Insta-star wars: China tensions in South-East Asia flare online

A mobile phone displays an Internet meme in online fight between Chinese nationalists and Thai netizens and their supporters in Honk Kong and Taiwan. — Reuters

BANGKOK: Social media anger from Chinese nationalists over a Thai Internet model's comments has set off a regional storm uniting pro-democracy campaigners against pro-Beijing cyber-warriors, with insults and mocking memes flying back and forth.

The quarrel, which has seen South-East Asian Internet users join forces with those in Taiwan and Hong Kong, has highlighted old tensions between China and its smaller neighbours fanned by the emergence of the new coronavirus.