DAILY | EDITION Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 11 VIEWS

Philip J. Cunningham Liu Qiang US hyping ‘China HK radicals’ bid to stop Mulan a joke threat’ theory to opes for the future of the film “What a shame for Hong Kong.” ishing free speech and cultural freedom, family fare, which is to say, war without maintain its business are tightly focused on Non­native speakers of English might and is the proud home of one of the most blood and romance without sex set amidst China at the moment. Not only think she was shaming Hong Kong when iconic and prolific film industries, is now beautiful backdrops. does the most populous coun­ she was only evoking a sense of pity. But a the locus of an immature and dishonest A lavishly crafted milquetoast of a mov­ global hegemony Htry boast tens of thousands of screens, poor grasp of grammar did not stop Hong movement to pressure people to not see a ie that some viewers will enjoy, others hundreds of millions of moviegoers and Kong hotheads from excoriating Liu, and movie simply because a few hardened won’t. he US Defense Department’s 2020 people with ample money to spend, but using her “what a shame” post as a bogus activists have taken issue with a comment No one has to like Mulan, it may well be China Military Power Report is also theatrical releases are helping bring pretext for an attention­seeking boycott. made by the movie’s protagonist. a muddled, mediocre film, but what’s to exaggerated to say the least, aimed back life to normal in China like nowhere It is ironic that Hong Kong, which has It’s comical to see the erstwhile street­ hate about it? Movies take a lot of hard as it is at adding steam to the Unit­ else in the world. long prided itself for nurturing and cher­ fighters play the role of soft, easily offend­ work and serious money to make and even Ted States’ claim of “China being a hazard to It’s been a long dry season for film dis­ ed victims, as if Liu’s tiny post triggered then, there’s no guarantee for success, security”. Compared with the 2019 report, tributors around the world, and the mar­ them beyond repair. Their spurious and even for Hollywood. It’s still hit or miss the over­200­page China Military Power ket is still moribund in the COVID­19­ No one has to like Mulan, it perfidious call extends overseas as well, until the lights dim and film begins to play. Report for 2020 has a new chapter — on the challenged United States, and much of including Asian markets, where theatrical The boycott is a joke. Nobody likes being People’s Liberation Army’s growing global Europe, so all eyes are on the East. may well be a muddled, release is now possible due to the lifting of told what films to see or not to see. Call it presence. Will people start going to the cinema mediocre film, but what’s to lockdowns and quarantines. crass opportunism, call it “rebels” desper­ The new chapter is, to put it simply, an again? A murky “” alliance is being ate for a cause; Mulan is being used as a addition to Washington’s old trick of hyping There are plenty of reasons not to go to hate about it? Movies take a touted by precocious youth in Southeast publicity gimmick for a flailing street the “China threat” theory to mislead the see a movie. Bad weather, bad reviews, bad lot of hard work and serious Asia, Hong Kong and to solidify movement that seeks to grab attention as international community about the modern­ trailers, bad advertising. Too much sex cross­border bonds among people who grab can. It’s become a proxy battlefield ization of China’s military by claiming it can and violence, or too little of the same. money to make and even don’t know better. As such, activists in and a smokescreen for harried Hong Kong harm the interests of other countries while Same old actors, tired formulas, too much then, there’s no guarantee vibrant film markets such as greater Bang­ “heroes” racing for the exits, busy plan­ ignoring, among other things, the PLA’s commercialism. Perhaps the topic is off­ kok are parroting calls for a boycott of the ning their exodus to the West. increasing contributions to UN peacekeep­ putting, or it’s enticing, but tried and test­ for success, even for film. ing missions and escorting of cargo vessels ed, the latest derivative in a long line of Hollywood. It’s still hit or Mulan is a make­believe story about a The author is a media researcher covering on the high seas. sequels, re­makes and cannibalized con­ mythological woman warrior hailing from Asian issues. The report says: “China has already tent. miss until the lights dim and China’s northern frontier. In its latest The views don’t necessarily reflect those of achieved parity with — or even exceeded — Movies aren’t cheap anymore; maybe film begins to play. incarnation as a Disney production, it is a China Daily. the United States in several military mod­ the tickets cost way more than you want to ernization areas, including shipbuilding, pay. land­based conventional ballistic and cruise And did I mention the pandemic? While missiles, and integrated air defense sys­ generally bad for business, it has spurred tems.” But when talking about the two mili­ growth in streaming services and online taries’ power, the Department of Defense’s entertainment for the small screen. report blurs facts by counting numbers Crowding into a windowless theater may instead of analyzing their comparative feel like an unnecessary risk due to linger­ strengths, in order to promote its anti­China ing contagion concerns. propaganda. But of all the good reasons not to see a Using shipbuilding as an example, the movie, taking cease and desist orders from report says, “China has the world’s largest a handful of self­proclaimed “woke” activ­ navy with an overall battle force of approxi­ ists in the Hong Kong Special Administra­ mately 350 ships” while “the US Navy has tive Region who were suckled at the breast approximately 293 ships as of early 2020”, by of US imperialism and continue to pay conveniently omitting the fact that the US homage to the Mike Pompeos and Marco has the highest number of carrier strike Rubios of the world is not one of them. groups and most advanced warships and If the rabble­rousing “democrats” in submarines in the world. Hong Kong say don’t go, most Chinese would be inclined to say the movie deserves a good look. The publicly released China Amid all this, Mulan has been released Military Power Report can theatrically on the Chinese mainland where it will thrive, survive or die based also be used as a strategic on popular tastes, word­of­mouth and intelligence tool for deceiving artistic merit. Either people will like it or they won’t. and misleading the But the film, which is the sort of prod­ international community uct that normally would do robust busi­ ness in Hong Kong due to its resonant about China­related facts. tale, star cast and slick production val­ ues, has instead become a political piña­ ta. It’s been open season on the warrior The US report highlights three special woman flick ever since Mulan star Liu issues — “China’s 2019 defense white paper”, Yifei shared a post about a mainland “PLA’s approach toward informatization and reporter who was beaten and humiliated intelligentizaiton”, and “emerging military by a mob of protesters at Hong Kong air­ campaign concepts”. That the US report port. In reaction to the shocking televi­ focuses on China’s military modernization, sion coverage of Global Times reporter particularly on “informatization and intelli­ Fu Guohao being harassed by a mean­ gentizaiton” development and application in spirited mob of vigilantes during the future wars, implies that China’s military height of the 2019 protests, Liu reposted has modernized so fast that it has become a a People’s Daily link quoting the hapless threat to other countries. Fu: “I support Hong Kong police. You can Analyzing the four “military options” the beat me now.” And she added, in English: SHI YU / CHINA DAILY Chinese mainland has to realize national reunification with Taiwan, the report sug­ gests the possibility of the mainland using Swaran Singh military force against Taiwan is higher. Hence, the report says, the US should help Taiwan to develop defense capability and/or step up military interactions with and arms Striking the right chords to resolve border row sales to the island. The US is the world’s top military power and has by far the largest defense budget, n the midst of continuing face­offs about the LAC and that bilateral relations But as yet all these remain largely sym­ yet the Defense Department has fused facts on the disputed border between Indeed, it is this holistic have never seen such heightened tensions bolic. China not only remains the largest with misconceptions in the 2020 China Mil­ and China, people shouldn’t understanding in their since their 1962 border war. But such single source of India’s imports but also itary Power Report to crystallize its delu­ miss the silver linings to the clouds. shared appreciation of ground realities one of the most influential investors in sion about “China threat”. By the way, the mutual perceptions that ILast Friday, for example, saw unusually perhaps promises to help their interlocu­ India’s critical sectors such as power gen­ US has been issuing such a report every high­level interactions between the two may ensure stability and tors address these formidable challenges. eration, telecommunications, and e­com­ year using the same tricks since 2000 countries’ foreign and defense ministers, predictability in their Indeed, what challenges the efficacy of merce including its unicorns. Such (except in 2001), indicating their desire to strike conciliato­ their extant mechanisms — in spite of the pragmatic Indian response fully appreci­ Different from the realistic report that is ry chords and commitment to resolving relationship. As for India, very frequent meetings between their bri­ ates this multifaceted reality involving confidential information for policymakers, border disputes peacefully. this pragmatism can be best gade commanders at the LAC, their Work­ components of cooperation and conflict. the publicly released China Military Power To begin with, the joint statement ing Mechanism on Consultation and Indeed, it is this holistic understanding Report is a propaganda tool the US adminis­ issued after the BRICS foreign ministers seen in its response to Coordination on Border Affairs and other in their mutual perceptions that may tration can use to prompt the US Congress videoconference on Sept 4 concurred that continuous offers from the senior functionaries — is the novelty of ensure stability and predictability in their to increase the defense budget and gain “irrespective of their historic background these recent standoffs and this must not relationship. public support for its bellicose policies, and distinctive nature, conflicts should be United States, especially for be underestimated. As for India, this pragmatism can be while scaring US allies and other countries resolved by peaceful means”. providing good offices. First, their violent face­off in Galwan best seen in its response to continuous into deepening military cooperation and Then, at their first ever face­to­face Valley on June 15, encounter on the south­ offers from the United States, especially inking more arms deals with Washington. meeting since border tensions rose in ear­ ern bank of Pangong Lake on the night of for providing good offices. The publicly released China Military Pow­ ly May, the two countries’ defense minis­ Aug 29­30, and standoff on Monday India does not wish to be pushed by any er Report can also be used as a strategic ters — on the sidelines of the Shanghai Doval — has also been calling for negotia­ occurred amid the ongoing disengage­ external forces into making policy choi­ intelligence tool for deceiving and mislead­ Cooperation Organization defense minis­ tions to defuse the tensions. ment talks with each side blaming the ces. That’s why, while inching closer to the ing the international community about Chi­ ters’ meeting in Moscow on Friday — Even during his recent tour of Europe, other for deviating from their shared US, India remains aware of the fine dis­ na­related facts. deliberated on the possible ways and Wang reiterated how the “boundary understanding. tinctions between China’s recent repar­ China’s military development is aimed at means to achieve an expeditious disen­ between China and India has not yet been Second, all these incidents occurred at tees to , the United Kingdom and safeguarding peace and development, not at gagement of their forces, an issue that demarcated, so there will always be prob­ places not known for such encounters the US compared with its parleying tone threatening other countries. And China is remains knotted in the differences in their lems of this kind. We are ready to manage before, thereby creating new “gray areas” when it comes to their spokespersons’ modernizing its military so it can better pro­ perceptions about the Line of Actual Con­ all kinds of issues through dialogue with on the LAC. comments on India or in the speeches of tect the country’s sovereignty and territorial trol (LAC). the Indian side”. Third, given their improved infrastruc­ China’s ambassador to India. integrity, not to threaten other countries. Setting the stage for these interactions But on being asked at his book release ture and force projection capabilities, the That both sides have so far ensured this But since the US’ move is aimed at soiling late last week — during the release of his as to what he would say to Wang at their heightened frequency and intensity of autonomy of their interactions promises China’s international image, China should just published book The India Way: Strat­ first face­to­face dialogue since the stand­ each of these face­offs has become all the to help them explore the new equilibrium take measures to show the world its true, egies for an Uncertain World — India’s offs when they meet at the SCO foreign more compounded. for not just overcoming the current ten­ peaceful self by holding regular military Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jais­ ministers’ meeting in Moscow on Thurs­ And finally, the fact that these face­offs sions but to build a long­term comple­ communication with other countries and hankar had underlined the imperative to day, the Indian foreign minister appeared have occurred in the midst of India’s mentary relationship as well. making more contributions to global peace resolve the standoff within the “domain of to evade the question, saying “we have continued fight against the COVID­19 and development. diplomacy” requires both sides to “reach known each other for a long time, so you pandemic has further ignited popular The author is a professor and chair, Centre an accommodation” at the earliest. can have a reasonable guess”. This seemed emotions in India prompting the Indian for International Politics, Organization The author is a professor and executive China’s State Councilor and Foreign to reveal the wide gulf in their negotiating government to ban hundreds of Chinese and Disarmament, Jawaharlal Nehru director of the Institute of Strategy and Secu­ Minister — who has talked on positions that remains to be bridged. mobile apps to propitiate this rising University, New Delhi. rity, National University of Defense Technol­ the phone with both Jaishankar and Indeed, both sides have repeatedly groundswell calling for “boycott China” The views don’t necessarily reflect those of ogy. The views don’t necessarily represent India’s National Security Advisor Ajit underlined variance in their perceptions and “standing up” to China. China Daily. those of China Daily.