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It is small wonder then that the Taiwanese people are concerned about their nation's future because of what China is doing in the Special Administrative Region (SAR). Taiwan wants to escape China's interference but knows it is not easy to break away from Beijing completely. China insists Taiwan cannot escape its control, as the island constitutes a core interest that cannot be separated from the mainland.
Taiwanese are not even permitted to enter the U.N. building with their Taiwanese passports alone. Only when they show a certificate issued by the Chinese government, are they admitted. For the same reason, the Taiwan cannot join various U.N.-affiliated organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and INTERPOL. China wants to apply a "one country, two systems" formula to Taiwan, as it does currently to Hong Kong.
The possibility amplifies Taiwanese people's anxiety, as they watch Hong Kong, once a colony under the sovereignty of England, now deteriorating politically and economically after it was transferred back to China's rule. The Chinese government has been trying to assimilate Hong Kong people with its governance style since taking over its jurisdiction from the United Kingdom in 1997.
Despite China's promise in the agreement with Great Britain to allow Hong Kong's autonomy for 50 years, few people see Beijing as having kept its word. That makes Taiwanese people worry that the same situation may happen to them if their nation is annexed to China in the future.
Hong Kongers' protests also reflect their anxiety about their future. By taking to the streets every day, they are showing antipathy to China and its governance. People in the city-state worry their political freedom will be sharply restricted because of the repatriation bill pushed by the SAR's chief executive.
In recent years, there were anti-Chinese protests in Taiwan, too. Most notable was the Sunflower Student Movement ― named after the sunflower badges on the chest of protesters ― which broke out under former President Ma Ying Jeou's reign in March 2013. The participants had manifested objection to China as well as to Ma's government by occupying the legislative chamber.
The protest was aimed at preventing the legislature from arbitrarily passing a bill that made service trade easier across the Taiwan Strait. The protesters were concerned that the bill would speed up Taiwan's economic subordination to China, which eventually leads to political dependence.
One can hardly deny that Hong Kong students' protest the following year, called the Umbrella Movement, followed Taiwan's Sunflower Movement. The latter occurred in the run-up to the election to choose the chief executive of Hong Kong. The aim was to block China's intention to screen the candidates in advance.
Now, the protesters, led by university students, have resumed both the Umbrella Movement and the Sunflower Movement. That explains why Taiwanese people have every reason to observe how Hong Konger's protests will proceed.
Hu Young-sup is a columnist. Contact him at gracias1234@naver.com.
