Scholars at a seminar held by the state-affiliated Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) called on AMM to focus on economic and people-to-people relations with China, saying that this dispute was merely a “bump” in what they termed “historically inherited relations”.
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“China is ready to discuss with countries concerned about provisional arrangements pending final settlement of the dispute”, the country’s top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, said last week.
Other official statements have also said China is willing to enter into “provisional arrangements of a practical nature”, phrasing that echoes language used in the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. “The Middle East is a classic example”, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday, adding that “their intervention has led to chaos in Syria, Iraq and Libya”.
Such actions interfered with legitimate business and humiliated customers, the official China Daily said Wednesday, echoing an editorial the previous day in the People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s flagship newspaper.
Similar protests broke out in at least 11 cities and rural counties including Changsha in the central province of Hunan and the eastern city of Hangzhou, a major tourist destination, since the announcement of ruling on July 12, Sohu reported. The web portal Sina said one was ordered jailed for 15 days and the other two for 13 days.
Yet, the KFC protests have also sparked a backlash online, with some KFC customers posting photos of themselves sitting in front of a bucket of chicken with axes or other weapons and signs reading “Patriotic hooligans, try harassing me and I’ll take you out”. Beijing has refused to abide by the worldwide verdict and did not participate in the proceedings brought by the Philippines–one of the maritime neighbours with which China has been at the loggerheads over the water body which is not only a rich reserve of natural resources but also a key route of global trading.
“A group of more than 20 people including children broke into the restaurant and shouted at customers to leave”, the witness, Guo Lu, said by phone from Yangzhou. Under Chinese law, organizers of public protest rallies need prior approval from the police, but it not clear whether police had given the go-ahead in this case.
Stating that he saw some room for backdoor negotiations, he hoped that China would rethink its stance.
Beijing genuinely believes in diplomacy and arbitration, and will likely engage with Manila directly to resolve the South China Sea conflict.
It comes as KFC struggles to regain solid footing in China following a series of scandals involving tainted meat and allegations of excessive use of antibiotics and growth hormones.
In April, it suspended its iBooks and iTunes Movies services, reportedly due to an order by Chinese regulators. Apple was allowed to continue sales while it appeals.
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But Canada’s recent decision to side with G7 ally Japan on the maritime tensions, as well as disagreements with China over human rights, are complicating those aspirations. Cook said Apple was “really optimistic” and planned to open five more stores in China during the current quarter for a total of 40.
