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Decimation of Political Face: Beijing told to ‘take a hike’ over Lee Tung Hui visit
posted Saturday, 18 December 2004
Within a matter of days of the last raising of tensions between China and Japan, tempers have once again flared over the issuing of a tourist visa to Lee Tung hui, the former President of Chinese Taiwan, to allow him entry into Japan for a personal visit.
Despite internationally established protocols that ‘frown upon’ interfering with visa issues of foreign countries, China issued a strongly worded demand to Tokyo, ordering it to deny Lee entry to Japan and to rescind the decision to grant him a visa.
The latest verbal attack from China comes as relations between Tokyo and Beijing have been described as being at a thirty year low.
Rare Defiance
Despite Tokyo having a history of capitulating to Beijing over controversial matters out of respect to the memory of Japan’s wartime aggressions, Hosada Hiroyuki, Japan’s cabinet secretary, announced that Tokyo had anticipated demands from Beijing, to forbid Lee’s visit, but had no reason to prevent it, and so was issuing Lee with a visa as a private citizen, despite Beijing’s objections.
Under current guidelines, Japan has no reason to prevent ex President Lee from entering the country, and the Koizumi Administration has no mandate to interfere. Many countries have specific regulations to prevent politically motivated interventions over such cases.
Officially, Lee is visiting as an independent tourist and not as a representative of Chinese Taiwan. He also has no plans to conduct any political activities.
Lee and his family are expected to visit the Imperial University of Kyoto, of which Lee is a former student, as well as other historic sights in Japan, but are not expected to be formally greeted as representatives of Chinese Taiwan because of Japan’s commitment to the ‘One China Policy’.
Lee previously visited Japan in 2001 to receive treatment for a heart complaint, at which time China also issued strong condemnation of the visit, despite its humanitarian nature.
The issuing of visa is largely regarded as being an internal mater, and many feel that China is overstepping its authority with this latest interference in the border policy of foreign countries.
The full effect of Lee’s visit, scheduled for late December this year, is not known. While many see this new found defiance as being damaging to Chinese pride at home, few feel that it will have any lasting effect on diplomatic relations between Japan and China because China cannot cut trade ties or threaten sanctions without damaging its own economy, and would have no support among the international community for other actions.
Few also believe that the diplomatic relationship between Beijing and Tokyo can become much worse without open hostilities, which would prove to be embarrassing for Beijing because it would mean admitting that it was being faced down by an opponent that it still considers to be a ‘weak neighbor’.
Unreasonable Demands
Despite international protocols, China has a history of issuing diktats to foreign countries over internal affairs. Earlier this year, Beijing demand that British dignitaries refrain from meeting with the Dalia Lam and his representatives during an official visit to the country. Beijing also threatened sanctions against Canada during a similar visit and has protested personal visits by foreign officials to Chinese Taiwan.
Despite issuing strong objections to any public or private comment on China or Chinese affairs that doesn’t fit with the line announced by Beijing, China has a history of interfering with or commenting on the internal affairs of other countries when they are seen as reflecting badly on China or going against Chinese state policy, often announcing that decisions made against the will of Beijing are a sign of, aggression, unreasonableness, or of a disregard for the feeling of China.
Lee Teng hui
Ex President Lee, largely considered the architect of Taiwanese democracy, served as the Taiwan’s first elected leader from 1988 to 2000 has been described by Beijing as being "the Taiwan independence gang leader", by Beijing, and is considered to be a traitor by Beijing.
Any personal or state visits by Lee are considered to be a threat to the authority of Beijing, which sees Lee as being an opponent that it was unable to suppress and a critic that harmed China’s international standing by defying it.
Despite internationally established protocols that ‘frown upon’ interfering with visa issues of foreign countries, China issued a strongly worded demand to Tokyo, ordering it to deny Lee entry to Japan and to rescind the decision to grant him a visa.
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“We have already expressed very clearly to the
Japanese side that Lee Teng-hui is a mastermind behind forces for Liu Jianchao foreign ministry spokesperson, |
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The latest verbal attack from China comes as relations between Tokyo and Beijing have been described as being at a thirty year low.
Rare Defiance
Despite Tokyo having a history of capitulating to Beijing over controversial matters out of respect to the memory of Japan’s wartime aggressions, Hosada Hiroyuki, Japan’s cabinet secretary, announced that Tokyo had anticipated demands from Beijing, to forbid Lee’s visit, but had no reason to prevent it, and so was issuing Lee with a visa as a private citizen, despite Beijing’s objections.
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“There is no reason to deny it [the visa],” |
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Under current guidelines, Japan has no reason to prevent ex President Lee from entering the country, and the Koizumi Administration has no mandate to interfere. Many countries have specific regulations to prevent politically motivated interventions over such cases.
Officially, Lee is visiting as an independent tourist and not as a representative of Chinese Taiwan. He also has no plans to conduct any political activities.
Lee and his family are expected to visit the Imperial University of Kyoto, of which Lee is a former student, as well as other historic sights in Japan, but are not expected to be formally greeted as representatives of Chinese Taiwan because of Japan’s commitment to the ‘One China Policy’.
Lee previously visited Japan in 2001 to receive treatment for a heart complaint, at which time China also issued strong condemnation of the visit, despite its humanitarian nature.
The issuing of visa is largely regarded as being an internal mater, and many feel that China is overstepping its authority with this latest interference in the border policy of foreign countries.
The full effect of Lee’s visit, scheduled for late December this year, is not known. While many see this new found defiance as being damaging to Chinese pride at home, few feel that it will have any lasting effect on diplomatic relations between Japan and China because China cannot cut trade ties or threaten sanctions without damaging its own economy, and would have no support among the international community for other actions.
Few also believe that the diplomatic relationship between Beijing and Tokyo can become much worse without open hostilities, which would prove to be embarrassing for Beijing because it would mean admitting that it was being faced down by an opponent that it still considers to be a ‘weak neighbor’.
Unreasonable Demands
Despite international protocols, China has a history of issuing diktats to foreign countries over internal affairs. Earlier this year, Beijing demand that British dignitaries refrain from meeting with the Dalia Lam and his representatives during an official visit to the country. Beijing also threatened sanctions against Canada during a similar visit and has protested personal visits by foreign officials to Chinese Taiwan.
Despite issuing strong objections to any public or private comment on China or Chinese affairs that doesn’t fit with the line announced by Beijing, China has a history of interfering with or commenting on the internal affairs of other countries when they are seen as reflecting badly on China or going against Chinese state policy, often announcing that decisions made against the will of Beijing are a sign of, aggression, unreasonableness, or of a disregard for the feeling of China.
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"[Refusal to rescind their decision has shown
that] Japanese government departments don't care about Sino-Japanese
relations". Liu Jianchao foreign ministry spokesperson, |
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Lee Teng hui
Ex President Lee, largely considered the architect of Taiwanese democracy, served as the Taiwan’s first elected leader from 1988 to 2000 has been described by Beijing as being "the Taiwan independence gang leader", by Beijing, and is considered to be a traitor by Beijing.
Any personal or state visits by Lee are considered to be a threat to the authority of Beijing, which sees Lee as being an opponent that it was unable to suppress and a critic that harmed China’s international standing by defying it.
View Comments/Add a Comment (1)
1. a reader left...
Sunday, 19 December 2004 12:46 am
No argument on this issue. China certainly doesn't act like they want
either a dialogue, a rapproachement or, really, anything except Japan and
Taiwan to march in lock step or get blown up. I don't disagree with your
point of view on China, and thanks for the details on apologies in your
previous post. I did, however, write a response to your comment on my site
to try and clarify what it is that bothers me about the national
anthem/school issue in Tokyo.