Beijing seeks "rational" patriotism

Channelnewsasia reports:

China has urged its people to contain their patriotism, in the first sign Beijing may be growing uncomfortable with a nationalist outburst over the Tibet issue.

A dispatch issued late Thursday by state-controlled Xinhua news agency railed against "despicable" Western media coverage of the unrest in Tibet and said resulting Chinese indignation should be "cherished".

But it also said nationalist energies should be expressed in a "rational" way and focused on building the nation.

"Patriotic fervour should be channelled into a rational track and must be transformed into real action toward doing our work well," said the report, published only in Chinese, suggesting it was aimed at a domestic audience.

To read more:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/342211/1/.html