Comments for Commentary: China's Nine-dashed line Problematic Passport at http://www.asiasentinel.com , comment 1 to 5 out of 5 comments http://www.asiasentinel.com Thu, 20 Jun 2013 12:27:09 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5001&Itemid=171#comment-36850 Chinese nationalists are a throw back to the worst excesses of 19 century imperialism. They justify their grandiose sovereignty claims, that are often unjustified in international law and historically suspect in several cases, on the past excesses of Western countries, when the international standard of morality has evolved beyond that. How ironic when it was the emergence of the former colonised and exploited nations like China in the second half of last century that finally made the former colonial powers to re-evaluate their own standards of morality and face the iniquity of colonialism and imperialism and be forced in large part to repudiate them. The Chinese nationalists approach appears to be a childish "me-tooism" that goes, well you conquered weaker nations and exterminated native peoples weaker than you 100-200 years ago, now it's our turn. At the same time, they claim that China itself was too weak in the 19th century to resist against foreign aggression, so all the treaties negotiated by force of arms then were unequal and so invalid in some sense. What a double standard. Either the moral and legal measure of proper behaviour of all nations, including China, has evolved and might is no longer right or it has not. Logically, it can't be both ways, unless you're a Chinese nationalist. On the topic of unequal treaties, as a theory of international law, this would seem to invalidate nearly many treaties, eg the Treaty of Versailles, which were historically procured by military victories. While territorial integrity for China is a legitimate goal (within the scope of its genuinely historically supportable borders) I would support, where does this apparent vitiating principle of international law or morality they seem to seek to assert, end? The acquisition of England by the Normans in 1066 should be revoked and England returned to the Saxons? - Zhongshan Thu, 29 Nov 2012 19:02:52 +0100 index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5001&Itemid=171#comment-36844 If Vietnam left China then the isles & islets nearer to Vietnam belong to Vietnam when in the past they were China's? Like saying if Guangxi leaves China then Hainan Island belongs to Guangxi now. LOL. - Big Joke Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:03:16 +0100 index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5001&Itemid=171#comment-36843 Vietnam was a province of China for more tha 1 000 years. When Zheng He sailed and mapped the South CHINA Seas Khanh was still in the process of reincarnation. Isles and islets grabbing doesnt take place when the the West decides on the 200 miles. Right? History is abt ownership. Especially ancient history. The West with its earlier gunboat diplomacy has secured the Falkands, Guam, Gulf of MEXICO, etc. These are places way off. In fact there isnt a shred of historical evidence to prove that these territories belong to the West. They wer STOLEN plain and simple. Even Austra from the Bushment, New Zealand from the maoris, the US & Canada from the Red Indians, etc. - Cowboy Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:14:48 +0100 index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5001&Itemid=171#comment-36840 To me, the guy who wrote this article is more childish. A waste of time especially coming from a chap who ancestor used to be called Chinese before the French stole the territory and later grant them INDEPENDENCE. Imagine a thieving nation granting INDEPENDENCE for something she does not owned in the first place. - Waste of Time Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:27:31 +0100 index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5001&Itemid=171#comment-36839 It's not the first time china's displayed it's childish mindset on international issues. Respect is something we have to earn, not 'expect' simply because of some fictional and misplaced sense of self worth. We're so far away from being grown up in our dealings with others that I fear we'll never 'earn' respect from the rest of humanity. - lmachin Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:54:01 +0100