ABSTRACT
The resurgence of nationalism in the post-Cold War era, has given rise to three broad themes in literature. It focuses on the use of nationalism to divert attention from the state's inability to meet societal demands for security, economic development and effective political institutions. Nationalism as a reverberating factor in East Asian politics needs to be comprehended in the light of the domestic political scene of the countries concerned. China plays its nationalism card very well with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continuing to make use of appeals to a militant form of popular nationalism that emphasises its own central role. The Chinese government has perennially cited the significance of territory and territorial nationalism. Beijing's typical approach to anti-Japanese popular nationalism is two-fold: maintaining an unyielding position on Japan while restraining popular actions at home when they appear to damage the larger national interest.
