Piaras Kelly PR - Public Relations in Ireland

Really interesting story in the Times in the UK last week about the Japanese Air Self Defence Force abandoning plans to send military aircraft to help earthquake relief efforts in China. The article purports that the request for aid originally came from China, but due to the backlash of Chinese Internet users over the perceived symbolism of Japanese military aircraft entering China for the first time since World War 2 the plans were abandoned and civilian aircraft will be used instead.

What I find truly amazing is the power of the Internet community in China. The Times writes that “the idea of China’s reviled wartime enemy crossing its borders in uniform was too much for the country’s avid hordes of internet users – a group rapidly emerging as a powerful force of political influence.” Even the Japanese defence minister “acknowledged the massive backlash that the plan had attracted on Chinese websites.”

There is a lot made about Barack Obama’s use of the Internet as a means of mobilising voters. I’m slightly cynical of this, while it has served as a means of pulling people together, the hype around it ignores a number of societal factors. If Barack is voted president, let’s see how successful he is in four years time using the same tactics if he runs for reelection given that the change he promises is likely to fail to materialise.

However contrast this to what is actually happening in China when you can see that backlash on the Internet is actually effecting government policy and then you have to take a step back and catch a breath. The Queen Bee is literally sitting up and taking notice of the opinions of all the worker bees in the hive. I don’t know whether to be amazed or scared.

One thing is for sure. The Internet has a powerful role to play in the shaping of the future of Chinese society.