Un alto funzionario cinese ordina di porre fine alle dimostrazioni anti-nipponiche

<102400915"> Cina – Giappone

<102400916"> NYT 05-04-20

<102400917"> Un alto funzionario cinese ordina di porre fine alle dimostrazioni anti-nipponiche

JOSEPH KAHN

Il ministro degli Esteri cinese, Li Zhaoxing, ha invitato a porre fine alle proteste anti-nipponiche; dietro alla scelta dei dirigenti cinesi si cela probabilmente il timore dei possibili effetti sociali destabilizzanti che potrebbero derivare dalla continuazione delle manifestazioni pubbliche non controllate.

La prossima settimana sarà un test importante dell’ordine emesso: nelle maggiori città cinesi sono stati lanciati numerosi appelli e-mail a partecipare alle manifestazioni del 1° Maggio (giornata del lavoro), e del 4 maggio, anniversario della prima grande sollevazione nazionalista guidata dagli studenti nel 1919, contro il trattato di Versailles che dopo la Prima guerra mondiale consegnò il territorio cinese sotto controllo tedesco al Giappone.

Sembra che vi siano divergenze interne al governo sul modo di rapportarsi alle proteste.

Il governo cinese aveva finora dato un tacito appoggio alle proteste che hanno accompagnato un nuovo approccio più bellicoso al Giappone.

Le dimostrazioni sono continuate per tre fine settimana e sono state le più forti dalle proteste del 1989.

mso-ansi-language: IT; mso-fareast-language: IT; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA”>Fino a pochi giorni fa’, il ministro degli Esteri non aveva voluto criticare i protestatori ed aveva anzi accusato il Giappone di averle istigate provocando la Cina su una serie di questioni, dalle dispute territoriali, alle distorsioni storiche sui libri di testo, alla visita resa ai caduti di guerra giapponesi. <102400918"> NYT 05-04-20

<102400919"> Chinese Official Orders End to Anti-Japanese Demonstrations

By JOSEPH KAHN

EIJING, April 19 – China’s foreign minister called Tuesday for an end to anti-Japanese protests, the first signal that the leadership may no longer welcome the sometimes violent demonstrations that have underpinned a new and more confrontational approach to Japan.

The minister, Li Zhaoxing, told a meeting of the Communist Party’s propaganda department attended by 3,500 people that government, military and party officials, as well as “the masses,” should stay off the streets, state media reported.

“Cadres and the masses must believe in the party and the government’s ability to properly handle all issues linked to Sino-Japanese relations,” Mr. Li was quoted as saying. “Calmly, rationally and legally express your own views. Do not attend marches that have not been approved. Do not do anything that might upset social stability.”

Mr. Li’s comments, carried on national television, amounted to the first direct call by a top official to wind down the protests by tens of thousands of urban residents . The demonstrations have continued on three successive weekends, becoming China‘s most sustained street protests since the pro-democracy uprising of 1989.

Until now, the protests have enjoyed at least tacit approval from the central government . Although none of the major marches in Beijing, Shanghai and several other cities received formal permits, the police had not made consistent efforts to prevent them or to arrest people responsible for vandalizing Japanese diplomatic missions or private property in the marches.

In recent public appearances, Mr. Li refrained from criticizing protesters and accused Japan of instigating the protests by provoking China on issues including territorial disputes, distorted history textbooks and visits to Tokyo‘s war shrine.

Mr. Li reiterated that Japan must take responsibility for the unrest because it has continued to whitewash the history of its World War II-era occupation of China. He rejected calls by the Japanese government for apologies or compensation for damaged Japanese property.

But his appeal to rein in the protests most likely reflects the views of top leaders, who may have concluded that little is to be gained from further protests and that social stability is at some risk if they continue unchecked.

“Cadres must resolutely implement the major policies of the central party leadership and resolutely safeguard overall political stability and unity,” he said.

The suggestion that officials must “resolutely implement” leadership decisions hints at a possible divergence of opinions over how to manage the protests. In Communist history, unclear or contradictory orders from the top have often provided an opening for public protests and made the police reluctant to exert their authority.

It is unclear if elements in the leadership structure had different views this time, but Mr. Li implied that lower level officials would be held responsible for carrying out the new mandate.

The big test of the order will come next week. Urban residents have been sending text and e-mail messages to one another calling for major marches on May 1, China‘s traditional Labor Day, and on May 4.

May 4 is significant in Chinese history because it is the anniversary of the first major student-led nationalist uprising, in 1919. Popular outrage over the Versailles Treaty, which gave German-controlled territory in China to Japan after World War I, sparked that protest.

Authorities generally step up surveillance and harassment of critics of the government on such anniversaries to guard against unrest.