I heard that the VT4 for Thailand was originally planned as part of the Japanese subtree, but it ended up being cancelled because some Chinese players complained and felt “betrayed” by Gaijin.
This raises a few questions:
Why should Chinese players have a say in what goes into the Japanese subtree, especially when the vehicle in question belongs to a long-time ally of Japan (Thailand)?
If the problem is “Chinese technology being in Japan’s tree,” then why did China export the VT4 to a regional partner of Japan in the first place? That’s not Gaijin’s decision, that’s reality.
Thailand has been a close ally of Japan for decades – their equipment should naturally appear in Japan’s tree.
Right now it feels like political sensitivities are being prioritized over logical tree design and historical accuracy.
What’s the point of adding subtrees if they can be vetoed just because another playerbase is unhappy?
The Chinese are crying for nothing, they are the only ones who cry for these trivialities, until they stop using external aid many people will not take them seriously.
Not only that but raises issue that would normally get you a week’s ban on the forums for being political but as far as I knows they are being bowed too instead of given the finger
Actually, just doing some reading on it and according to Thailand’s ministry of foreign affairs:
“In 1593, when King Naresuan defeated Phra Maha Uparaja, the Burmese Crown Prince, in a battle on elephant-back, his army was composed of 500 Japanese soldiers. This indicated that the Japanese had entered Thailand some time before that.”
So they have been on good enough terms to provide military assistance for at least 432 years…
It’s fine, I honestly didn’t know either until I started reading up on it yesterday when this whole thing started kicking off! I need to read more Thai history though… Samurai and elephant battles!!! That sounds amazing!!
Chinese player here(I play Sweden and US, not China). I am not arguing for any side, just giving a short insight of what happened inside the Chinese community. Basically, what raised the concern among Chinese players wasn’t just about adding VT-4 into the Japanese sub tree, but also about the timing. On the beginning of September, China held it’s military parade, which is also advertised as a celebration for the victory of the war between China and Japan, and since many Chinese players believe that Japan never officially apologized for nor admitted what happened during the war(war crimes and such), there is a certain degree of hostility towards Japan. To sum it up, Chinese Players are rather mad, not just because of Thai VT-4 itself, but also because of the timing which they consider as extremely sensitive. I would also like to point out that this is a pretty controversial topic among Chinese War Thunder community and isn’t just a one sided aggression, and I do hope that there isn’t hostility held towards every player who’s Chinese.
This is simply wrong though as far as I’m aware Japan apologise too all Asian nations including China, it’s just some part of Chinese mainland just refusing to hear it and want Japan to bend the knee of Submission more
Thanks for sharing the perspective from the Chinese community. I understand how the timing could feel sensitive.
But I still believe tree decisions should be based on history and balance rather than political sensitivities. Thailand’s VT4 fits Japan’s subtree logically, and my main concern is that community pressure seems to have influenced this outcome.
I do my best to deal with individuals as individuals, thanks for providing some more insight into the issue, hopefully it can be added at a more suitable time and in a way that keeps everyone happy (or at least minimizes the meltdowns by the more excitable individuals).
Gaijin should create a special China-only version to satisfy those Chinese players — buff all Chinese vehicles and nerf all non-Chinese vehicles so they can play by themselves instead of coming here to complain.
To my knowledge, Japan has not issued a formal written apology to the Asian countries affected by its past actions. In 2025, then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba broke with tradition by refusing to issue a statement marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Furthermore, in his capacity as President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he made a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine, a controversial site that honors Japan’s war dead, including individuals classified as war criminals.
This has led to questions about how the Japanese people, especially younger generations with less exposure to comprehensive historical education, view the nations Japan once invaded. If you have doubts about the Chinese perspective on this matter, you might also consider asking South Koreans for their views, as they share similar concerns.
The situation is influenced by several factors in Japan:
Political shifts and national sentiment: Certain political groups in Japan downplay or deny the history of aggression, aiming to rebuild a positive national image. They often view admitting fault and offering sincere apologies as adopting a “self-defeating view of history” that harms national pride.
Official stance: While Japanese officials have made some statements acknowledging and reflecting on WWII, these have consistently fallen short of the clear, thorough, and unwavering formal apology offered by Germany. Recently, the government’s attitude has shown signs of moving backward and avoiding the issue.
Understanding and properly addressing history is crucial for Japan to build genuine trust with its neighbors and to promote peace and stability in East Asia. By avoiding historical responsibility, the Japanese government not only hinders true reconciliation with neighboring countries but also struggles to gain full respect from the international community.