Patriotraitor

爱国贼 (àiguózéi): Patriotraitor

Paitriotraitor in military garb. “Let’s nuke Taiwan, blow Tokyo to bits, invade New York! The cops are coming, quick, run.”

A play on the word “traitor” (卖国贼 màiguózéi), a patriotraitor is someone who betrays his/her country’s interests while outwardly professing patriotism. Netizens pejoratively refer to people who are uncritically nationalistic as either patriotraitors or shit youth; a patriotraitor has more of an ulterior motive and puts on more of an act than a shit youth.

Fudan University student Tao Weishuo earned the title of patriotraitor in a 2009 town hall with Barack Obama, where he objected to President’s discussion of Internet censorship.

Cai Mingchao hiding behind a shield with the characters “patriot.” Cai is a prominent art dealer who defaulted in his 31.5 million euro commitment to purchase two bronze animal heads taken from the Ming Summer Palace. He claimed that he defaulted out of a sense of patriotism. Others sensed an ulterior motive.

Two beggars curse those that criticize China. They blame every other country but their own for their plight.