The Thin Red Line of China's National Feelings

HOW OFTEN DO 47 Japan THE THIN RED LINE OF THE FEELINGS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE 23 USA CHINA’S NATIONAL FEELINGS GET HURT? 10 NATO “You have hurt the Chinese people’s feelings” has become a standard accusation employed Under Mao Zedong, China only used the accusation three times. 7 India by China’s diplomats. It is used against foreign governments, individuals, organizations, However, from the beginning of 5 France companies and anyone else who has made themselves seemingly guilty of insensitive economic reforms in the late 1970s until 2006 at least 42 countries or 4 Nobel Committee behavior towards the Chinese populace. The phrase has become a powerful tool used by organizations have “hurt the feelings 3 Germany of the Chinese people.” the Chinese government to force foreign entities to submit to Beijing’s ideological line. 3 Vatican City 2 EU 2 Guatemala PUNISHMENT: PRODUCT CORE INTERESTS – CROSS THIS LINE AT BOYCOTT, DIPLOMATIC ICE AGE, DON'T TOUCH YOUR OWN RISK WITHDRAWAL OF LOVE

YOU ARE NOW HURTING THE FEELINGS WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW OF 1.3 BILLION PEOPLE THE FEELINGS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE WERE HURT

TERRITORY

HUMAN RIGHTS

POLITICAL

DALAI LAMA KIND OF CONFLICT

1978 1997 2006 2007 2008 2011 2012 2015 2016 2018

ALBANIA DENMARK JAPAN GERMANY SANTA LUCIA EU USA JAPAN FRANCE SWEDEN USA GERMANY WHO

Criticized Put forward a Prime Minister The German The tiny Caribbean Awarded the EU President Barack Japan took steps to Journalist Ursula Peter Dahlin, a In a survey, Marriott Mercedes-Benz Chairman Mao resolution in the Junichiro Koizumi chancellor, Angela nation with a Sakharov Prize to Obama met with emphasize its claim Gauthier claimed Swedish human International asked posted an add on Zedong. UN criticizing visited the Yasukuni Merkel, met with population of less democracy activist the exiled Tibetan to the uninhabited in an article that rights activist, customers for their Instagram (which China’s poor Shrine in Tokyo, the exiled Tibetan than 200,000 Hu Jia. spiritual leader the Diaoyu/Senkaku Chinese suppression assisted Chinese home residence, and is blocked by human rights which honors leader, the Dalai resumed diplomatic Dalai Lama. Islands in the sea was the root cause human rights listed Tibet, Taiwan, censorship record. Japan’s war dead, Lama. relations with between China and of violent ethnic lawyers. Hong Kong and in China) that ACTION including war Taiwan. Japan that both strife in the province Macau as separate featured a quote criminals. countries claim as of Xinjiang. “countries.” from the theirs. Dalai Lama.

Perceived as Seen as interfering Showed lack of The meeting was Supporting Risked causing Gave legitimacy to Seen as a violation Accused of being an Seen as assisting The hotel group The German “viciously” in China’s internal remorse for the seen as a gross separatists. Beijing serious damage to a person seen by of China’s apologist for criminal activities was perceived as carmaker was attacking “the affairs. atrocities interference in considers Taiwan a China-EU relations Beijing as a territorial terrorism, Ursula that caused harm to disrespect- accused of giving great leader of the perpetrated by China’s internal “runaway province” by rewarding a separatist and a sovereignty. The Gauthier was the Chinese ing China’s legitimacy to the Chinese people” Japanese troops in affairs. that must be person seen as a “wolf in sheep’s crises led to expelled after she government. Peter territorial integrity exiled Tibetan and the Chinese China during World re-united criminal by the clothing.” massive and refused to apologize. Dahlin was forced and challeng- leader and had to ACCUSATION Communist Party. War II. with China, by force Chinese govern- sometimes violent Several international to confess his ing China’s rule in write a public letter if necessary. ment. protests in China journalists were “crimes” on those territories. of apology. and boycotts of forced to leave China state television and Japanese products. for similar reasons. was later expelled.

TEXT AND RESEARCH: BERNHARD BARTSCH, MARTIN GOTTSKE; INFOGRAPHICS: BARBARA MAYER / INFOGRAPHICS GROUP; SOURCE: ASIA. NIKKEI.COM, WWW.FANGKC.COM, WWW.HONGKONGFP.COM, JYLLANDS-POSTEN.DK, CHINADIGITALTIMES.NET, QZ.COM, WWW.DANWEI.ORG