The arrest warrants issued for Hong Kong political dissidents under the National Security Law, which China imposed on the former British territory, have drawn international attention, especially after the National Security Department, the secret police established by the National Security Law, announced during a news conference rewards of HK$1 million (US$127,862) each for information leading to the arrest of eight dissidents living overseas.
The Hong Kong National Security Law is far more stringent than Taiwan’s National Security Act (國家安全法). The former does not allow citizens to criticize the Hong Kong chief executive, and certainly not Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), whereas this is absent from the latter. It is the difference between an authoritarian political system and a free, democratic one. Who in their right mind would prefer to live under the Hong Kong version?
According to a study, since the National Security Law was implemented, more than 200 Hong Kongers have been arrested, with thousands prosecuted for participation in pro-democracy protests. Many of these people are under the age of 25.
All of this is reminiscent of the Japanese occupation of parts of China, when many traitors, in order to show their loyalty to the Japanese, treated their fellow countrymen with even more brutality than the Japanese soldiers did, or how during Taiwan’s Martial Law era many Taiwanese turncoats abused their fellow citizens.
The authoritarian government in Beijing has imposed its rule over the Hong Kong government, and has created a white terror in the territory, making Hong Kongers fear speaking out and exacerbating the public security situation, as police treat political dissidents with an even heavier hand than they would murderers. Who would want to live in such a society?
Since the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China, Hong Kongers have been leaving in droves, and half of the people living there today are immigrants from the mainland. If Taiwan becomes like Hong Kong in the future, it would suffer the same fate.
The saying goes that a tyrannical government is fiercer than a tiger. That is today’s reality in Hong Kong.
Chen Chen
Taipei
Advance Taiwan
On March 26, 2005, I took to the street and joined the march to advocate for democracy and peace, and most importantly, to protect Taiwan. Eighteen years have passed since the memorable march. Taiwan witnessed freedom and democracy flourishing. There was a boom in Taiwan’s economic growth. Taiwan moved from the bottom among Asian Tigers to the top.
In 2014, the Sunflower movement on March 18 once again gave people hope. It became clear that the younger generation is far from indifferent to the future of Taiwan. Former legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), at the time an Academia Sinica researcher, helped found the New Power Party (NPP). There was hope about Taiwan’s party politics in the near future.
At the time, there was a concern that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would betray Taiwan with its pro-China policies. A “local” political party that truly loved Taiwan should be organized as a counterbalance, and the NPP could play this crucial role. Most regrettably, people can be easily corrupted by authority. Once the NPP obtained some sort of power, it began to show its real intention. Back in 2015, it was able to win people’s hearts and minds by opposing the proposed cross-strait service trade agreement, but now, it is cozying up to Taiwan People’s Party Chairman (TPP) Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). Ko lacks any vision, frequently flirts with China and wants to revive the controversial cross-strait trade agreement. NPP supporters must be feeling confused.
It is even more horrifying that media personality Dennis Peng (彭文正) and Internet celebrity Holger Chen (陳之漢), for whatever reasons, have changed their stance and attitude drastically. Both of them should know that the KMT’s presidential candidate New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) has been exploiting the so-called “1992 consensus” to launch discussions on the cross-strait trade agreement. Hou’s purpose is to please China and cater to the Chinese government’s needs. Peng and Chen should also know that the cross-strait peace declaration proposed by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) can only be realized by surrendering Taiwan to China.
Peng and Chen used to advocate protecting Taiwan’s sovereignty, criticizing the KMT for siding with China. Have they abandoned their beliefs? Their supporters must be perplexed. We wonder what politics is. How could they turn on a dime like this?
Chen and Huang are to hold a judicial reform rally on Sunday. The real purpose of such a rally is perplexing as well. All I know is that whenever they talk about the ruling party, they try their best to disparage and vilify it. Their abusive language and manners always send shivers down my spine. I do not know much about politics, but I know that Taiwan must step forward rather than moving backward.
Hu Chi-fong
Taipei
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