The Golden Horse Award for Best Documentary this year went to Our Youth in Taiwan (我們的青春在台灣)
When the film’s director, Fu Yue (傅榆), accepted the award, she said, with tears trickling down her cheeks, that she hoped Taiwan would one day be accepted as a politically independent entity.
The statement made Chinese participants boycott the closing reception, cancel preplanned itineraries or leave Taiwan earlier than planned.
Fu’s Facebook page was flooded with thousands of comments, mostly angry attacks from China.
They included comments such as: “You can give it all up now, don’t even think of being part of the Chinese movie world.”
Fu’s calm answer was: “I might no longer be able to interact with many outstanding Chinese film workers, and that is regrettable, but I am prepared to take full responsibility for any consequences to my career. I have no regrets.”
Such a straightforward attitude is admirable.
Anyone who wants to make a living in the Chinese market under the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) watchful eye should know that they must get used to the unwritten rule that requires them to openly offer their loyalty.
Whether it be Taiwanese K-pop star Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜), who became the target of fierce Chinese attacks after saying that she came from Taiwan on a South Korean TV show while holding a Republic of China flag and then making a video to apologize and say she is Chinese, or Taiwanese actor Leon Dai (戴立忍), who in 2016 was replaced in the Chinese movie No Other Love (沒有別的愛) amid suspicions that he supports Taiwanese independence, or even entertainers who post pictures with the Chinese phrase “Not even one little piece of China must be lost” — Big Brother sees them all.
Fu is different from these Taiwanese entertainers, who must take a clear and unambiguous stand.
According to a report on Radio Free Asia on Tuesday last week, many Chinese dissidents are being persecuted and anyone who offers a controversial point of view is lucky if they get away with having their accounts closed, as they could very well be sent to prison.
Even more alarmingly, Chinese Internet users could be undercover information gatherers, who report posts to their superiors.
For Taiwanese used to enjoying freedom of expression, this is nothing less than a tragedy, and thanks to China-based Taiwanese singer Huang An (黃安) and his ilk, this tragedy is slowly spreading across Taiwan.
The CCP’s encroachment on Taiwan is not restricted to politics, it is also going on in sports, movies and trade. Again and again Taiwanese yield, but the CCP’s ambition will never be satisfied.
It is now clear beyond doubt that cross-strait service trade agreements and the film industry’s move to China have increased Beijing’s bargaining power. When will Taiwanese finally realize how evil the CCP really is?
Brian Yang is a journalism student.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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