China has yet to shed its Ah Q character

Discussion in 'Asia' started by reedak, May 30, 2017.

  1. reedak

    reedak Well-Known Member

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    1. The following are excerpts from Calvin Cheng's 21 May 2017 Facebook post headlined "China is behaving more and more like the imperial power of old?" at http://www.tremeritus.com/2017/05/21/pm-lee-not-invited-to-obor-forum/

    (Begin excerpts)
    ....Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia and The Philippines all sent their Heads of Government. Our delegation was headed by Min Lawrence Wong. As a result, Singapore was not at the main table around President Xi in the many of the main discussions.

    Are we not a special friend? Is China still angry with Singapore? They will never say, nor have they explained how they chose which Heads of Government to invite.

    Suffice to say China is behaving more and more like the imperial power of old. Allowing countries they are happy with to be close to them and trade, and keeping others further away – with China at the centre.... (End excerpts)

    2. In my opinion, China has been an imperial power throughout the centuries by virtue of its size and population. However, due to the stupidity and short-sightedness of its rulers, it was not as powerful as it should be. It was raided and even invaded by nomadic tribes, Japanese pirates and other foreigners most of the time in history.

    A recent series of events seem to indicate that China is piling pressure on Singapore, a tiny red dot in Southeast Asia. This is laughable in contrast to China's appeasement to North Korea which is now capable of firing nuclear missiles at Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. The range of North Korea's ballistic missiles now covers most parts of China. Don't assume that the North Korean Fatso is so idiotic that he knows only to fire his nuclear missiles eastward and southward. One fine day he will fire them westward and northward. If China continues to close its eyes to the rising military threat on its northeastern border, it can be wiped out by North Korea's nuclear missiles 30 or 40 years later.

    It is beyond comprehension that China fears the resurrection of militarism in Japan, but turns a blind eye to the rising military threat of North Korea which is taking the same path of militarism as pre-war Japan.

    It is laughable for China to invite a North Korean delegation to the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, on Sunday May 14, 2017. Given the North Korean leader's disinterest in his people's well-being, why was China inviting his country to the forum? His delegation could afford to snore throughout the meeting. North Korea's attendance at China's biggest diplomatic event this year raised further eyebrows after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile early on Sunday, in defiance of calls to rein in its weapons programme.

    It is rather disappointing that China has not shed its Ah Q character despite the economic prosperity and progress it has achieved in the last few decades. According to Lu Xun's episodic novella "The True Story of Ah Q", Ah Q is a bully to the less fortunate but fearful of those who are above him in rank, strength, or power. The only time China did not have the Ah Q character was during the reign of Emperor Han Wudi who had the courage and wisdom to face the Xiongnu's military threat squarely, and took the initiative to rid the scourge once and for all. If not for Emperor Han Wudi's military campaigns against the Xiongnu, the history of China would be entirely different.
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2017

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