China and Japan go to WAR!

[Armus]

This report in from China:

BEIJING (AP) — Protests against Japan for its control of disputed islands swelled across more than a dozen cities in China and at times turned violent Saturday, with protesters hurling rocks at the Japanese Embassy and clashing with Chinese paramilitary police before order was restored.

Thousands of protesters gathered in front of the embassy in Beijing. Hundreds tried to storm a metal police barricade but were pushed back by riot police armed with shields, helmets and batons. A few made it through but were quickly taken away by plainclothes police. Protesters also threw rocks and burned Japanese flags.

Protests were more orderly in most other cities, though in the southern city of Changsha protesters smashed a police car made by Mitsubishi, according to reports online.

Anti-Japanese sentiment, never far from the surface in China, has been building for weeks, touched off by moves by Tokyo and fanned by a feverish campaign in Chinese state media. Passions grew more heated this past week after the Japanese government purchased the contested East China Sea islands from their private owners. Though Japan has controlled the uninhabited islands — called Diaoyu in Chinese and Senkaku in Japanese — for decades, China saw the purchase as an affront to its claims and as further proof of Tokyo's refusal to negotiate over them.

In response, Beijing has lodged angry protests and tried to bolster its claims by briefly sending lightly armed marine surveillance ships into what Japan says are its territorial waters around the islands and by ratcheting up state media coverage. Some news programs featured explanations of historic documents and bellicose commentary.

Smaller demonstrations had been staged throughout the week. But they boiled over Saturday, especially in Beijing. Outside the Japanese Embassy, the protesters — most of whom appeared to be students — shouted slogans demanding Japan relinquish the islands and claiming China's ownership of them. The crowd grew larger than expected, prompting police to close off a main thoroughfare to traffic.

In Shanghai, about 200 police officers kept order, cordoning off the street leading to the Japanese Consulate and allowing protesters in groups of 100 to approach the consular building. Protesters had to register with police before they could cross the cordon and had to take their banners with them when they left.

The demonstrations came before an anniversary Tuesday that often sees anti-Japanese sentiment: the 1931 Mukden incident, which marked a step in Japan's conquest of Manchuria and onward to much of China in the 1930s and World War II. Activists have called for demonstrations Tuesday.

The uptick in Chinese anger over the disputed islands comes even though the Japanese government hoped its purchase would calm, rather than inflame the situation. Tokyo's nationalistic governor, Shintaro Ishihara, proposed buying the islands in April and planned to develop them — something that Beijing would have seen as an attempt to solidify Japan's claim. By purchasing them instead, the Japanese government has promised to keep them undeveloped.

Will Japan and China start shooting over these islands? Whats at stake and why so much vitriole over some small insignifigant islands?

Post your opinions if:

THERE WILL BE WAR!
OR NOT

[raurux]

There will be a LOT of tension between them, but to be war I don't know I don't think so, but is also a provability.

[Armus]

Why do you think they're talking about who owns these islands? Hasn't Japan owned them even after WWII?

[kyla8132]

LOL don't think so lightly of islands XDD although I don't think there's gonna be a war, I think there's a 68% chance for it -_- and if Japan purchased the island then it's theirs right? Whether there be a project for development or not.

[metsorini]

Armus and his war topics >:D

My opinion is : No there will not be war,ill edit this post later for something useful don't have much time.

[Armus]

Speaking of war hows it going in the UAE? They attacking Americans over there yet? Those that forget the lessons of war are doomed to repeat their mistakes! First, Americans are attacked and then the German embassies and now Japan? Funny we're together with our old enemies from WWII...LOL

[Alex_Sandy]

Hard to say if war will happen. China has always seemed the sort of place where nothing happens without the encouragment,support and permission of the government, so the demonstrations and violence are certainly not spontaneous outbursts of patriotic fervor. Maybe there's oil under these rocks they both claim.

[China]

Seeing that they still use the stable China-Japan lending fund, there will be no war.

Unless the USA or UN get involved...

[maddyCANDY]

Gundams vs Goddamns! Pun aside, China's been staking claim on islands that are within the vicinity of the China seas. The issue are even being parodied in manga's and anime, the latest I've seen was on Joshiraku Episode 1.

I doubt a war will break out, UN will definitely intervene. The worse that can happen from how I see it is an economic struggle.

[Armus]

Originally Posted by Alex_Sandy

Hard to say if war will happen. China has always seemed the sort of place where nothing happens without the encouragment,support and permission of the government, so the demonstrations and violence are certainly not spontaneous outbursts of patriotic fervor. Maybe there's oil under these rocks they both claim.

I think you're right, why else wait for so many years and then start claiming Japanese islands. Funny that there is an anniversary coming up next Tuesday for the anniversary of Japan attacking China the first time in Manchuria in 1931, supposedly supporting the Manchus against Chinese aggression, some 82 years ago and the Chinese are still pissed about it!

@maddyCANDY

The UN can't because China has a veto on the secutity council and will keep the UN hamstrung (plus they can buy any number of votes in the general assembly).

@China

See I told you this was gonna happen a while back and no fund is gonna stop people from shooting if they get pissed. The US has got its hands full in the middle east right now and I think that's the way the Chinese want it. I think they're gonna land troops and dare Japan to do anything!

I see the hand of China in the mobs uprising, notice the mobs went after Americans first and then Germans and now the Japanese. Who are the biggest economic competitors to China? The only one of the top 5 economies not getting attacked by mobs are the Chinese and Indians (I really don't know about the indians, but China the AU user will know...LOL)!