Die Global Times schrieb zuerst nichts zu den Hintergründen der Unruhen in Frankreich oder irgendwelche antiwestlichen Sprüche. Nur eine eher sachlich gehaltene  Geschichte über einen chinesischen Touribus ,der angegriffen wurde und Information zur Sicherheitswarnung und Mitteilung  an die französischen Behörden die Sicherheit chinesischer Staatsbürger zu garantieren. Da liest sich die Tehran Times schon ganz anders.

Bus carrying 41 Chinese tourists attacked in Marseille as violence continues in France

By Global Times Published: Jul 01, 2023 09:06 PM

Photo: Sina News

A bus carrying 41 Chinese tourists was attacked by a group of black-clad rioters in Marseille as violence persisted in France over recent days.

A video posted on Chinese social media on Friday showed a shattered windshield and a tourist on the bus claiming in the video that the black-clad rioters tried to board the bus and pull passengers out.

According to Chinese media group Hangzhou Transportation 918, a couple, the husband surnamed Wang and the wife surnamed Ma, were on the bus, which was bound for a local hotel in Marseille. On a section of road less than two kilometers away from the hotel, a local child waved his hand at the bus, indicating to the driver not to go any further.

Photo: Sina News

However, the driver did not realize the seriousness of the situation and continued driving.

„As I was sitting at the very front of the bus, I clearly saw 5-6 masked rioters start throwing stones at the bus. Later, the driver continued driving for a distance, but more and more rioters appeared ahead, and they even placed blockades in the middle of the road, trying to stop our bus.“

During the journey, the rear door of the bus had already been smashed open.

„At that time, one masked rioter had taken the opportunity to board the bus, holding a stone in his hand. However, because there were many people in the bus, and several adult men were resisting in the back, he eventually jumped off,“ Wang said.

According to Wang’s description, the driver of the bus was a Polish man in his 40s. „The driver was relatively calm. Although the windshield of the driver’s seat had been smashed, he still made an emergency turn and drove the vehicle to a safe zone 2-3 kilometers away . The bus was severely damaged, with many windows shattered and the navigation system damaged.“

At the time, all the passengers on the bus were Chinese tourists, except for the driver, and some of them were injured in the incident.

„My wife and I were sitting at the very front, so luckily we were not injured. Five to six Chinese tourists on the bus were hit by stones and suffered minor injuries. Later, after arriving at the hotel, everyone was too scared to go out,“ Wang said.

Photo: Sina News

The group chose to call the local police for help, and the police said, „The rioters were attacking nearby police officers that night and happened to encounter the passing bus, and then attacked the bus.“

The couple originally planned to make up for their honeymoon by travelling to France. They departed from Hangzhou and arrived in France on the early morning of June 28, local time, after visiting Italy.

Photo: Sina News

The couple booked the trip with a well-known Chinese travel agency, at a cost of 23,000 yuan per person for a 13-day itinerary. They were supposed to depart from Marseille to Paris the next day. However, due to the sudden violent incident, the route was changed, and they chose to go directly to Switzerland.

„I was not feeling well physically… I only slept for 3-4 hours after arriving in Switzerland from France, and I didn’t dare close my eyes for the past few days,“ Ma said, according to Hangzhou Transportation 918.

Violence and looting hit France in a fourth night of protests as police, who were deployed in force, made more than 1,300 arrests and the country braced for more clashes as the funeral began Saturday of the teenager who was killed by an officer during a traffic stop, AFP reported.

The French government said the violence had „lessened“ compared to previous nights, but the interior ministry still reported 1,311 arrests nationwide overnight.

The Chinese Embassy in France issued a statement on Friday reminding Chinese citizens in France to strengthen safety precautions and avoid going to areas where protests, demonstrations, and violent conflicts may occur.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202307/1293529.shtml

Dennoch meinte Chinaexperte  Professor van Ess, dass dieser Bericht schon die wesentliche Metabotschaft in sich trage, die man gar nicht explizit herausstellen müsse:

„Das ist Wasser auf die Mühlen der KP: Der Westen ist am Ende, das ist bewiesen, wenn Frankreich nicht mal mehr die Sicherheit von chinesischen Touristen sicherstellen kann. Und wenn Chinesen eines wichtig ist, dann ist es Sicherheit.“

Ja, eigentlich braucht die KP China gar nicht explizit dazu zu sagen. Dann doch lieber in der sicheren Heimat China bleiben, bevor man n den gefährlichen, instabilen und unsicheren Westen reist. Dazu noch eine eigen Anekdote: Witzigerweise wurde ich vor Jahren mal vom Roten Kreuz als Dolmetscher gerufen ,da eine Reisegruppe aus China mit ihrem Bus den Abhang runtergestürzt war. Erst einmal Beruhigen und etwas Ruhe organisieren  nach dem ersten Schock, da das der reinste Hühnerstall war, Aufnahme der Beschwerden und Registrierung ,dann Aussonderung der Verletzten fürs Unfallkrankenhaus, dann den Chinesen sagen, dass sie bald weitertransportiert werden würden, im Raum bleiben sollten,  während wir die flügge gewordenen Chinesen, die keinen WLAN-Empfang mit ihren Smartphones hatten und zwecks besserer Verbindung draußen im Stadtteil rumliefen wieder einsammeln mussten. Dann Weitertransport und alle wollten zum Bus stürmen. Damit das geordnet ablief, erklärte ich: „Ich bin jetzt der Große Vorsitzende Mao und alle sollen sich unbedingt an die Anweisungen halten. Das wurde verstanden. Dann ein  Zuo yi xia („Hinsetzen!“) und zur gegebenen Zeit pai dui,danach klappte das gut. Ein Treppenwitz der Geschichte war, dass die Chinesen weiter nach Paris fuhren. Genau zu der Zeit, als dann 2 Tage später der islamistische Anschlag auf das Bataclan und andere Lokale stattfand. Oh weh, die werden einen Eindruck von Europa gehabt haben. Jedenfalls hatten sie was daheim zu erzählen.

Die KP China wäre jedoch nicht die KP China, wenn sie die Gelegenheit nicht nutzen würde, die französischen Unruhen in einen größeren Kontext zu stellen. Zum einen als farbene Revolution der USA gegen Frankreich (während einige westliche Kommentatoren da eher islamistische und antisemitische Umtriebe vermuten) und als Scheitern des westlichen Entwicklungsmodels.

Anfangs wird die Situation ganz gut beschrieben, dass es sich um langaufgestaute gesellschaftliche Probleme handele, Macron sehr komplexen Problemen gegenüberstehe um dann desto beherzter  am Ende verschwörungstheoretisch hinter den Unruhen in Frankreich eine farbige Revolution der USA zu sehen, weil Macron wie De Gaulle beim Mai 1968 und Chirac bei den französischen Unruhen 2007 nicht der US-Politik folgen wollten.

“France riots ‘caused by long-standing problems,’ a test for Macron to deal with complex challenges

Unrest impacts more European countries, Chinese tourists concerned

By Yang Sheng and Zhang Changyue Published: Jul 03, 2023 12:13 AM

Clashes occur between rioters and police in Paris, on July 2, 2023, after the death of a 17-year-old boy killed by police in Nanterre in the suburbs of Paris on June 27, 2023.Photo: IC

The impacts of massive riots across France continue as French President Emmanuel Macron postponed a state visit to Germany that was to begin on Sunday, with 45,000 police being deployed to handle the situation and hundreds of people arrested. Chinese nationals and observers who work and live in France said the damage and impacts are extensive and that French people hope public order can be restored, and that attacks against innocent civilians and public facilities are unacceptable. 

Chinese tourists who plan to visit France are concerned about the riots, as the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday warning about the current security situation in France. Chinese analysts said the current massive riots are caused by the long-standing issue of immigrants and the worsening economic situation of Europe due to the Ukraine crisis, and given Macron’s recent attempt to seek more strategic autonomy and multi-polarization of the world order that has offended the forces that support a hegemonic unipolar order, some Western forces may play a certain role behind. 

Currently, not only France, but also other European countries including Switzerland and Belgium have seen similar unrest and violence, media reported. Experts said this means the fundamental reason behind these riots could be a shared challenge for EU members, and it would be a test for France, as well as the EU, to handle the complicated situation. 

Dangerous situation

French police arrested at least 719 people during a fifth night of uprisings across the country on Saturday night following the funeral of 17-year-old Nahel M, who was of North African descent, earlier that day. The interior ministry of the country said that the level of violence „appeared to have declined“ since anger first broke out after the teenager was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday, according to France 24.

Song Luzheng, a Paris-based Chinese scholar and an expert on political studies at the China Institute of Fudan University, told the Global Times on Sunday that „the riots have so far mainly impacted communities that mainly consist of Muslims and Arabic or African immigrants. Public transportation systems like subways and buses have been attacked, and scenic spots and shopping centers are also being targeted by the rioters who want to use the chaos to cover up their looting attempts.“

Communities with few immigrants are still safe in general so far and many people have become accustomed to this kind of situation as riots and unrest are not rare in France. They believe the situation will return to normal eventually, even though they don’t believe the problem of immigrants and police violence can be fundamentally solved, Song said. 

Jin Liang, a Paris-based Chinese journalist who has conducted live reports over the situation in recent days, told the Global Times that the situation is „as bad as battlefields, and even more chaotic.“ He said that when he reports the news on the spot, in order to ensure safety, he and his colleagues always stand behind the defensive police line. 

The riots have impacted the diplomatic activities of the national leader of France. According to Reuters on Saturday, Macron postponed a state visit to Germany that was to begin on Sunday. It was the second time this year that unrest in France has forced Macron to postpone high profile encounters with a head of state after Britain’s King Charles canceled a visit due to protests over pension legislation earlier this year.

Foreigners in France, such as Chinese tourists, are also facing danger. On Friday, a bus carrying 41 Chinese tourists was attacked by a group of black-clad rioters in the southern city of Marseille. On Sunday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned Chinese nationals in France to strengthen their personal, vehicle, residence and shop security, to call the police and contact the Chinese Embassy or Consulates in France in case of emergencies.

British holidaymakers traveling to France have also been warned they could face disruption, according to the Guardian on Saturday. The Foreign Office of the UK has changed its travel advice, warning of the potential for disruption to travel, curfews and that the „location and timing of riots are unpredictable.“

Some Chinese travel agencies reached by the Global Times said they are paying close attention to the situation but they will not cancel trips to France at the moment, but will adjust the travel itineraries based on the development of the situation as they consider the riots are accidental incidents and will not last for long. 

Complicated reasons 

The riots this time have been caused directly by a killing of a North African teenager by the French police, and it might seem like an accident, but in fact, the massive nationwide riots are actually caused by long-standing and complicated problems in France, so from this aspect, the current riots are unavoidable in this society, Zheng Ruolin, an expert on French studies and a research fellow at the China Institute of Fudan University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

France and many other European countries have taken in a large amount of immigrants and refugees from the developing countries in past decades, and after the „Arab Spring“ and the wars and chaos caused by the US-led Western powers in the Middle East, the number of immigrants and refugees who fled to Europe has increased significantly. This has already caused tensions between people with different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as the tension between the police and immigrants, in many Western countries, experts said.

After the Ukraine crisis broke out in 2022, the long-standing problem faced new challenges as the hopes of an economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic were seriously damaged. Rising energy prices and the worsening security situation and business environment led to rising unemployment and anger among the lower-classes, mostly immigrants from Arab and African countries, analysts said. 

Therefore, „just a spark could detonate this huge powder keg,“ and not only in France, but in many other European countries including Germany, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands and Switzerland, which all share similar challenges. This is why the whole of Europe is paying close attention to how the situation develops, Song noted. 

Some observers said that as Macron has made a series of moves independent from the US, such as calling for strategic autonomy of the EU and distancing France from US foreign policy related to China, some forces may play a role behind the current riots to make trouble for and impose pressures on the Macron government. 

Zheng said there is no clear evidence now to prove this kind of speculation, but the concern is reasonable, because in history, when France follows policymaking that the US does not like, some riots would occur in the country, such as the riots in May 1968 during the term of Charles de Gaulle, and the 2005 French riots during the term of Jacques Chirac. „The current riots show some characteristics of color revolutions, such as the use of social media networks among rioters and the violence driven by some seditious political slogans.“    

Song said if the riots spill over to more European countries, this will significantly undermine the Western bloc to stay united in supporting Ukraine to confront Russia, so using the riots to incite more turmoil in France at the moment would be unwise for those forces.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202307/1293594.shtml

Eine weitere sehr interessante Betrachtungsweise der Global Times zu Frankreichs arabischen Frühling, die man in westlichen Postillen nicht lesen kann, ist dann der nächste Artikel. Die KP China sieht die Ursachen in dem westlichen Entwicklungsmodell der Postindustrialisierung im Zuge der Globalisierung ,dem Wechsel von der Industriegesellschaft zur Dienstleistungsgesellschaft und Vernachlässigung der verarbeitenden und industriellen Realwirtschaft, was zu prekären Beschäftigungsverhältnisse, Polarisierung der Gesellschaft, politischer Radikalisierung und Unruhen führe. Ähnlich wie westliche konservative sieht der Autor die Studentenproteste 1968 als Umschlagsdatum des Wertezerfalls westlichen gesellschaftliche Denkens (obgleich witzigerweise viel der westlichen 68er K- Gruppen ja Maoisten waren).Dann noch zuletzt als Mahnung, dass der Westen mit seinem de-risking nun auch Chinas Realwirtschaft schwächen wolle.

“France riots show the negative aspect of Western development models

By Ding Gang

Published: Jul 02, 2023 11:07 PM

On the Champs Elysees, France, a demonstrator tries to escape from the police on June 29. Photo: AFP

Violent riots are sweeping through the beautiful and elegant France with more than 1,350 cars being set ablaze. The reckless action of a French policeman has lifted the „manhole cover,“ and triggered a sudden eruption of pent-up anger.

On July 1, the French government deployed 45,000 police officers backed by light armored vehicles to maintain law and order.

Why are the proud and romantic French people displaying such hostility? From the „yellow vests“ movement to protests against pension reforms, and now the riots against racial discrimination, France has seen one wave of unrest after another in recent years due to various social issues.

After the riots, the French and European media, like in the past, have been in a hurry to prescribe remedies. Some suggest speeding up the reform of the police system and addressing racial discrimination, while others propose finding ways to bridge the enormous gap between the rich and the poor and tackle the increase in unemployment. But most of these prescriptions are the same old ones.

Recognizing France’s problems must take into account the context of globalization.

Globalization has evolved from the information revolution’s third wave to the AI revolution’s fourth wave, which brings about continuous waves of change. However, post-industrialization brings increasingly complex problems, making it impossible to rely on existing formulas for solutions.

The most significant indicator of post-industrialization is the shift of the national economy from manufacturing to services.

According to Chinese scholar Qian Chendan, the first shift, in which industry replaces agriculture, is considered a significant advancement for human progress. The second shift involves the transition from manufacturing to the service sector as a country’s dominant form of economic production, which is also seen as a form of progress. However, this may not necessarily reflect reality. The abandonment of „real economy“ by developed nations in favor of services is not only unsustainable, but has also contributed to imbalanced global development and sparked a wave of anti-globalization.

The substitution effect of industrialization in developing countries, the acceleration of outsourcing, the global epidemic, and the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war have all accelerated this imbalance. The service sector can’t fill the deep pit of unemployment caused by de-manufacturing, nor can it sustain itself apart from manufacturing.

These adverse effects of the resulting economic slowdown are accelerating and mainly transferring the burden to the lower and middle classes, squeezing people’s hopes for their future. There is no hope of stable employment, rising incomes, or happy families. 

The riots currently taking place in France appear to be driven by opposition to institutional racism. However, so many people took to the streets. Most of what we see in the videos on social media are young people, with some even carrying guns. They were fueled by anger toward social injustice.

When frustration permeates the atmosphere like gas, it’s only a matter of time before it ignites.

So why France? France is undoubtedly one of the first Western countries to achieve industrialization, but it has also accumulated many problems in its post-industrial society. To extend our perspective, we can view the 1968 civil unrest as the onset of chronic social chaos. 

The 1968 civil unrest is a symbolic event of modern Western social thought. Since then, Western youth have paid more attention to personal freedom and diversity and challenged traditional career concepts, family models, and lifestyles. And this kind of concept change has the same roots as the anti-globalization trend that emerged later, foreshadowing the escalating struggle against globalization.

After the financial crisis of 2008, the developed world paid more attention to the gap between the rich and the poor and the decrease in employment. This social mood soon became about how to stimulate the revival of manufacturing in their countries, followed by the narrative of „they stole our jobs“ and the „de-risking“ bill that aims to curb Chinese manufacturing. 

As we look to the future, the realization of re-industrialization seems to be a distant dream; that’s why we must be conscious of what is happening in France.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202307/1293587.shtml

In einem früheren Artikelüber die Xiconomics in der Global Times hatte die KP China erklärt, dass es KI vor allem zur Digitalisierung seiner Realwirtschaftals Kern der chinesischen Wirtschaft verwenden wolle. Btw: Wie gross ist eigentlich der verarbeitende und der Dienstleistungssektor in China? Oder haben die eine andere Erfassung dieser Sektoren und Statistik? Hier noch als Lesetip:

Xiconomics: BRI, KI-digitalisierte Workbench mit Fokus auf die Realwirtschaft und ländliche Entwicklung für die Welt in einem protracted war mit dual circular economy

Xiconomics: BRI, KI-digitalisierte Workbench mit Fokus auf die Realwirtschaft und ländliche Entwicklung für die Welt in einem protracted war mit dual circular economy

Noch folgende Artikel als Lesetip, die damals sehr polarisiserten.

Bei der damaligen Revolte im Pariser Chinatown wurde uns vorgeworfen, dass wir den Rassismus der Polizei und der französischen Mehrheitsgesellschaft verharmlost hätten und das Ganze zu sehr auf die Instrumentalisierung von solchen Protesten durch ausländische Regerungen und deren eigenen Chauvinismus und Rassismus und Weltmachtsanspruch reduziert hätten. Diesen Schuh ziehen wir uns teilweise an, aber nur einen:

Chinesenrevolte in Paris–die neue Weltmacht kümmert sich um ihre Auslandschinesen

Chinesenrevolte in Paris–die neue Weltmacht kümmert sich um ihre Auslandschinesen

Hier wurde kritisiert, dass wir ein Lob auf Faulheit und Kleinkriminalität gesungen hätten und eine Romantisierung der Banlieus und Ghettos betreiben würden. Diesen Schuh zeigen wir uns auch teilweise an, aber nur einen, da vieles in dem Artikel einfach stimmt und er mehr unter dem Aspekt geschrieben wurde, inwieweit die Banlieus ein Nährboden für Islamismus und Dschihadismus sein können und inwieweit nicht.

Die Banlieues und der Islamismus-Heimatgefühl mal anders

Die Banlieues und der Islamismus-Heimatgefühl mal anders

Hier wurde kritisiert, dass wir die Terrorgefahr kleinreden. Es ging aber nur um eine rationale Einordnung gegen die subjektiv gefühlte Bedrohung. Dennoch ziehen wir uns diesen Schuh an, da es auch solche Massaker wie 9 11 gab, das wir vergessen hatten zu erwähnen.

Die Banlieus, Moellenbek und der Islamismus

Die Banlieus, Moellenbek und der Islamismus