[sgbuffett]

I cannot say for sure tye motivation of this attack.

However I have seen the following

1. China uses propaganda forment hatred against Taiwan. You look at Tsai Ing Wen a rather mild leader attract a intense level of hatred. Why? Did she use violence or threaten? No the propaganda cause hatred for her and hatred for Taiwan.

2. China has stirred nationalistic fervor of people and even mild criticism..is vociferously attacked. Old scores and wounds are revived to encourage hatred of foreigners from WW2 to Opium to justify hatred. The approach is to antagonise. You don't see Singapore or American govt every now and then go and say Japanese massacred Singaporeans in WW2 to make Singaporeans hate Japanese. The ones who killed people in WW2 are mostly dead.