Two days ago, a Chinese nationalist protestor ripped the flag of Japan off of Ambassador Uichiro Nira's official limousine as the Japanese diplomat drove through Beijing. The activist was protesting Japan's control of the Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by both China and Taiwan.
Internet comments in China now compare this flag-ripping incident to the Boxer Rebellion, an anti-foreigner movement that spread across China at the turn of the 20th century. However, in that instance, the mob didn't slightly damage the Japanese ambassador's car (carriage?) - they killed him.
Despite the relatively benign nature of this assault, Chinese President Hu Jintao has promised to take seriously any attacks on the flags of other sovereign nations. The protestor and some of his confederates may be charged with disrupting traffic and destroying property.
Photo of a Boxer in 1900 via Wikipedia.
Comments