One of Hong Kong’s best-known artists yesterday confirmed that he had moved to Taiwan in search of “100 percent freedom” from the Hong Kong government’s crackdown on dissent.
Kacey Wong’s (黃國才) departure is the latest blow to Hong Kong’s reputation as a regional haven for the arts and free speech as government critics face growing scrutiny from authorities.
Wong, 51, posted a black-and-white video on Facebook in which he sung a rendition of Vera Lynn’s wistful ode We’ll Meet Again.
Photo copied by Chen Cheng-liang, Taipei Times
“Leaving is not easy, staying is also difficult,” he wrote.
In an interview with the Hong Kong Free Press Web site, Wong confirmed that he had fled Hong Kong for political reasons, citing the diminishing space for artistic freedom since China imposed a National Security Law that criminalized much dissent.
The Cornell-educated artist is known for his contemporary visual arts focusing on social activism and politics.
In one 2018 performance art piece called The Patriot, Wong performed China’s national anthem on an accordion while inside a red metal cage.
Last year, authorities passed new laws making it illegal to mock China’s national anthem or flag, meaning any repeat of such a performance would be fraught with risk.
“I want and I demand 100 percent freedom, with no compromise,” Wong told Hong Kong Free Press.
“I always appreciated Taiwan’s culture and art, I think it’s very mature and deep and the society is sophisticated and raw at the same time, which I like,” he added.
Earlier this year, Wong distributed hundreds of candle stubs from previous vigils marking Beijing’s deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown after Hong Kong authorities banned public commemorations.
The arts have been heavily affected by the security law, which was introduced to quash dissent after pro-democracy protests two years ago.
All films must now be censored for any content that breaches the law and multiple books have been pulled from shelves.
On Monday, Cantopop star Anthony Wong (黃耀明) was charged with “corrupt conduct” for singing at an election rally of a pro-democracy politician three years ago.
Two authors of a children’s book that likened democracy supporters to sheep surrounded by wolves were charged with sedition last month.
Despite this, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) has insisted that freedom of speech remains intact in the territory.
“I would honestly ask you, what sort of freedoms have we lost, what sort of vibrancy has Hong Kong been eroded?” she said in a radio show late last month.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS