Subject: Re: China policy
But he also can't afford to look weak, so he can't back down. He would lose face, and that is a cultural stigma.

He may be catering to his hard liners. China has sunk S Korean coast guard boats during disputes over waters. Indonesia has sunk Chinese fishing boats during territorial waters disputes. China gunned down Vietnamese soldiers standing thigh deep on a reef during a dispute. China has regularly rammed Philippine fishing boats.