西方國家對北京奧運的政治取態激發中國的民族主義

西方國家的政治領袖揚言杯葛北京奧運挑動起中國人民的情緒，而CNN 主播煽動性的報導和法國大型藏獨示威更加使中國的極端民族主義火上加油。導致中國民族主義擴散的其中一個原因是西方媒體採用經修正的相片對西藏示威作偏差的報導，但更重要的原因是中國政府對內地傳媒和網絡資訊的控制，只容許有利政府的報導，這無形中扼殺人民理性思考的機會，從而助長極端民族主義的滋生。

中國網民發起對法資公司＜家樂福＞的大規模扺制活動正好反映理性如何被民族主義所蒙蔽。在全球化年代，大型跨國企業如＜家樂福＞的供應鏈、採購網和銷售點分佈於全球各國，跨國企業聘用本地人，售賣來自世界各地的商品，作為世界工廠的中國，她生產的貨品最終都會落在＜家樂福＞的貨架上。因此杯葛 ＜家樂福＞不但對一間法資公司造成傷害，更重要的是這些非理性的行動危害數以千計中國工人的生計和工作環境。

席捲全球的華人示威超乎西方政府和中國領導人的預期，北京已經意識到中國的民族主義可能危害社會穩定及北京奧運的進行。民族主義無助解決西藏問題，它只會加深漢族中國人和西藏人的分歧。儘管北京向西藏資源傾斜，希望藉著改善西藏人民的物質生活以達致社會穩定的目標，可惜事實証明單靠這方法未必可行，中央應該落實相關政策以加強漢藏對互相文化和宗教的認識和尊重，只有此舉才能長遠維持西藏的穩定。

西方媒體藉西藏事件向中國政府施壓已經引起反效果，西方國家的商界領袖已暗中向政府施壓以緩和北京的對立關係，這對西方政治領袖確是一個大難題，究竟是要堅持西方的價值觀 - 人權和自由，還是為了私企在中國的商業利益而放棄核心價值觀。

為了減低西方國家的疑慮，中央已經把「和平崛起」這用語改為「和平發展」，儘管如此，民族主義泛濫只會加強西方對中國威脅論的信念。雖然北京努力營造和諧外交關係和政治環境以利和平發展，但這一切的努力可能被極端民族主義者引起的事端完全扺消。

Attempts by the West to politicize Beijing Olympics have fueled nationalism in China

Attempts by the Western political leaders to boycott Beijing Olympics have spurred the sentiment of Chinese. Misreporting from CNN and mass demonstration of Tibetan separatists in France further fuel nationalism in China. Biased reports on Tibet’s crisis including the use of doctored photos are partly to blame for the spread of nationalism. The lack of press freedom and deliberate scrutiny of information flow on the Internet in favor of the government by the authority have deprived of people’s ability to think critically on issues touching their national sentiment.

The mass boycott of Carrefour in China is a reflection of how fierce nationalism may blind people’s judgment. In the era of globalization, Carrefour, just like other multinational corporations, has the supply chains distributed globally, hires local people and sell products manufactured all over the world. China is well known as a ‘world’s factory’ and has most of her products end up the retailer giant such as Carrefour. Therefore, the boycott not only does harm to the French company but also threatens the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of local Chinese working in this company.

Nationalism sweeping fiercely over Chinese communities around the globe is out of the expectation of Western leaders and mainland authority. Beijing is aware of the backfire caused by nationalism and fears it may ruin social stability and smooth running of the Olympic Games. Chinese nationalism does no good to ease the crisis in Tibet. It only deepens the gap between Han Chinese and Tibetans. Despite Beijing’s resource inclination towards Tibetans to improve their standard of living, this policy still fails to pacify Tibetans. It is clear that policies favoring mutual understanding and respect on cultural and religious differences are keys to the foundation of political stability in Tibet.

Western media's attempt to mock Beijing may backfire. Fearing the loss of business opportunities in the China market, business leaders may press their governments to ease the conflict with Beijing. This poses a challenge to Western leaders whether to place the priority of human rights and freedom over profit earning or sacrifice the core values of the Western world for more business opportunities.

The slogan ’peaceful rise ’, an intimidating term to the West, has been replaced by‘peaceful development’, a term believed to be more comfortable to the West by the Chinese authority. However, the surge of Chinese nationalism gives the Western world an impression of a rising power dominated by a growing population of irrational and raging nationalists threatening world peace and the interest of the West. Any unexpected actions committed by extreme nationalists would void Beijing’s effort of maintaining harmonious diplomatic relationship with the West for the sake of paving the way for ‘peaceful development’ of China.