POST 6

Time is running out and this comms blog is due soon. Time orientation really influences behavioural patterns. For the past few months, since this sem started, there sometimes isnt a clear break between work and personal time. Often, I have to rush home after dinner or youth service to finish up projects or assignments, while my other friends leisurely head to the nearest starbucks or their latest craze, KTV joints. Haha disclaimer, I have not been there before. And why? SIGH. My friends have already coined me the "MIA" queen and I really feel guilty. One of my friend came back from Aussie for term break. We have not had quality catch ups yet and shes already packing up to leave for aussie this weekend. I guess thats the culture that i've got to get used to, especially now in UB where every single assignment counts into the final grade.

Getting into blogpost proper, there was an article recently in the Straits Times about China welcoming the first Japanese Battleship in enter their waters since the end of WWII. As I read it, I thought it would make up a very interesting post.

Ever since the Japanese invaded China till the end of WWII, there has been a notion of a strained bilateral relationship between the two countries. This is not just political, but rather prevalent in the society as well. Certain prejudices and stereotypes that one has for the other has not changed since the end of WWII. The chinese still have a negative view of the Japanese. For example sometimes when i watch dramas online, my mum will comment and say "dont you dare marry a Japanese. Don't forget what they did to Singapore". Ok firstly, I dont think a Japanese will marry me and secondly, let it go already. Perhaps cause she was one of the few born after the post war baby boom and her parents have inbuilt it right into her head that Japanese = bad.

As for the article i mentioned earlier, that can be read at http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/080624/world/china_japan_military_diplomacy_2. It is not appropriate for me to dwelve into the political aspect of things, though i must state here that it is getting better between the two countries. because what do i know and i do not wish to get into trouble for anything, this being a public space. I believe that the hardest factor to overcome now is for both societies to accept each other with open arms. There was mixed reactions with the battleship visiting China, some were bitter, some were harsh and some were more accepting. But in the end, all the underlying messages and tones did bring up the fact that the Chinese still remember the actions of the Japanese during the war.

It definitely will be hard for intercultural comunication. THey have to get over all the attitudinal barriers of stereotyping and prejudices that have been "passed down" the generations. There will most probably be a culture shock for both parties but i think the hardest barrier to overcome will be ethnocentrism. There is this constant vying for power or a competition to see who is stronger and it can be seen in the article with some of the Chinese they interviewed saying, and i quote, "Originally Japan had money and they bullied us, but now we've developed so much that even if they wanted to bully us, they couldn't" and "China is more powerful now. Japan is very small so we're not afraid of them".

I do not know much on the Japanese view, but I do know that they too are not very happy with the Chinese over what happened in Tibet. When the Olympic torch was passed to Tokyo, security levels were high, but still there were protest - egg throwing and all.

It may prove to be a challenge to finally have everyone acceptable to each other but I think overtime and once the generations who have been through the war have passed on(really very sorry for the bluntness of it but lack of a better word!) I believe that Japan and China's ties will slowly but surely be reconciled.