Ping-pong diplomacy
If you're a Chinese leader and you want to make any kind of diplomatic progress, it helps if you're good at sport (if you're not so good at sport, you can always be enthusiastic and hope that nobody notices how bad you are.) Sport has been one of China's favourite diplomatic icebreakers since 1971 - when ping-pong diplomacy brought a US table tennis team into the country, paving the way for US President Richard Nixon's visit a year later.
Right now, China's President Hu Jintao has gone to Japan for a five-day visit (an important trip - China and Japan are the two major powers in this part of the world, they're important trading partners, but they're still trying to get over the bitterness caused by Japan's occupation of parts of China from 1931-45.) China's president will do the usual thing - talks, banquets, speeches. But, built into his trip is a game of ping-pong against the Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. Mr Fukuda might want to start practising. I've seen pictures of Mr Hu playing on Chinese TV and he looks pretty good (tip for the Japanese prime minister - Hu Jintao likes to play a quick-reflex game close to the table. So a few lobs might work.) But this is ping pong diplomacy not the world championships - the rule is that you can't thrash your opponent (presumably in case he goes off in a huff and breaks off relations with your country.) So the two leaders will play doubles. Hu Jintao will pair up with the Japanese player Ai Fukuhara, and Yasuo Fukuda will play with the Chinese Olympic champion Wang Nan. No doubt everyone will hope for a draw.
Ping-pong diplomacy has now become a kind of franchise which includes other sports as well. Last year China's premier Wen Jiabao went to Japan and played some baseball - although he confessed that it had been 50 years since he'd last picked up a glove or bat (you can watch his suitably rusty efforts here.) When Yasuo Fukuda came to China last December, he and Mr Wen played a game of catch inside a heavily guarded state guest house (have a look at them in their pristine uniforms here.)
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Too much pingpong! Should talk about Hu's wife...
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One should always look in the mirror before criticising others. What about Chinese occupation of Tibet and the atrocities it committed on the Tibetan people since. Tens of thousands have dies, been imprisoned, tortured and killed. It has destroyed almost all temples during the cultural revolution, that's almost 4000 temples. For an atheist gov't, they actively take part in the selection of monks and lamas, blatant inteference in religion. The monks are slowly rebuilding at their cost, mostly through donations from tourists.
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"If you're a Chinese leader and you want to make any kind of diplomatic progress, it helps if you're good at sport "
If you are a corrspondent in China and you want to show your audience some truth, you need to learn some Chinese language and culture, take off your colored "binoculars", and respect their ways of live.
You found "maggots for dinner" was terrible , but some people may like it, and you have yourself to blame as it would not on your dinner table if you did not order it.
"Fish and chips" is vomiting for me, but I don't balme your country.
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It is totally wrong to describe the world war II in Asia Pacific as 'Japan's occupation of parts of China'.
In was an invasion, with the notorious Nanking Massacre in which hundreds of thousands people were killed and tens of thousands of women were raped by the Japanese army.
When BBC described Chinese revolution in Tibet as 'Invasion' and Japanese invasion of China as 'Occupation' you will know the stand point of this corporation.
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Hello James,
Finally see you back to work. Do you also have the UK bank holiday in China? That is really nice.
By the way, still waiting for your apology on your live report from China on 6th of April. Only after you apologize, you can make me believe that you are reporting without your personal attitude. Please do so.
Also, I just want to remind you that, the trip by Hu Jintao to Japan is not an ice-breaking trip. The trip by Yasuo Fukuda to China in 2006 was an ice-breaking trip, then the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao to Japan was an ice-melting trip. Now, this one is meant to be a spring-warming trip, that was why the BBC had an report called:"China and Japan seek 'warm spring' ". I am sure that that report was not written by you, but this blog is, right?
Maybe you think it is ridiculous to mention that as it was just a word game. Maybe, but it also reflects your knowledge about China and about the Eastern Asian politics.
I really want to gain some confidence from you to talk about China, as this blog seems to be a window that connects Britain to the outside world. Funny? Connect Britain to the outside world? Shouldn't it be the other way around? That is it is a window to connect China to the outside world?
But sadly, the fact is English as a language and British cultural have been studied by the world especially China for too long, and it seems to be the time for the British people to open their eyes, to know something about the people on the other side of the planet.
So James, you have an important job on your shoulder, please do it well.
Oh, still waiting for your apology.
Cheers.
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Ping Pong Diplomacy: is a good start towards the development of international affairs...
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It's a good thing that Japan and China are trying to work together peacefully. Hopefully, Japan can help guide China to developed status peacefully, being more attuned to Chinese culture and attitudes than the West.
However, Sino-Japanese antipathy runs far deeper than history since World War 2. There has been enmity at least since Japan was a pirating nation harassing Chinese ships (historically, Japan and China play a role analogous to Britain and France/Iberia in Europe--one is the major island power while the other is the major (and greater) mainland one; the mainland nation has more a cultural influence on the insular one, etc. etc.).
China is heading for 'superpowerdom,' but if its rise goes badly, that would be a disaster for the world, the whole human race. That is why it is so imperative that China gets a greater understanding of the world's views (understanding is not the same as acceptance--in anticipation of a few jumpy comments).
China opened up economically in the 1980s and forged political links with 'democratic' countries around the same time. Now China needs to open up to and forge links with foreign cultures. The first two were indisputably good for China, and the cultural connection will be good, too.
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I think the crucial reason why China and Japan they are both willing to maintain a better relationship is that they have realized western countries are arrogant and unwilling to listen to other countries' voices. It is very dangerous that there is only one kind of voice in western countries and who are also unwilling to listen to others' opinions.
There are lots of problems in the world and people are fighting for a better and peaceful life. Well, what we can see nowadays is that western countries claim their opinion and their value should be taken by the rest of world as they think their value is the world's value no matter what other countries think about it and no matter what other countries' situations actually are. If these countries who don't want to follow western countries' commands will be punished even invaded by western countries, no matter what disasters will these countries' people will suffer. How sad it is!
I do hope the world will become more balanced, so there will be more options available and more voices heard in the world and eventually become better world for all human beings!
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Ping pong, panda's and protests. But do these topics really matter? It would be better if both gentlemen could openly push the Myanmar military junta to allow access to the victims of cyclone Nargis and let emergency relief enter the country. China and Japan both have their influence over the Myanmar regime. Maybe they can make use of the momentum and make a difference where it is now most needed.
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There are some commentators here making comments about Tibet that are virtually untrue. On a historical stone-pillar erected as a peace treaty between China and Tibet in Lhasa during the Tibetan Empire in 9th century AD, it reads 'Tibetans are happy in Tibet and Chinese are happy in China'. That more than thousand year old statement still holds water even after one thousand years. China first occupied Tibet in the name of many things; 'peaceful liberation', 'development or progress', 'socialist paradise' you name it. In reality, for Tibetans it was nothing but an assult and an insult on the people of Tibet, that they needed the Chinese to 'liberate' them and later 'develop' them. As a Tibetan myself, I am quite convinced that if Chinese nationalism such as the ones we see here on the board continue to dominate China's stance on Tibet, then the future is gloomious for China as a nation and Tibetan as a people and the world as a community. To my Chinese nationalist commentators here, don't you get irritated when people criticize China's human rights and the occupation of Tibet, coz. this is about humanity and peace. Stop ignoring the question of Tibet when you are about to be a 'superpower', soon or later you have to face it. No countries in the world have lost the battle against occupation and injustice. Furthermore, in every Tibetan there is a burning flame of will and passion to carry this national struggle into any circumstances it takes us to, including China being the twice as powerful as the United States. Stop distorting history to legitimizing occupation and brutal repression, coz. we had enough of them. Even if history says Tibet was part of China, that does not guareete anything, as long as we, the people of Tibet wants to separate from China. Therefore, it is always wise to have substantive talk with the Dalai Lama to settle the issue for the good of both peoples, Chinese and Tibetans.
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TO"3. At 1:53 pm on 06 May 2008, lhobdrak":
Hopefully you were not paid by someone to write this ridiculous command. Who did tell you that "Tens of thousands have dies, been imprisoned, tortured and killed and temples was destroyed in Tibet"???
I visited the largest temple of Tibetan Buddhism called Ta-er-Temple in Xining,the provincial capital of Qinghai where many Tibetans are living,in August 2007. What I found is that monks and ordinary Tibetans are happy with their lifes. My parents believe in Buddhism and during that visit I thought I need give some donation to the temple when I was praying for my parents in this temple. But some monks told me that"you are still a student and cant make money by youself, a pure-heart is better than everything." What I felt is that Tibetans are so nice and peacful people and they love China and the government even more than Han Chinese. Such as this temple,monks are given lots of money to maintain their buildings by the government. And also many Han Chinese give donations for them such as the richest man of Asia,Li Jiacheng, he donated money to build the new sutra depository of this Temple.
Before this trip, I also had a trip to Yunnan province during that I visited some Tibetans' families in Shangri-La, in August 2006. In that time my tour guide was a Tibetan. He helped us a lot and told us that"we,Tibetans,love China always more than you think." I didnt believe him in that time. But when we visited Tibetans' families in Shangri-La I found some of them put the picture of Mao in their bedrooms, which really shocked me. As a people born in 1980s, I even dont have any feeling about Mao, but today some Tibetans still remember him. If the government really did bad thing for them, why do so many Tibetans still respect Mao so much???
Btw, in many Chinese internet forums there are some articles written by Tibetans and they expressed their opinions about the riot in March in Lhasa, about the government and their feeling about Han people. You can never find those voices of ordinary Tibetans in West. Because West want Tibetans to hate China such as westners do.
Finally, I just want to more people know that most of Tibetans are nice and peacful people, they welcome all people all over the world, now they have freedoms and happy lifes and they love China such as other 55 ethnic groups people in China.
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To #13, Very thoughtful discussion. Some of issues i have been thinking often lately: what is the real meaning of "freedom of speech'? Is that the expressions of whatever views (including extreme biased attitude) also part of freedom of speech? My personal answer now is: no! Everyone has a right to express his/her own opion, however that doesnot mean you could distort the truth.
One thing i would urge the westens (especially to those journalists, since you bear the responsibility to connect people from different countries and cultures) is: learn more history and culture of other countries with respect, talk to peoples in different lands, donot form your article just before your computer end with your imagination. That would help to a better communication!
Yours RM
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lhobdrak,
why are there so many people still living in the past?!
cultural revolution... entire China suffered not just Tibetans, noone enjoyed that part of Chinese history. However, if you care to put everything into Mao's unique cultural, historical and educational background you will understand why. But I dont expect this to happen anytime soon.
If you have been anywhere near Tibet in the past 10 years, you know Tibet isn't what you are talking about here. nowadays it is all to easy to blame China for everything.
During the London torch relay, a woman chanted to me " my cousin was murdered by the Chinese Government" "if so, why didn't you bring some evidence, or at least a photo?!" she slienced and disappeared shortly after.....
Someone else told me "your country is disgusting, look at it, your flag is even RED!!" "well, coca-cola's also RED, why dont you go and make a fuss about them"
I AM SICK AND TIRED of hyprocrits!!!! go and see the real China or by the lastest Natinonal Geographic! as far as i know, foreigners have free access to Tibet up until the point when the riot happened.
I think the Chinese government should have put all foreign correpondants on the front line, in front of the police, perhaps the story will be
"CHINESE ISN'T DOING ENOUGH TO PROTECT THE JOURNALISTS FROM RIOTERS"
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Can we "encourage" Gordon Brown to play a FULL 90 mins. football match with *NO* substitutes ??
We might see a great change in the Prime Minister or, better yet, a change of Prime Minister while GB recovers in an Intensive Care Unit !!
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Why do the Chinese think that everybody hates them now? I dont think that opinion or criticism = hate. The benefit of a free press is to be able to have a whole different spectrum of opinion on a wide range of issues and events. Then, people can agree, disagree or be indifferent to those opinions as they choose. Expression of individual opinion does not automatically reflect the opinions of a government or people as a whole. I hope the Chinese tone down the recent wave of paranoia fuelled jingoism in time for the olympics.
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