Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan: Chinese nationalists disappointed by their overly timid government

Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 30, 2022 (Illustration image).

REUTERS - POOL

Text by: Zhifan Liu Follow

2 mins

Communist propaganda had white-hot its population, claiming that the Chinese reaction would be terrible if Nancy Pelosi deigned to set foot in Taiwan, a rebellious province in the eyes of Beijing.

But the Speaker of the House of Representatives ignored Chinese threats.

The situation has turned against the central power, which must now face the disappointment and anger of its nationalist Internet users.

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"

 We'll see if she dares to go 

," said Zhao Lijian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, bravado before Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.

Beijing then showed its muscles and the propaganda multiplied the warnings against Washington.

An

authoritarian tone

that white-hot a part of the population who was just waiting for that.

But the reality was quite different, and the head of the American deputies was not worried during her express stay on the island.

Many nationalist Internet users showed their disappointment, no longer hesitating to openly criticize the regime and the army.

On social networks, a former soldier claims to be ashamed of his experience in the Chinese army.

Some compare the Chinese soldiers to the national football team, renowned for its historical weakness, and others simply hoped that the Chinese missiles would shoot down Nancy Pelosi's plane, taking up an idea from Hu Xijin, columnist for the very va- t-in-war daily

The Global Times

.

In vain. 

Beijing appeals to the rationality of its patriots

Faced with so much anger, Beijing was forced to calm things down. “

 I think China has made its position clear and firm in both its actions and its statements.

And I have confidence, because I know that the Chinese are rational patriots 

”, tempered Thursday Hua Chunying, another spokesperson for communist propaganda.

While China said it launched

unprecedented military maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait

, they only began after Nancy Pelosi left the island.

An unacceptable loss of face for part of the population.

► To read also: 

Tensions between China and Taiwan: "The Chinese inflate the threat to put pressure"

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