The fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old Japanese boy in the Chinese city of Shenzhen 10 days ago, while tragic, offers insight into the broader fabric of ties between the two countries.
Social media platforms were flooded with reactions from Chinese users, ranging from shock to sympathy. But its coincidence with an event 90 years ago from China’s history, also triggered latent anti-Japanese sentiment.
This was the Mukden Incident on Sept 18, 1931, when the blowing up of a Japanese railway line led Tokyo to occupy Manchuria.
Logically, there was no link between the stabbing and what happened so many years ago.
China’s foreign ministry expressed regret and extended condolences to the victim’s family, calling it an “unfortunate event.”
It also said the incident was an “isolated case” that should not affect the broader relationship between the two countries.
“We always welcome people from all countries, including Japan, to visit, study, do business, and live in China,” the foreign ministry said.
The official reaction reflected the fact that with over 31,000 Japanese firms in the country, Tokyo remains a valuable economic partner, employing locals and providing goods and services to the Chinese market.
But there are always others, committed Chinese nationalists for whom Japan’s colonial occupation of their land still rankles. There’s also the point that under Xi Jinping, anti-Japanese rhetoric has been ratcheted up on social media platforms.
Some, instead of condemning the stabbing, questioned why Japanese schools continued to operate in China.
A tasteless video, which went viral on Chinese social media, showed a Chinese teacher insulting former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The teacher describes Kishida as a shameless person, among other insults.
这不是仇恨教育是什么？ pic.twitter.com/NqWjMnQobU
— 浓茶泡人生 (@myngrn18) September 28, 2024
Another viral video portrayed a child dressed in yellow, representing “Japan,” approaching a child labelled “China,” who was holding hands with “Russia.” It was interpreted as mocking Japan’s international standing.
Video joke on Weibo. Little kid in yellow is “Japan” coming up to the boy “China” who’s holding hands with “Russia” pic.twitter.com/AWWmicBLMp
— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) September 28, 2024
Another viral video on Monday captured an incident from the evening of September 30 in Nanning, Guangxi, where a man handed out free Chinese flags in a public square. The catch, however, was that people had to step on a Japanese flag laid on the ground to receive one. This prompted numerous adults and children to comply and step on the flag when they realised what was happening.
9月30日晚，广西南宁。男子在广场上免费发放国旗，但市民要先踩地上的日本国旗才能领取，不少大人小孩见状纷纷踩踏日本国旗。 pic.twitter.com/mn7tZDw3CO
— 李老师不是你老师 (@whyyoutouzhele) October 1, 2024
Some videos were censored by the authorities anxious to ensure nothing got out of hand. They also censored several comments criticising the Chinese government’s promotion of nationalism and anti-Japanese propaganda.
“When will this anti-Japanese propaganda finally come to an end?” asked a now-deleted post on Weibo. Another deleted comment read, “If this continues, who will still want to come to China?”
The tragic killing has left many Japanese nationals in China feeling uneasy. Several Japanese companies have offered to send their employees and families back home.
