On September 3rd, China held a military parade in Tiananmen Square in order to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. It became the focus of the world’s media coverage. Major US media organizations, like The New York Times, Fox News, Associated Press, covered the event. However, according to a statistic analysis of Wang Guan, a researcher at Harmony Think Tank, the narratives of the reports came to the same astonishing conclusion: China is “showing its might”, “showing off rising power” or “flexing military muscle”. “The parade panders to a prickly strain of nationalism …Chinese public constantly reminded by state propaganda of China’s past humiliations at the hands of foreign powers, especially Japan…such sentiments heighten fears abroad about China’s intended uses of its newfound power, frustrating Beijing’s attempts to market itself as a responsible member of international society committed to the common good,” reads an article by the Associated Press. China is disappointed by the reaction of the international media. In China’s eyes, the V-Day military parade “unleashed an anti-war signal, which can reinforce people’s faith in peace and stability” (Global Times). At the ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that China would stick to a peaceful rise with no intention to become a hegemonic power or expansionist, and would never impose the misery it went through upon […]
China & The World
Sep 7, 2015