In the past few days, violent mobs have gone on a rampage across China like the Ah Q Boxers of 100 years ago. The mobs were made up of motley groups –- nationalists, patriots, ignorant people, opportunists, looters, anti-national elements, anti-government elements....the good, the bad and the ugly. They were mostly young men. If not for China's one-child policy, the number of hooligans and thugs roaming on the streets would at least double. In my opinion, if the fossilized Ah Q Boxers were allowed to be resurrected and roamed like brainless zombies across the country, they will not only turn back on the government one day but will also ravage China once again and drag it back to the last century. It was obvious that there were no lack of opportunists hiding among the mobs under the guise of patriotism. Some incidents of violence appeared unconnected to the anti-Japanese protests. A Rolex showroom was looted, and a McDonald’s outlet fell victim to the mobs. Instead of protesting against the Japanese, it was reported that some anti-national elements had taken the opportunity to protest against the government. Barry Sautman, a China analyst at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, warned that the Chinese citizens could turn on their own government if they felt it was acting passively on Japan or if they began airing other grievances. What the authorities were "actually concerned about is that people will conceive of the Chinese government as not only authoritarian and corrupt but also incapable of protecting the basic interests of China", he said. Some of the demonstrators carried portraits of Mao Zedong, the divisive leader admired by many for standing up to outside powers, and they may have felt the current government was too weak in foreign affairs, he added. One protester, who gave his name as Uda Chen, said: “They could have stopped all of us approaching when we were at the subway station. The government has taught us to be anti-Japanese at school, so if they want us to stop it would be like slapping their own mouths.” Many voices online called for calm, and criticised the State-run media for whipping up emotions. The prominent real estate developer Ren Zhiqiang, who has more than 10 million followers on Weibo, criticised the violent mobs in a message that was forwarded more than 14,000 times. “A group of thugs want to defend violent behaviour in the name of patriotism,” he said. “Vandalism and burning people’s private property does not prove you are patriotic. It only proves that you are a traitor, and betray the soul of the Chinese people”. The following is summary of the destruction wrought by the mobs in some of the Chinese cities. Qingdao 1. 10 factories connected to Japanese businesses were targeted by protesters on Sept 15. There were arson attacks and production lines were destroyed. 2. Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> and Honda Motor Co <7267.T> said arsonists had badly damaged their stores at the weekend. 3. Panasonic and Mitsubishi elevator factory were set on fire. 4. A supermarket outlet run by Japan's Aeon was looted. Xian 1. Billboards and a storefront were vandalized. 2. Two Japanese car dealerships were set on fire. 3. Vandalism and rioting were so severe that many residents are scared to go out. Changsha 1. Heiwado (a Japanese department store) was broken into. Guangzhou 1. A Japanese-brand car, shop windows and billboards were smashed on Sept 16. Shanghai 1. One expat said his family as well as other Japanese customers had been chased out of a Japanese restaurant on Sunday by protesters near the Japanese consulate. Suzhou 1. Panasonic electronic parts plant was attacked by demonstrators. Beijing 1. On Sept 18, about 50 Chinese protesters surrounded and damaged a car carrying the U.S. ambassador to China, Gary Locke who fortunately was not hurt in the incident. Hong Kong 1. A Japanese couple was assaulted on Sept 18. Other news Well-known Japanese firms have also suffered, with car makers Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> and Honda Motor Co <7267.T> halting some operations after attacks on their outlets. Nissan Motor Co <7201.T> said it would resume work on Wednesday. A slew of other Japanese companies -- from Mazda Motor Corp <7261.T> and Mitsubishi Motors Corp <7211.T> to Panasonic Corp <6752.T> and Fast Retailing Co <9983.T> -- also shut plants and stores in China, sending Japanese share prices falling. Many Japanese restaurants remained closed on Wednesday, some covered with graffiti such as "the Diaoyu islands are China's". Honda said it would suspend production in China starting on Tuesday for two days. Fast Retailing Co <9983.T>, Asia's largest apparel retailer, said it had closed some of its Uniqlo outlets in China and may close yet more. Japan's top general retailer, Seven & I Holdings <3382.T>, said it would close 13 Ito Yokado supermarkets and 198 "7-11" convenience stores in China on Tuesday, while Sony Corp <6758.T> is discouraging non-essential travel to China. Mazda Motor Corp <7261.T> will halt production at its Nanjing factory, which it jointly operates with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co Ltd <000625.SZ> and Ford Motor Co , for four days. Nissan Motor Co <7201.T> suspended China production for two days, starting Monday, sources said. Electronics group Panasonic <6752.T> said one of its plants had been sabotaged by Chinese workers and would remain closed through Tuesday. Canon Inc <7751.T> will stop production at three of its four Chinese factories on Tuesday, Japanese media reports said, while All Nippon Airways Co <9202.T> reported a rise in cancellations on Japan-bound flights from China. The dispute also hit the shares of Hong Kong-listed Japanese retailers on Monday, with department store operator Aeon Stores (Hong Kong) Co Ltd <0984.HK> falling to a seven-month low. Guangzhou police said on their official microblog that they had detained 11 people for smashing up a Japanese-brand car, shop windows and billboards on Sept 16. Please refer to the links below for the video clips and news of the anti-Japan protests: Anti-Japan protests turn violent in China http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXD4clyJJaI Chinese protest over Japan island dispute http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npMu7My2www&feature=related Chinese protesters surround U.S. ambassador car http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRc5QLcdgs4 Japan PM calls on China to ensure safety of citizens http://sg.news.yahoo.com/japan-pm-calls-china-ensure-safety-citizens-023546510.html China clamps down on anti-Japan protests, tensions high http://sg.news.yahoo.com/china-clamps-down-anti-japan-protests-tensions-high-065300029.html Japan brandname firms shut China plants after protest violence http://sg.news.yahoo.com/china-pushes-japan-sea-claims-trade-threats-023841894.html Japan firms stop China operations after protests http://sg.news.yahoo.com/japan-firms-stop-china-operations-protests-075757390.html In China, spreading anti-Japan protests turn violent http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article3900960.ece Anti-Japan protests widen in China http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=40860 Anti-Japan protests erupt in China cities over islands row http://www.arabnews.com/anti-japan-protests-erupt-china-cities-over-islands-row Hong Kong protesters join anti-Japan chorus http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1038479/hong-kong-protesters-join-anti-japan-chorus Beijing seeks to balance anger and control: analysts http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1227050/1/.html
Thou folly, thou hast gone astray like a lost sheep. Art thou wasting thy breath, Telling the zombies that thou look'st for your lost President? Come, recreant; come, thou child; I'll show thee the way with a rod: he is panting on his long march to the White House, But here thou hast lost thyself among the zombies In the Long March of the Dead. Now, go thy way, lost sheep!
