China Can Say No
Encyclopedia
China Can Say No or The China That Can Say No: Political and Emotional Choices in the post Cold-War era (Chinese
: 中国可以说不： 冷战后时代的政治与情感抉择; Pinyin
: Zhongguo keyi shuo bu: Lengzhanhou shidai de zhengzhi yu qinggan jueze) is a 1996 Chinese
-language non-fiction bestseller written and edited by Zhang Zangzang, Zhang Xiaobo, Song Qiang
, Tang Zhengyu, Qiao Bian and Gu Qingsheng. It was published in China
and strongly expresses Chinese nationalism
.
, argues that many "fourth-generation
" Chinese embraced Western
values too strongly in the 1980s and disregarded their heritage and background. Surprisingly, all of the authors were strong critics of Chinese government, and at least two of the authors participated in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
. Another author was sentenced to seven years in jail by the Chinese government in the 1980s for his pro-democracy activities, though he was released after only serving three years. The book specifically criticizes a number of activists such as physicist Fang Lizhi
and journalist Liu Binyan
.
Describing a disenchantment among Chinese with the US starting in the 1990s, especially after it adopted a China containment strategy, rejected China's bid for the World Trade Organization
, and worked against China's bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics
, the authors criticize US foreign policy
(in particular, support for Taiwan) and American individualism
. It claims that China is used as a scapegoat
for American problems and voices support for such governments as that of Fidel Castro
's Cuba
which openly declare their opposition to the US. The book also focuses on Japan
. It accuses Japan of being a client state
of the US, argues that Japan should not get a seat
on the United Nations Security Council
, and supports a renewed call for war reparations
to China from Japan for its actions in the Second Sino-Japanese War
.
, a follow-up version, was published.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 中国可以说不： 冷战后时代的政治与情感抉择; Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Zhongguo keyi shuo bu: Lengzhanhou shidai de zhengzhi yu qinggan jueze) is a 1996 Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
-language non-fiction bestseller written and edited by Zhang Zangzang, Zhang Xiaobo, Song Qiang
Song Qiang
Song Qiang is a co-author of China Can Say No and The Way Out For China: Under the Shadow of Globalization. He keeps a Chinese language blog, 开花の身体, in which he intersperses musings on the culinary arts with nationalist-themed rhetoric....
, Tang Zhengyu, Qiao Bian and Gu Qingsheng. It was published in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and strongly expresses Chinese nationalism
Chinese nationalism
Chinese nationalism , sometimes synonymous with Chinese patriotism refers to cultural, historiographical, and political theories, movements and beliefs that assert the idea of a cohesive, unified Chinese people and culture in a unified country known as China...
.
Contents
The book, which is modelled on The Japan That Can Say NoThe Japan That Can Say No
is a 1989 essay originally co-authored by Shintaro Ishihara, the then Minister of Transport and leading LDP figure and current governor of Tokyo; and Sony co-founder and chairman Akio Morita, in the climate of Japan's economic rise...
, argues that many "fourth-generation
Generations of Chinese leadership
Because both the Communist Party of China and the People's Liberation Army promote according to seniority, it is possible to discern distinct generations of Chinese leadership...
" Chinese embraced Western
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
values too strongly in the 1980s and disregarded their heritage and background. Surprisingly, all of the authors were strong critics of Chinese government, and at least two of the authors participated in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
. Another author was sentenced to seven years in jail by the Chinese government in the 1980s for his pro-democracy activities, though he was released after only serving three years. The book specifically criticizes a number of activists such as physicist Fang Lizhi
Fang Lizhi
Fang Lizhi is a professor of astrophysics and former vice-president of the University of Science and Technology of China whose liberal ideas inspired the pro-democracy student movement of 1986-87 and, finally, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989...
and journalist Liu Binyan
Liu Binyan
Liu Binyan was a Chinese author and journalist, as well as a political dissident.Many of the events in Liu's life are recounted in his memoir, A Higher Kind of Loyalty.-Early life:...
.
Describing a disenchantment among Chinese with the US starting in the 1990s, especially after it adopted a China containment strategy, rejected China's bid for the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
, and worked against China's bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, the authors criticize US foreign policy
Foreign relations of the United States
The United States has formal diplomatic relations with most nations. The United States federal statutes relating to foreign relations can be found in Title 22 of the United States Code.-Pacific:-Americas:-Caribbean:...
(in particular, support for Taiwan) and American individualism
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
. It claims that China is used as a scapegoat
Scapegoat
Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
for American problems and voices support for such governments as that of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
's Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
which openly declare their opposition to the US. The book also focuses on Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It accuses Japan of being a client state
Client state
Client state is one of several terms used to describe the economic, political and/or military subordination of one state to a more powerful state in international affairs...
of the US, argues that Japan should not get a seat
Reform of the United Nations Security Council
Reform of the United Nations Security Council encompasses five key issues: categories of membership, the question of the veto held by the five permanent members, regional representation, the size of an enlarged Council and its working methods, and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship...
on the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
, and supports a renewed call for war reparations
War reparations
War reparations are payments intended to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.- History :...
to China from Japan for its actions in the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
.
Sequel
In 2009, Unhappy ChinaUnhappy China
Unhappy China—The Great Time, Grand Vision and Our Challenges is a book written by Song Qiang, Huang Jisu, Song Xiaojun, Wang Xiaodong and Liu Yang and published in March 2009...
, a follow-up version, was published.