BEIJING -- Although the furor raised by the two-week dispute over the Shenyang incident has died down, it has not entirely dissipated -- particularly in Japan. The incident highlighted Japan's sensitivity toward China's growing power, and demonstrated that if frictions in this area are not effectively managed, they could eventually cause serious damage to bilateral relations.
The media and government on each side reacted very differently to the incident. Japan's reaction was fast and fierce, with every major newspaper and television station headlining the story, and almost all prominent political leaders wading in with public statements venting their fury, complaining about China's alleged violation of the Vienna convention and of Japanese sovereignty, and even going as far as to demand a formal apology from Beijing. This did not go over well with Chinese officials, who still strongly resent Japan's past aggressions.
Japan's reaction to the consulate incident was nervous and overly sensitive. Japan appears to have lost its confidence in the face of China's growing power and its own faltering economic performance over the past decade. Many Japanese speak of the economic threat posed by China, warn of China's military power and view many Chinese developments with a wary eye. In a bid to counterbalance China's burgeoning influence, Japan has striven to become a political power, but it still has a long way to go in achieving this goal.