Made in China: Rally Round the Flag

Wednesday, Apr. 18, 2001 Throughout the course of the spy plane affair, China-watchers have sought to explain Beijing's rigidity in terms of the leadership's domestic considerations. The strident tone of Beijing's reaction is intended mainly for a home audience -- for a military with which President Jiang Zemin has to establish credibility, and for the 1.3 billion Chinese, among whom nationalism runs deep.

The tough talk goes over well with the unwashed masses, one might assume, but not with the educated Chinese elite, with their exposure to Western ideas and generally liberal leanings....