Beijing calls for unity and stability over U.S. crew release

Chinese protest outside the guesthouse where the U.S. crew stay after the news

In this story: Calls for support Keeping passions in check RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Rose Tang
CNN Writer

HONG KONG, China -- China's government is urging its people to "maintain social stability and strengthen nationalist unity" in the wake of its decision to release the crew of the U.S. Navy spy plane.

State-owned CCTV broadcast a statement urging people to "concentrate the strong patriotic passion on various projects of the reforms and socialist modernization."

"We should unite (our) thoughts and acts to the decision-making and management of the central government," the CCTV quoted an editorial in People's Daily newspaper, to be published on Thursday.

The central government commonly releases major policy statements through the editorials in the People's Daily.

The commentary also appealed to the Chinese people to rally around the communist party leadership with President Jiang Zemin at its core.

It praised the condemnation on what it called "U.S. hegemony" from "the general masses" in Chinese factories, countryside, government units, schools and military forces.

Calls for support

A Beijing-based political scientist told CNN that all the military troops in the capital city were told to support the central government's decision to release the American crew just hours before the official announcement was made.

He also said the central government was worried many people would attack its decision to release the U.S. service people

"(The) Chinese government is afraid of criticism and dissatisfaction from the people," he said, asking not to be named.

"There are many controversial issues in China this year, the Olympic bid and the WTO entry. Now the Chinese edition of Tiananmen Papers will be published in a few days," he said.

"The key is how the media directs the public outcry. The central government doesn't want it to get out of hand," he said.

Keeping passions in check

Chinese police kept a tight watch over the U.S. Embassy in Beijing throughout the impasse.

They prevented demonstrations from taking place outside the diplomatic compound by breaking up protests and rejecting applications to rally in front of the embassy from university students.

This contrasts sharply with the central government's attitude in 1999, the year NATO forces led by the United States and the United Kingdom bombed China's embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

Immediately after Wednesday's announcement, Chinese internet users posted angry and nationalistic messages in chatrooms and forums, accusing the government for being too 'soft' and 'shameless'.

"We should call today a day of national shame," said one message on Sina.com. "The government cheated on us," said another.

China had been using the mid-air collision to drum up anti-U.S. sentiment: Jin Zhong, magazine editor

Jin Zhong, editor of Hong Kong-based pro-democracy magazine Open, said Beijing had been using the midair collision between the U.S. navy spy plane and the Chinese fighter jet to ignite nationalism.

"Beijing has been accusing the U.S. of hegemony over the past few days. But that rhetoric is targeted at a domestic audience, not the Americans," Jin told CNN.

However analysts say it's unlikely the public discontent will result in street protests, and they expect the negative reaction to die down soon.

"My colleagues all understand that the government has been over dramatic and has exaggerated (the situation). Some people will shout for a couple of days then will forget about the whole thing," said the Beijing-based social scientist.

China to free U.S. spy plane crew
April 11, 2001
U.S. letter to Chinese foreign minister
April 11, 2001
CNN In-Depth: China-U.S. Air Collision

Poeple's Daily website
Chinese Foreign Ministry
Sina.com
Open magazine

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