It’s a commonly held belief that Chinese nationalism is simply a tool of the Chinese Communist Party, to be picked up or discarded at will. As with much of our common “wisdom” about China, that’s an oversimplification of a far more complicated situation. The Diplomat talks with Jessica Chen Weiss, author of the book Powerful Patriots: Nationalist Protest in China’s Foreign Relations, about the central government’s complex relationship with mass demonstrations of nationalism.
In your book, you challenge the commonly held belief that nationalistic protests in China (and, by extension, nationalism in general) are simply drummed up by the Chinese government. How would you describe the relationship between the central government and public nationalism?
The Chinese government has selectively tolerated displays of popular nationalism, recognizing that it is both a potential liability and source of strength for the Chinese Communist Party. Demonstrations of nationalist anger can be helpful when the Chinese government wants to show resolve but can also make diplomatic compromise and flexibility more difficult. On the other hand, when street protests might have jeopardized efforts to improve diplomatic relations and defuse potential crises, Chinese authorities have repeatedly stifled grassroots nationalist protests — often at great cost to the Chinese government’s patriotic credentials and domestic legitimacy. As I note in Powerful Patriots, nationalist activists are often quietly cynical about the role they play. One activist told me: “To speak plainly, the government uses us when it suits their purpose. When it doesn’t suit them, it suppresses us. This way the government can play the public opinion card. After all, Japan is a democracy and respects public opinion. Even in a non-democratic country like China, the government can still point to the public’s feelings.”
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