Zha Lijian mocks Japan's 'Constitutional Amendment', giving Xi Jinping trouble again
Katherine Miller 07/14/22, 16:57
On July 12, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian cited a Global Times article saying that Japan's Constitutional Amendment is "opening Pandora's box", but the comments below only criticized Xi, which caused the section to be closed. (Weibo/Screenshot via TheBL/Youtube)
Despite the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 8, the Japanese parliamentary election on July 11 resulted in the big victory of the "Constitutional Amendment" introduced by the political party that Abe supported.
Regarding this, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian retweeted an editorial by The Global Times on Weibo saying that the Japanese "Constitutional Amendment" is Pandora's box, not a treasure box, leading to a lot of mocking comments from netizens.
The "Constitutional Amendment" was Abe's long-cherished wish in his political life, hoping to transform Japan into a nation that could defend itself.
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a clause that states that Japan gives up the right to wage war in pursuit of international peace based on justice and order. This constitution has never been amended since it was enacted in 1947.
To be amended, the project needs to be approved by more than two-thirds of both the Senate and the House of Representatives; and must win more than half the votes in the referendum.
According to Nippon, in the Senate election, the "Constitutional Amendment" faction won more than two-thirds of the seats or 166 seats. In last year's House of Representatives elections, legislators supporting the constitutional amendment took three-quarters of the 465 seats in the House of Representatives, gaining by an overwhelming majority.
Incumbent Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a press conference after the election that he will fulfill Abe's last wish and begin discussions in Parliament on the four amendments the Liberal Democratic Party proposed, including the development of the Self-Defense Forces.
Regarding the victory of Japan's "constitutional amendment-tists,"the CCP's overseas media outlet "Global Times" on July 11 commented that "Constitutional Amendment" is Pandora's box, not a treasure box, and Japan will be in a lot of trouble after opening it.
The "Global Times" also criticized the assassination of Abe, saying it brought up the agenda related to the constitutional amendment ahead of schedule and was an "accelerating pace to step in the mistakes of history."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian reposted the "Global Times" editorial on his personal Weibo account on July 12, leading to criticism.
The "China Digital Times" reported that Zhao Lijian has now closed the comment section under his post on Weibo, so netizens cannot comment anymore.
Some netizens have used the topic of "constitutional amendment" to satirize Xi Jinping's 2018 constitutional amendment, by which he removed the presidential re-election regime and sought a way to break regulations to be re-elected at the 20th National Congress.
The comments below the post no longer followed the official discourse condemning Japan's stance but mocked the CCP's "constitutional amendment power."
China Digital Times has screenshot some comments from netizens:
"Pandora's box cannot be opened."
"Yes, the process of Japan's constitutional amendment is still relatively complicated, after it is approved by both houses of the parliament, there is still a referendum".
"Old Zhao is right to the point."
Also citing some netizens' comments mocking Xi Jinping's constitutional amendment in 2018 to remove the presidential re-election regime as follows:
User CaiHouLang posted, The "Constitutional Amendment" is a treasure box, not Pandora's box. After China opens it, there will be limitless capacity.
User bIonlde wrote: There is a clear suspicion that the traitor is insinuating someone. Indeed, I'm dead crying.
User xoxoX0X099 mocked: Xi Jinping can open it (the pandora box), but the Japanese can't?
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