IAN HAMET has posted his analysis of the Chinese protests he reported on earlier. And he’s also got a copy (with translation) of the Chinese email that organized the protests. Bottom line:

Furthermore, one aspect of Chinese culture you don’t read much about is a nationwide inferiority complex. I don’t know what else to call it. There’s overcompensation everywhere. . . .

Another aspect is dissatisfaction with the present government. Oh, you’ll never hear anyone say that, of course. But Tiananmen Square is only 16 years in the past, and I think someone in Beijing, someone who is all too familiar with both The Prince and The Art of War, has been working to divert frustration to a more acceptable target. Add in the natural xenophobia that Chinese culture has always harbored, and you’ve got a brilliant play to keep the present oligarchy firmly entrenched, as well as justification for foreign adventures, should the need arise. . . .

I’m convinced someone in Beijing orchestrated this, even as the demonstration was declared “illegal” yesterday. The police didn’t try to quell the crowd at all, weren’t even in riot gear. They just steered people away from the (very expensive) buildings in People’s Square.

Whoever he is, this Machiavel, he’s stirred up one hell of a hornets’ nest. I sincerely hope that he’s frightened by how angry it is; if not, there’s even more trouble on the horizon.

Read the whole thing.

UPDATE: Brian Dunn has more thoughts.

And there’s more at The Mudville Gazette. Related thoughts on China, from The Belmont Club, here.

ANOTHER UPDATE: SimonWorld has loads more on the anti-Japanese riots, as well as a report on different riots in Huaxi that ought to be worrying the Chinese government much more: “The current Japan/China tensions may in part be orchestrated by the government. But these spontaneous outbursts are a different beast. Interestingly at the moment the Chinese Government doesn’t seem sure how to handle either.”