Chinese officials have been sending out a series of messages that unfairly demean other countries. China should be aware of the reality that its lack of dignity is increasing the distrust of the international community and undermining its national interests.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian posted an image on Twitter that resembles an ukiyo-e image by Katsushika Hokusai and references the release of treated water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. into the ocean. The image shows a figure in a protective suit dumping liquid into the ocean.
Japan has decided to release the treated water in a method approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It is unacceptable to use incendiary expressions to raise concerns without providing scientific grounds. It was natural that the Japanese government has requested that the post be deleted.
A caricature that compared the United States to the Grim Reaper appeared on the Twitter account of the Chinese Embassy in Japan. Is this meant to convey the message that there is bloodshed in Middle Eastern countries where the United States has tried to promote democracy?
It may have been in response to U.S. President Joe Biden's criticism of China's coercive power and his emphasis on the superiority of democracy, but the posting was deleted after responses to the tweet included such criticisms as it showed a lack of class.
On a Chinese social media service similar to Twitter, a post titled "Lighting a fire in China vs lighting a fire in India" showed a Chinese rocket launch alongside a photo of what appeared to be men in protective suits cremating bodies.
The images were posted by a Chinese Communist Party organization involved in maintaining public order in China. Making fun of the tragic situation in which many lives have been lost amid the novel coronavirus crisis is aberrant. The post has been reportedly condemned by the service's users even in China and has been deleted.
Behind the series of such bizarre messages is the fact that the power of Chinese President Xi Jinping is growing even stronger. Absolute obedience to Xi's instructions is demanded, and the authorities are competing with each other to take hard-line stances in order to protect themselves, and this may be getting out of hand.
The strong patriotism of China's online public opinion is also likely to be a driving force.
The Chinese public is banned from using Twitter, but it has become a tool for foreign propaganda for authorities. This is because China is using the service as a way to respond to the international community's criticism of China's aggressive maritime expansion and unfair trade practices, among other issues.
The criticism of China by Japan, the United States and Europe is based on universal values such as the rule of law and freedom. It is fundamentally different from China's malicious and emotional slanders.
Next year, the Beijing Olympics will be held. Is China a suitable country to host a so-called festival of peace? If China continues to take an aggressive stance, the country will inevitably face growing skepticism.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on May 8, 2021.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
