Among the reasons for tension between China and Japan is the question of the Senkaku Islands, in the East China Sea, which both powers claim as their own. The controversy is far from resolved, but in the meantime there are those who have thought about turning their nationalistic fervor into a business. In Beijing, Mr. Lu He opened a shop, Beijing's Diaoyu Islands Malatang Noodle Shop.
“Diayou” is the Chinese name for the Senkaku Islands and the restaurant is filled with military junk and national flags. Lu He receives customers dressed in camouflage, behind a counter that has the shape of the first Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning; next to him is his wife, and co-owner, in military uniform. “The Diaoyu Islands belong to China,” Lu says, “and we proclaim it with true patriotic passion.”
"The Diaoyu are Chinese," his wife adds, "and since I was a child this sentence has been carved in letters of fire in my mind". The patrons, in addition to listening to the ultra-patriotic speeches of the owners, find themselves wandering around a room where models of military aircraft hang from the ceiling, where the walls are covered with a gigantic relief reproduction of the disputed islands and where noodles are served in a bowl adorned with a Chinese flag that has outlines of the largest of the Diaoyu Islands.
Browsing through the menu, you also come across dishes such as “Diaoyu hand grenades” (aka “fried bananas”) or “Diaoyu heavy artillery” (aka “sweet potato balls”). To those who accuse him of being a bit excessive, Lu replies that all customers are welcome in his restaurant. “We're not like other restaurants that display signs saying 'Dogs and Japanese are not allowed,'” he comments. “Japanese are welcome here, but it must be clear how we think about our islands”.
