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Chinese govt fears criticism

Satoshi Saeki and Masahiko Takekoshi / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondents

While the Chinese government is trying to prevent anti-Japan demonstrations from escalating into violent rioting, Beijing appears to be allowing large-scale protests against Japan for fear of being criticized as taking a weak-kneed approach to diplomacy.

In response to Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura's demand for an apology and compensation for damage caused, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a press conference Sunday, "It's a spontaneous protest by people who have a complaint about history and other problems with Japan."

Qin said the current state of relations between China and Japan was not China's fault.

Qin's comments contrasted with a statement by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Qiao Zonghuai, who conveyed an expression of regret after Japanese Ambassador to China Koreshige Anami filed a protest.

The two separate remarks were aimed at two separate audiences--the domestic and the Japanese.

Qin's press comments were carried immediately on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Internet site, but Qiao's expression of regret has not yet been posted there.

Last year, Beijing issued an expression of regret over a Chinese nuclear submarine's intrusion into Japanese territorial waters. But the Chinese people are not aware of their government's announcement.

What the Chinese government fears most now is that anti-Japanese protests could turn to criticism that its diplomacy is weak-kneed and develop into antigovernment demonstrations.

Add into the mix pent-up frustration among labor groups and farmers, and the Chinese government could be facing a shakeup.

The Chinese government, playing to a domestic audience, is trying to make it look as if it is taking a tough approach toward Japan and is carefully avoiding criticizing demonstrators. The message taken from this by Chinese people, who are sensitive to political nuance, is that their actions are being authorized.

But the Chinese government is not allowing unlimited anti-Japanese protests in a country where unauthorized political demonstrations are strictly prohibited.

The Chinese government is expected to analyze the size of anti-Japan protests and security arrangements before the next round of demonstrations, expected this weekend.

Beijing is believed to set limits for demonstrations.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Chinese government gave tacit approval to the throwing of stones and plastic bottles by protesters to vent their frustration. But it blocked protesters from breaking through police lines and climbing over the fence at the Japanese Embassy.

The Vienna Convention obligates signatories to protect foreign embassies. If the protests continue against the Japanese Embassy and other Japanese interests, international confidence in Beijing will fall ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The Chinese government took preventive measures after soccer fans staged an anti-Japanese protest at the Asian Championships final last summer.

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Embassy damage announced

The Japanese Embassy announced Sunday the extent of damage caused by demonstrations staged Saturday.

According to the embassy, a security guards' room window facing a street was smashed by stones and about 20 windows in the three-story building were damaged.

Concrete pieces, some more than 15 centimeters in diameter, were scattered in front of the building. Broken eggs were stuck to the embassy's outer wall and pillars.

Chinese security authorities prohibited media from entering the embassy "to ensure safety."



Copyright 2005 The Yomiuri Shimbun