http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/11/2012112051512304259.html
It is no surprise that China would not want to have the maritime dispute be “internationalised ” (sic) with Obama’s visit to the region and focus on this topic. It seems to be quite typical whenever there are similar territorial claims in which political resentment and even violence are among the many outcomes; one has only to think of the U.S. towards Puerto Rico, Britain towards the Islas Malvinas, Israel towards Palestine, etc. My one hope is that China does not end up adopting such a posture as it was subject to itself when the Japanese empire was dominating much if China’s territory. Paulo Freire once spoke of the tragedy of the oppressed rising out of their conditions only to become the next oppressor. Perhaps it is naïve to state that if a nation has legitimate claim over a territory, it should welcome international scrutiny and through the lens of other nations’ perspectives, take an exemplary step towards humility and not towards what can be interpreted as an arrogant imperialistic stance. But then again, maybe it is not naive, and if there is anyone who has to be the example towards the rest of the nation, it should be those considered to be the “elite” (an oxymoron if ever there was one…).
And then, of course, there is the underlying question specific to this news article; what is the interest of the U.S. empire in this dispute (and how will it proceed towards this interest), seeing as to how it may not be possible to have all sides be pleased with any particular posture…
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