More than 20 Taiwanese and Hong Kong singers, composers and other music professionals have produced a song in support of Hong Kongers opposing a proposed extradition bill, who are tomorrow to take to the streets again to demand the bill’s withdrawal.
The song, released on Friday, is titled Cheng (撐) in Mandarin, which roughly means “support” or “having one’s back.”
The character is part of the slogan Taiwan cheng Xianggang (“Taiwan supports Hong Kong,” 台灣撐香港), which was chanted by demonstrators who earlier this month rallied in Taiwan to support the Hong Kong protests.
Photo provided by Blaire Ko Music Studio
“The idea of producing the song came after some of us talked about [the protests] two weeks ago,” said award-winning Taiwanese music producer Blaire Ko (柯智豪), who oversaw the song’s production.
Ko said they came together just days after a large protest in Hong Kong on June 12.
The scale of the protests left a deep impression on him and many others, he said.
They also took action because they thought that the protests underscored the need for the world to pay attention to the suppression of freedoms, he said.
The music was composed by Poki Wu (吳永吉), the lead singer of Taiwanese rock band The Chairman (董事長樂團), and the lyrics were written by Golden Melody best songwriter award winner Wu Hsiung (武雄) and Hong Kong lyricist Albert Leung (林夕).
Others who took part in the project include Taiwanese indie band Fire Ex (滅火器), Amis singer Panai Kusui, Hong Kong Canto-pop singer Denise Ho (何韻詩) and Hong Kong singer and record producer Anthony Wong (黃耀明).
Through the song, they wanted to send the message that “no matter how small an individual is, they all aspire to have their own voice,” Ko said.
“Although it is raining now, we hope the road ahead will only be brighter and brighter,” he said.
The bill has raised concerns that it could threaten the rights of Hong Kongers, as it would allow the authorities to extradite criminal suspects to China.
The Hong Kong government on June 15 caved in to public pressure and indefinitely suspended the bill, but protesters deemed the move as a delaying tactic and demand that the bill be permanently withdrawn.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS