Chinese Nationalism through the Prism of the Sino–Japanese Dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands

In the last two decades, against backdrop of multiple anti-Japanese protests in China, rise Chinese nationalism has been much debated. By taking 2010 and 2012 Sino–Japanese crises over Diaoyu/Senkaku islands as a case study, article applies discourse analysis to media articles interviews ascertain government’s propaganda toolbox shaping nationalist discourse, well substantiate defining features nationalism. The findings reveal combination strategies techniques that apparatus uses, such creation an ‘us-versus-them’ dichotomy, galvanised inclusiveness, censorship, ‘card-stacking’ mould substantiates empirically both top-down bottom-up strains nationalism, their interaction through four key themes sovereignty, history, mistrust reactivity. It finds Japan bridges these strands but its absence alternative views are articulated.