The biggest geopolitical shockwave in the aftermath of a string of Chinese boycotts against Japan was Xi Jinping’s surprise phone call to POTUS Donald Trump. It was reported by Chinese state media and one tiny detail spoke volumes: Beijing’s press release didn’t include the usual phrase “at the invitation of the other side.” Translation? The PRC initiated the call. And it wasn’t a friendly chat — it was an urgent plea for help.
The trigger was Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, whose tough public stance on Taiwan lit Beijing’s fuse. The PRC responded with its standard playbook: economic retaliation, maladroit “diplomatic” scolding, and a show of force to intimidate Tokyo.
As we now know, these standard moves backfired spectacularly even though you may get a totally different impression if, like some of my Sinophilic fellow countrymen, your diet is restricted to Chinese propaganda.
Takaichi didn’t flinch. Much to the consternation of her haters, her poll numbers climbed. Japan didn’t soften a single word. With its pressure tactics failing, Beijing did something unprecedented: it knocked on America’s door and essentially asked Trump to “keep your Japanese prime minister in line.” The more astute observers might ask, doesn’t the PRC keep telling the US to mind its own business? Why is it asking the US for help in dealing with Japan?
As it turned out, Trump did call Takaichi. She confirmed it with a smile when asked. All she said was, Trump is welcome to call her anytime. As for whether Trump mentioned anything about China’s protest, she didn’t say. Nothing happened after that. The silence from Tokyo afterward was deafening: no softening, no apology, no diplomatic sugar-coating. Japan wasn’t backing down, not even by a millimetre. Those who called Japan a client state of US just got a slap on their faces.
How should China feel about that? More than a little embarrassed, I’m afraid.
The PRC’s attempt to pressure Japan failed twice: once directly in the face of Sanae Takaichi, and another time indirectly through Trump who failed to persuade Takaichi to soften her stance. But the real consequence runs deeper. The PRC is desperate and Beijing is now doing the one thing it swore it would never allow — it has internationalised the Taiwan issue!
For decades, China’s mantra has been: “Taiwan is China’s internal affair. Foreigners have no right to interfere.”
It seems that what is really means is that other countries have no right to interfere unless it’s interfering in the PRC’s favour. On the digital front, it has unleashed a propaganda campaign against countries like Singapore that have refused to toe the line. That itself may cause little damage, provided it s confined to the circle of Sinophiles. The trouble is, this sort of propaganda reaches out to Singaporeans, Malaysians and practically all ethnic Chinese people with the message “祖国统一是所有中华儿女的愿望“。All of a sudden, we’re seeing non-PRC ethnic Chinese people cheering for the PRC against Japan and condemning Taiwanese people as traitors of “China”. This is concerning as it calls the loyalty of overseas Chinese people into question. Having failed to threaten or lobby leaders of other countries (except maybe for Myanmar), the PRC is now resorting to the dirty trick mobilising emotional Chinese people in other countries to undermine their loyalty and further its cause against Taiwan’s freedom and independence. A case of 釜底抽薪, one of the 36 Dirty Tricks From Ancient China.