The incident that saw a Chinese fisherman stab a South Korean coast guard to death has now become a bone for both countries to pick.
Chinese nationals and companies have been increasingly involved in international disputes and conflicts in recent years due to the country's opening-up. China is still trying to fit in the world and this trend is likely to continue.
With 1.3 billion people starting to join the global stage, interactions between Chinese and the world will become more complex.
The healthy relationship between China and South Korea has brought enormous benefits to both countries. South Korea, in particular, has been a major beneficiary of China's opening-up. But these are negative consequences as the fishing disputes.
Many industries have been rapidly advancing in the East Asia region, along with the sense of national identity. This is similar to Europe in the 19th century. Pride and anxiety are mounting in the region. Disputes can easily become heated in this atmosphere.
But war is unlikely to break out. Although Europe has been the battle ground of two bloody world wars, it is because powers on that continent were roughly even.
China is a strong neighbor with dominant strength, which largely prevents conflicts from becoming serious clashes.
More tolerance should be a default manner for China to deal with those "disagreements," yet it is easier said than done. Nationalism is common in the region and often causes trouble.
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