the other day, i had a class of 9 year olds, i can't remember how it started, but the vitnamee teacher was there too.
one boy first volunteered that he hates the chinese 'because they want us all dead!'. then a girl piped in, shouting actually, when i tried to put his comment away; 'no teacher it's true! the chinese want to destroy us! you think the war is over, but no there is war in viet nam! we are going to fight them! china is evil people!'
3 or 4 more kids chimed in, all of them shouting, and wild eyed, and the local teacher just smiled nervously as i tried changing the subject. the local media have been grinding out the anti-chinese sentiment for over a year now. their labours are finally bearing fruit.
most disturbing, to see this aggression just appear like a brushfire, with 9 year old kids!
i told a local friend this, and he said it was everywhere now. we have a taiwanese friend who was alone in a cafe talking on skype, in chinese. people around him started to curse him in english and tell him to go home. he and my local friend were entertaining a group of taiwanese biznetmen last week, at a five star hotel, again the people around them in the lounge started to curse them in vitnamee, not realizing my chinese looking friend was actually local.
he was all wide-eyed with shock at the bile that is being expressed everywhere. there are an awful lot of chinese here in saigon.
paul the taiwanese pal is afraid to go out now, two hate incidents in one week, he can't speak vitnamee and is fluent only in english and chinese.
makes ya wonda, how far is this going to go? this chinese noodle shop i frequent, the couple there are so uneasy, living in phu nhuan, a district very far from chinatown. i don't expect smiles from them anymore. they are so distracted and worried.
Protests in Vietnam as anger over China's 'bullying' grows | World news | The Guardian
Vietnam news, all the latest and breaking Vietnam news - Telegraph
Vietnamese protest against 'Chinese aggression' | World news | guardian.co.uk
It's just time for an Asian scrap. These things come around. Overdue.
Well, they're not wrong.
and then:Originally Posted by cluezo
China
spooky shit. it's just that trying to excise china and chinese influence in this city, it would be like cutting off one's own arm. they've been here for 300 years. half the locals have chinese blood. in the past i used to poll the kids, there is an ethnic chinese kid or 4 in every single class.
They'll find a way to fight and stay together at the same time. Vietnamese are awesome that way.
you're right. i've been rowing with this local pal since we met 8 years ago, and i even iced him twice. he's always waiting for me to come back though, and i eventually do. not sure why but this guy has become one of my most loyal friends ever. sure knows how to wind a guy up, but whenever i've needed help he's been there.
You're in Tangle City, baby. Roll with it ...
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