Hi, there. Welcome back to Rui Thinking. I am Yang Rui. 

On May 8th, 19 years ago, three Chinese journalists were killed in a US-led NATO air raid targeting the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. We remember the names of the three war dead, they are Shao Yunhuan, Xu Xinghu and Zhu Ying, his wife.

They were correspondents for the People’s Daily and the Guangming Daily.I was meant to be sent to Belgrade to replace our CCTV correspondent Mr. Gu Yulong. But, for the sake of security, the trip was cancelled. In fact, a farewell dinner had been hosted by the husband of Shao Yunhuan’s classmate. They graduated from the Serbian Department of Beijing Foreign Studies University. 

I was told the air raid had been going on like crazy, around the clock, 24/7. The deafening noise of the bombing was a constant harassment for the locals. I was concerned about this since sleep deprivation would cause anxiety and fatigue. My friend who had hosted the dinner said he dared not sleep on a bed for fear of laser-guided missiles as no Chinese diplomats or media personnel knew exactly whether the next targeted killing would lock them up on radar. Their experiences were nightmarish. 

But the anger of Chinese people exploded with protests throughout the country. I was having a holiday during the weekend. The breaking news shocked the whole country. I am still awash with memories of the picture of former US ambassador James Sasser half concealed behind the window of his embassy office. The angry crowds there were hurling stones and eggs. It was a mess. 

I said in the stand-up in front of the camera, “look at the anger and patriotism of Chinese students and citizens. The embassy bombing would be a wakeup call and catalyst for the rise of China. We shall never forget”. 

“Not only was the bombing of the embassy of a sovereign nation unparalleled , but a scale of mass demonstration in the capital is unprecedented as well. Very quickly, this spontaneously protest by university students had been transformed into a national act to safeguard the sovereignty of China. Yang Rui, CCTV news, Bejing.”

The White House spokesperson said the bombing was the mistake due to an outdated military map. Few Chinese would believe the US explanation. But most understand that the military buildup of the PLA, which had started from the 1991 Gulf War, was picking up. 

President Trump has no idea how his punitive tariffs against ZTE have triggered a sharp increase in the official support for R&D for microchips in China. For centuries, China has thrived on crisis and challenges.