In a chilling reminder of the dangers of unchecked nationalism, a Japanese mother and her child were recently stabbed while waiting for a school bus in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. This horrific incident, hardly acknowledged by the government, is yet another example of the growing xenophobia fueled by the Chinese Communist Party. The attack, swiftly dismissed as an “accidental incident” by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, follows a similar pattern of violence against foreigners, including the stabbing of multiple Americans in Jilin Province earlier this month.
The Communist Party’s propaganda machine has long mastered the art of villainizing foreigners, creating a hostile environment where attacks on non-Chinese nationals are not only possible but are often celebrated. Chinese TV dramas frequently depict Japanese characters as villains, fueling a culture of hate and xenophobia. Online platforms like Weibo and Douyin are rife with racist content, targeting not just Japanese, but Africans and other ethnicities as well. This environment, bolstered by state censorship that selectively silences criticism of the government while allowing hate speech to flourish, has made China increasingly dangerous for foreigners.
Historically, the Communist Party has relied on a common enemy to unify the masses. This tactic dates back to the Boxer Rebellion, a movement the international community rightly condemned as barbaric but is still celebrated in Chinese propaganda as a patriotic effort. This cognitive dissonance, where xenophobic violence is glorified, is both staggering and predictable given the party’s need to maintain control through fear and hatred.
The aggressive expansionist policies further exacerbate this hostility. China’s relentless push to annex territories in the South China Sea and its menacing stance towards Taiwan have made it a pariah on the world stage. This aggressive posturing has drawn condemnation from the United States and the European Union, yet within China, the narrative is starkly different. The party portrays itself as the victim of foreign aggression, a narrative that reinforces domestic xenophobia and justifies their expansionist ambitions.
The impact of this propaganda is evident in the rising number of violent incidents against foreigners. The failure to address these attacks head-on, instead opting to downplay or ignore them, speaks volumes about the party’s priorities. Rather than fostering a culture of tolerance and coexistence, the Communist Party continues to stoke the fires of nationalism and xenophobia, ensuring that foreigners in China remain targets.
In this hostile environment, it is not surprising that foreigners are increasingly viewed with suspicion and hatred. The Communist Party’s relentless propaganda campaign has convinced many Chinese citizens that foreigners, especially those from countries perceived as adversaries, are to blame for China’s problems. This dangerous narrative has real-world consequences, as evidenced by the recent spate of attacks on non-Chinese nationals.
As we witness these troubling developments, it is crucial to reflect on the broader implications of such a climate of fear and hatred. The recent attacks on foreigners are a stark reminder of the potential dangers posed by unchecked nationalism and aggressive expansionism. The world is watching, and the truth about these oppressive and xenophobic practices cannot be silenced indefinitely. What remains to be seen is how the international community will respond to these escalating tensions and what measures can be taken to address the underlying causes of such a hostile environment.
