Overseas support for HK
In light of the current situation in Hong Kong, the undersigned overseas Taiwanese organizations jointly issue the following statement:
We declare our solidarity with the people of Hong Kong who are rallying to protect their freedoms. Throughout the summer, these brave people have taken to the streets to proclaim to China and the world that freedom and democracy are critical, life-or-death values.
Despite a possible Tiananmen Square-style fate, the protests persist unabated. Hong Kongers, who have turned out in the millions to demonstrate their love for freedom and democracy, deserve the praise and support of all peace-loving people and nations.
In the cybersphere, China has been using YouTube, Twitter and Facebook accounts to spread false narratives and to paint the protesters as terrorists and their rallies as riots.
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), with lethal weaponry, threatens at the border, while soldiers of the PLA garrison in Hong Kong prepare to be deployed at a moment’s notice. Mass arrests of pro-democracy leaders have taken place. The protracted protests in Hong Kong sound the death knell for China’s “one country, two systems” construct.
The undersigned are members of the diaspora of Taiwan, a neighboring democratic nation that has long lived under the shadow of similar threats by China. We reject the “one country, two systems” construct China is attempting to impose on Taiwan.
With empathy and understanding, we voice our strongest support for the people of Hong Kong in their rise against Chinese tyranny.
Professor Jeffrey J. Tsay (蔡靜輝), president, North America Taiwanese Professors’ Association
Professor Ming Chi Wu (吳明基), chair, World United Formosans for Independence-USA
Dr. Mike Kuo (郭正光), president, Formosan Association for Public Affairs
Susan Chang (程韻如), coordinator, World Taiwanese Congress
Dr. Ming Hong Chow (周明宏), president, World Federation of Taiwanese Associations
Shawfang Jeng (鄭紹芳), president, Taiwanese Association of America
Dr. Jacy Chen (陳彩雲), president, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association
Professor Ben Liu (劉斌碩), president, Professor Chen Wen-Chen’s Memorial Foundation
Kok-Ki Yap (葉國基), chair, World United Formosans for Independence-Canada
Kang-Hou Wang (王康厚), president, Dr. Kang-Lu Wang Memorial Foundation
Traitors of free democracy
Taiwan’s presidential election is fast approaching. It is now a contest between the Democratic Progressive Party led by incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) of the KMT rose to prominence last year using the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) tactics of Orwellian nonsense (ON) and frenzied lawless mobs identical to the CCP Red Guards half a century ago.
Within just a few months as mayor, his glaring incompetence and dishonesty offended a majority of citizens. He deliberately concealed his nine years of study at Beijing University. His ideology of ON is identical to that of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and CCP members.
When millions of Hong Kongers protested the new extradition bill that would curb their freedoms, Han initially ignored the news. Later, he was still unwilling to support Hong Kong’s demand for a free democracy.
Han’s popularity is now vanishing, and the prospect of becoming president no longer exists. The alternative candidate for the KMT (which was the case at the time this letter was received) is Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘). However, his company’s assets are mostly within China, and they are tightly controlled by the CCP. Therefore, he will have a serious conflict of interest in becoming Taiwan’s president.
Xi is seriously interfering with Taiwan’s election. He is also the very person denying democracy to Hong Kong. He undermines the foundation of US democracy and the UN Charter by using socialism with Chinese characteristics and ON.
The CCP’s ON is further aggravated by Middle Kingdom chauvinism (MKC). Taiwan has been the victim of MKC since the end of the World War II. The relic of the murderous dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) is still prominently exhibited at the center of Taipei, in the vicinity of Presidential Office Building.
Tsai must be re-elected next January, so that Taiwan will be able to establish itself as an independent country. Taiwan must reform the vestigial corrupt government system of the KMT and firmly reject a military invasion by the CCP.
Kenneth Young, Todd Gou and James Ann
Arizona, Pennsylvania and Florida
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