial collision of Apr 1 2001.
John Chan
Abe is a master of double speaks; the delegations and envoy he sent to China is to confuse China and buy time for Japan to retch up for its war effort against China.
Japan has crippled China two previous modernization drives, and Japan has reaped more than one hundred years of unprecedented benefits from its aggressions, it knows a modernized China will overshadow it for thousand years; it must cripple China’s drive for modernization again before it is too late.
China must make the USA and Japan respect China if it wants to develop its full potential, once the USA and Japan show their respect of China, the SE Asia nations will follow suite.
These century old conflicts cannot be resolved by good will, wishful thinking and diplomatic efforts. The reasons in this article are merely side shows comparing to those national conflicts.
Monkey’s Uncle
This blog's "moderator" packs the comments with its trolls' anti China comments while slyly censoring many impactful comments against these trolls slanders so as to give the appearance that readers are against China. This blog and and its moderators/editors should burn. Let's see if they print this comment. AFter the damage and libel is all done according to their desire.
Bankotsu
" It's been notorious for bullying smaller/weaker nations only."
What about sino-Japanese war 1937, Korean war 1950, indian-sino war 1962, sino-soviet split 1969?
What's up with the poppy about China only taking on weak nations? Where did this trash idea come from?
a_canadian_observer
@Bankotsu:
What about sino-Japanese war 1937 –> There was no stand up on the china side.
Korean war 1950 –> the USSR was backing china
indian-sino war 1962 –> china cowardly attacked India when it didn't pay attention
sino-soviet split 1969 –> what's a split? There was no stand up from the china side.
What's up with the poppy about China only taking on weak nations? Where did this trash idea come from? –> Take a look at some credible (non chinese) source.
Ritapo
First I'd like to say I'm a Chinese. As I know, 1950s CCCP just sent several pilots to Korea to help and Mao felt being cheated by Stalin.
And also I can say that Japan is a country bullying weaker countries too. Because during the last 100 years, all the countries it invaded were all weak countries, even China at that time. If you mentioned the war between Japan and America, well, just like your comment on the Sino-India War, it began with a sneak attack, but still defeated.
Jean-Paul
Yes Kim and Canadian Observer, you guys both make excellent points. China is so insecure of itself that it will always try to bring up past glory so that it can feel better about itself. John Chan, Be Way all those posters keep going on about 5000 years of civilization and all sorts of propaganda to gloss over the massive pollution, poor $8000 GDP per capita and the image problem that China now has.
China can never truly stand up to strong nations such as Japan, Russia or the USA. All it can do is jump with fury like a spoiled Child and constantly cry and whine hoping that someone will listen. Maybe if China matured a bit then it wouldn't have such a bad image problem like it has today.
Drive by
Keep your head in sand, everything will be fine! While the author made a few rather weak arguments based on wishful thinking, you on the otherhand sound like an idiot. China won't challenge Russia and U.S. because of MAD. Nuclear powers should never agitate each other. Russia and U.S. won't challenge China either.
>
As for why there won't be a war over the Diaoyu Islands, the number one reason is that China won't divert from her ultimate strategic goal: reunification with Taiwan. Once the PLA can have bases in Taiwan, the island problem will be much easier to solve. Having a fight with Japan now does not make any sense in the overall scale of things. PLA would rather continue to prepare for the final showdown in Taiwan. For China, that is the only island worth fighting for in the West Pacific.
>
Further more, It is obvious that the U.S. is trying to stir up things between China-India and China-Japan. China is too smart to bit. Unlike the U.S. at its peak, China will never engage in any war of choice.
Bertdel
China will continue to nip at Japan as long as Japan is nuclear weapon free. Notice that China doesn't exhibit this behavior against Russia, U.S. and even India. If and when Japan acquires nuclear weapons, China will have second thoughts. I would advice Japan to develop its own nuclear weapons and not rely on the U.S. for deterrence.
Cyrus
Now Drive that is a good way of looking at things, though the problem is Japan is gonna protect Taiwan it is vital for their defense that ROC is Independent from PRC. Also, the Taiwan Act might involve the US in any action to be taken against Taiwan.
That is still a delicate balancing act for PRC to attack ROC while convincing the Japs and Americans not to intervene.
cm chen
Never? Remember China entered the Korean war against a super power with atomic bomb when it was very weak, It perceived to be in mortal danger.
a_canadian_observer
@cm Chen: OK time to check your fact: if there was no backing by the USSR, would china have had the courage to enter the Korean war?
Anything else?
Vasco de Castro
I think that China and Japan will both avoid a war, mainly because their economic interests, however no one can say that China would never attack Russia or the USA, since China is already one of the bigest military powers and no one must forget, not only his population, but also his technical and scientific capacities. Many centuries ago, China ( Mongolia) invaded the Rome empire and did it by horse -Gengis Khan
Vasco de Castro
John Chan
@Jean-Paul,
Are the French feeling inferior in front of an ancient civilization like China because of their own history is short, full of violence, theocratic ignorance and conquerors’ abuses?
You should know it is the Anglo-Saxon, Romans. Mongols’ fault that made the French a historical punch bag, you should channel your anger to them; fail to stand up to French’s perpetrators, but bashing China viciously on the internet is behaviour of chicken.
general
gengis khan is not a chinese, he's a mongolian… mongolia is not part of china..
Israel Rising
@ John Chan
This is really ugly, please John Chan can you stop being so racist and offensive in your comments? I've been reading your posts and they seem to be getting worse and worse by the day.
Anyways the whole point of the article is to show that China is in over its head. Throughout history there have always been nations that have tried to change the status quo, and revolt against the dominant power/system. China is now trying to resist the very international order that has led to its economic growth: the system of the western capitalists.
The only difference is that unlike other nations which have changed the international system for the better, such as britain, the USA and Israel, China is instead trying to bring us back into the age of feudalism and cold war communism. Chinese society is still stuck in its feudal past; you often hear reference to "chinese princelings" who obtained power via their bloodlines which is a very feudalistic tradition. I would even bet that a lot of the Chinese elite are inbreds. No wonder Chinese society is so poisoned and polluted, the elites have been engaging in a sick incestual manner and it has spread to the general populace as well.
John Chan
@Israel Rising,
The current international system was established by a small group of imperial powers (they called themselves the G7) to exploit the rest of world perpetually; when they cannot compete within the rules they establish, they change rules to suite their own needs again and enforced the changes with bombing and killing on the fabricated narratives.
Even the greedy G7 calls themselves the democracies, by the world called them the preparatory imperialist tyranny, or the VEO(Violent Extremist Organizations). Their forte is to manufacture consensus and fabricate reality to demonize anyone who does not submitted to their dominance and enslavement, your comment is a typical script they rant.
Israel Rising, your disgusting rant only can be bred from a mind that is already poisoned and polluted by such sickness and sinfulness. No wonder Muslims vowed to cleanse Israel from the Palestine as a jihad to purify the land.
Be Way
@General,
Of course we know Genghis khan is not a chinese but then he and his offsprings were so interested to become Chinese that they conquered China and then learn all things Chinese. So they are better off being Chinese.
papa john
"he and his offsprings were so interested to become Chinese"? Don't you know under Mongolian empire, Chinese were treated like? worse than horse for sure. Don't believe me, just ask any Mongolians out there to see if any of them wants to become Chinese. Under CCP, Chinese become a laughingstock.
Be Way
@Pipa John
There is a Chinese saying that Heaven has eyes. All those who do evil unto others will have to pay the price. The Mongolians, Tibetans, Urghurs and Manchurians were once vicious barbarians who never failed to harrass and attack China. Now what is their destiny. The Tibetans, Urghurs and Manchurians are now part of the Chinese family. The Mongolians lost half of the vast lands to the Chinese. Next will be the turn of the Japanese to be subdued and caged like animals.
American Patriot
@ Be Way
If heaven has eyes then it will definitely look down upon China as well. I honestly think that the Chinese are some of the most underdeveloped people on the planet. They do not hesitate even for one second to pollute vast swathes of lakes, rivers, sea's, even the very air you breathe is completely contaminated and toxic. Hundreds of thousands of poor Chinese die pre-mature deaths every year because of how badly you have raped your own land. Not even a few dozen nuclear bombs could cause so much suffering and destruction!!
So it seems heaven is looking down on China, unfortunately it's not looking down with a loving embrace but rather a hateful glare.
vic
It is written in the heavens, that eventually all Mongolia will be part of China. It is inevitable.
Shen liang
@BeWay
"Next will be the turn of the Japanese to be subdued and caged like animals."
.
Thanks for telling us what you really think of minorities in China!
John Chan
@American Patriot,
You don’t need to think, American is the most underdeveloped people on the planet, their animal instinct is displayed nakedly, like killing tens of school kids for fun, shooting 16 years old dead with government unmanned drone for practice, polluted the pristine Alaska sea then again Gulf Mexico with crude oil, and spread toxic nuclear pollution at the Three Mile Island.
On top of the American raped Americas, they brought destruction all over the world, they bombed and killed all over the world on fabricated narratives, as well as they nuked other people out of hatred and vengeance, and they spread toxic chemical Agent Orange on Indo-China to rape that land for the sake of body count.
If heave has eyes, it must be figuring a way on how to cleanse those destructive psychos on the land of North America to save humanity from such unbearable suffering.
Heaven, do you have eyes? Have you heard the pleading from the oppressed? Or do you have mercy at all?
Be Way
@American Patriot,
You Westerner sure have a queer way of reading statistic upside down. If you care to read the latest report by The Economist dated Jan 6, 2013, there is only one city in China that make it to the top 20 most polluted cities in the world. Neither is any other big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou make it to the list. The surprising news is that almost 1/2 of these polluted cities are either from U.S, Europe, Canada and even Australia. Please read the report thoroughly first before you come back and talk sense to us here.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2013/01/daily-chart-11
Be Way
@Shen liang,
Your Quote "Thanks for telling us what you really think of minorities in China!"
Let me warned you in a serious tone that you should NEVER twist my words when I never said anything about the minorities in China. Specifically what I did mention is only the Japanese. I hope you get the message loud and clear.
American Patriot
@ Be way
Very cute attempt to try and point the finger elsewhere, a very good tactic that you seem to love to employ. Anyways if you actually took the time to read the article you will find that it says the following: "The most polluted cities of the world's largest economies" meaning that for each country in the world, the ones listed are the most polluted. So basically out of all the most polluted cities in China, Lanzhou is the most polluted which is why it is ranked 2nd. There are plenty of other extremely polluted cities in China, but only Lanzhou is reported on the list because it is the most polluted.
So what the graph is essentially showing, is that Lanzhou, China's most polluted city, is over 3 times more polluted than the most polluted American city Bakersfield.
I know you probably have trouble comprehending english, so please leave the more complicated subjects like statistics, economics etc… to the educated posters please. You and John Chan are essentially the court jesters of thediplomat.
Shen liang
@Be way
"Next will be the turn" means it has already happened with the other ethnicities you mentioned. Let me warn you in a serious tone to stop talking out the side of your mouth. The key identifying feature of a coward is that he always has to deny his own words.
John Chan
@American Patriot,
Be Way is kind enough to tell you how ridiculous you are in a language you understand. To a people like you who is linguistically handicapped and live in a world of fabricated reality, their view scope is like a well frog, it is hard for them to be told the sky is larger than the mouth of the well they live in, such awaking information will twisting their brain upside down, the common reactions from them are barking with foul language, ill wishing ranting, obscene smearing and labeling relentlessly like a paranoia diehard cold war warrior in the West.
Educated posters debate with reasons and persuasions, they regard people labeling others in a debate as sign of redneck, and you definitely do not qualify as educated.
a_canadian_observer
I think John Chan and Be Way are the same paid 50 center. Be Way lost the debate to Shen Liang and American Patriot, and John Chan (a.k.a Be Way) made his typical concession speech :).
nirvana
@Shen Liang,
I don't think he is a coward.
There are people who are liars by profession. It is not in their nature, they are trained to lie. So, when by a slip of his tongue, Be Way spoke the back of his mind and you made him realize that, it i sunderstandable that he is very angry. His privilege to blog here is at stake.
Cyrus
@JC
When did you ever debate? you typically only quote those anti western retoric.
Anon
Think World Wars do not stem from miscalculation? Think again.
http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/02/08/good_news_world_war_i_is_over_and_will_not_happen_again
Germany thought it could take on Russia in a limited war before Russia becomes a "threat" to Germany, much like the way the Japanese currently think of the Chinese. Germany's miscalculation led to WW1 and massive deaths. Of course it was a costly war which set back many countries, not the least of which was Germany. However, did the Germans learn their mistake? No…a couple of decades later, they launched WW2, despite reaping the consequences of their first aggression. Those who do not learn from History are doomed to repeat them.
Japan is aggressively conducting a propaganda war against China, Russia and South Korea.
"Japan is planning to engage in propaganda of its position in disputes with Russia, South Korea and China. To implement this, the Government established a special unit that includes 15 officials and independent experts. Their task is to study and thoroughly analyze the positions of other countries on the territorial disputes. Observers note that Tokyo announced the information war, first of all, against Beijing and Seoul. ..
According to experts, Japan will use all available means: political, diplomatic, informational, and even economic. The specially designed unit will work through the media, diplomats, and will use "soft" power. A researcher of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Takushoku University, professor Vasily Molodyakov, doubts that the Japanese will come up with some new moves because they tend to underestimate and even ignore the positions of other countries. This is particularly evident in territorial issues.
The Japanese believe that their position is the only right one. If you disagree with them, they will try to explain their position again, forgetting that it has long been known to their partners."
http://english.pravda.ru/world/asia/08-02-2013/123727-japan_kuril_islands-0/
So paid trolls will say this is Pravda/China Daily, blah,blah,blah…as we all know, only the Western and Western allies' media are valid news sources, just as ONLY Western and pro-Western HEGEMONY is permitted in our "democratic" world.
Just My View
By over in the first part of the statement I do not mean that the US will win the nuclear exchange I mean that I hope you been collecting bottle caps because you just entered the world of Fall Out.