Opinion | How China’s display of military might is really a force for regional peace and stability

This tougher stance allowed the party to espouse a more moderate brand of state-sanctioned, “rational” nationalism that both splintered the nationalist movement and deflected a large majority of the criticism of the Chinese state for its perceived inaction.

More importantly, the display of often publicly celebrated military strength served as a “pressure valve” that decreased the sense of insecurity and threat that permeated the public ethos at the time. The upshot is that symbolic or cosmetic acts of militarism are helpful in preventing unfettered nationalism from instigating far worse outcomes for both China and its neighbours – such as mass boycotts or localised military altercations.

This idea may seem counter-intuitive. Surely, one may say, Xi’s statement is explicitly encouraging greater grass-roots nationalism that may well be intended to legitimise Chinese expansionism.