Increased tensions between China and Japan in recent weeks have
greatly influenced international relations across the world and
have impacted members of the UCLA community.
The dispute between the two countries has resulted partly from
China’s anger over Japan’s aggression in Asia during
World War II. The events in Asia have made some members of the UCLA
community aware of the potential for strained relations between
Chinese and Japanese students on campus.
While most students and faculty members say they have not
noticed tension between students on campus, the Daily Bruin has
obtained an e-mail which was received by several students and
addressed to “fellow Chinese” students. The e-mail
proposed a plan to “terrorize” Japanese students at
UCLA “in any way possible.” The incident was reported
to the university police.
“At this point there is no update on the e-mail that was
sent. It is still under investigation,” said Nancy
Greenstein, director of university police community services for
UCPD.
Though the legitimacy of the e-mail has not been verified,
Greenstein said reports from students are always taken seriously,
“especially when a threat is involved.”
Tom Plate, a UCLA professor who teaches a class on Asian media
and politics and writes a weekly column on the United States’
relationship with the Pacific Rim, said he has not witnessed any
tension between Japanese and Chinese students in any of his
classes, but that he is aware of the e-mail.
“In an age of globalization it’s not easy to contain
the emotions surrounding the conflict. There’s no time delay
so people hear about things in seconds and even people who are far
away may feel intimately connected to the issue and behave
irresponsibly,” he said. “It just shows you that
emotions don’t respect borders. There will always be one or
two students who will be childish,” he added.
Anger has increased among the Chinese people after the recent
publication of school textbooks in Japan that the Chinese say fail
to acknowledge the atrocities committed by the Japanese toward the
Chinese people during World War II.
As a response to the publication of the textbooks, massive
anti-Japanese protests have erupted throughout China within the
past few weeks.
Japan, a German ally during World War II, conquered many parts
of East Asia before it was defeated in 1945. An estimated 12
million Chinese citizens were killed during Japan’s assault
on the country in the 1930s and 1940s.
The tensions between the two countries could potentially affect
Japan’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations
Security Council. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
recently made a public apology over Japan’s wartime
aggression in Asia during World War II.
It was the most public apology in over a decade, and was made
ahead of an expected meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao in an
attempt to defuse the volatile situation created over how Japan
interprets its wartime actions.
The apology was interpreted by some as an attempt by Japan to
reinforce its bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security
Council.
Armhawan Darsono, a third-year psychology and economics student
and president of the Chinese Students Association said he is
watching for any possible tension among the organization’s
members.
“We are keeping an eye out for racial slurs, unprovoked
comments about Japan and uncalled-for actions and we will resolve
anything as soon as we see it, but up to now I haven’t seen
any offensive stuff. I cannot speak for all Chinese students but
most members of CSA are just the way they were before (the
conflict)” he said.
Though the situation between China and Japan is tenuous at the
moment, “it is one thing to debate issues, but it’s
another to be racist and threaten students,” Plate said.
But Plate expects relations between the two countries to improve
because he said economics will win out over emotions.
“I’ve never seen relations between China and Japan
as bad as they are now but I think it’s going to be OK
because the economic interests on both sides are very great,”
he said.