Beware and reject racial discrimination against Chinese people disguised as "opposition to CCP"

Beware and reject racial discrimination against Chinese/Overseas Chinese people disguised as "opposition to autocracy" / "support for liberal democracy"

In recent months, there have been several controversies involving racial discrimination intertwined with issues of liberal democracy and human rights, sparking widespread discussion in Chinese-speaking circles.

Last December, a Japanese restaurant owner posted a notice prohibiting Chinese people from entering, which led a Chinese vlogger living in Japan to confront and report the incident to the police. However, some Chinese political dissidents later supported the restaurant owner's actions. The owner then changed the notice to support "Hong Kong independence," "Taiwan independence," and other content banned in mainland China, including images of Winnie the Pooh and the "Tank Man" from the Tiananmen Square incident. Some Chinese dissidents even visited the restaurant to take photos and pose with the owner.

In January, a dispute occurred in London between a British pianist and several people holding Chinese flags, including both Chinese nationals and British Chinese. The pianist made several racially charged remarks during the altercation. Later, the same pianist displayed images of Winnie the Pooh and propaganda supporting Hong Kong independence and about the Tiananmen Square incident in front of the piano in the mall where the dispute occurred, attracting many who oppose the Chinese Communist Party/government to take photos and leave their mark.

Also in January, Wang Zhian, a Chinese journalist living in Japan who is originally from mainland China, criticized the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan during the Taiwanese elections and made jokes about a disabled DPP candidate on a show, leading to severe criticism from both Taiwanese officials and the public. The DPP government banned Wang from entering Taiwan for five years, citing immigration violations. However, there was almost no criticism in Taiwan, from official or public sources, of the show's host using derogatory terms “zhina” for Chinese people, with some local Taiwanese factions and mainland Chinese dissidents even agreeing with the use of such discriminatory language and attacking Wang Zhian.

Recently, Argentine footballer and global star Lionel Messi, while his team was in Hong Kong for a match, did not play or participate in any activities hosted by Hong Kong officials despite a warm welcome from both officials and the public. However, he played for 30 minutes in a match in Japan the next day and interacted warmly with fans. This incident, while not directly related to racial discrimination, has similarities to the other incidents mentioned and involves issues of ethnic relations, debates over liberal democracy versus authoritarianism, and the conflation of the Chinese government with the Chinese people.

These incidents have become controversial topics on social media, especially within Chinese-speaking communities, causing sharp divisions among different viewpoints. In each of these four cases, the opposing sides have consistently taken highly unified stances. For example, Chinese political dissidents, people from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and foreigners from Japan, Europe, and America who support the Japanese restaurant owner's discriminatory actions and criticize the Chinese blogger, also commonly support the British pianist and the DPP government in Taiwan while attacking the Chinese/British Chinese involved in disputes with the pianist and journalist Wang Zhian. In the Messi incident, although some liberal Hong Kongers also expressed dissatisfaction, those who supported discrimination in the first three cases generally supported Messi and ridiculed mainland Chinese and Hong Kongers upset over Messi's no-show.

In the first three incidents, where the Japanese restaurant owner, the British pianist, and some Taiwanese factions displayed clear discriminatory behavior, Chinese political dissidents and some people from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan ignored these acts of discrimination, defended them, or even argued that "there is no discrimination" or that "Chinese people should be discriminated against." They also believe that the actions of those accused of racial discrimination are correct and just in opposing the CCP, opposing dictatorship, and defending liberal democracy. However, the reaction to these incidents and online public opinion shows that this viewpoint is not held by just a few individuals but is rather widespread. Among Chinese mainland and Hong Kong/Taiwan political dissidents, those who support racial discrimination tend to be in the majority and mainstream.

Regarding Messi's incident, there was no direct act of racial discrimination. However, Messi's refusal to play in Hong Kong and his subsequent active participation in Japan also constitutes a form of discrimination. Considering various information, Messi's decision not to play in Hong Kong but to do so in Japan was not only objectively differential treatment but also appeared to be a deliberate choice. This has understandably caused pain and dissatisfaction among many people in mainland China and Hong Kong.

However, Chinese dissidents, and some people from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, also support Messi's selective participation and interaction as a commendable act of defiance against authoritarianism and a stand for liberal democracy. They mock those from mainland China and Hong Kong who express dissatisfaction, which is also discriminatory and prejudiced, further confusing the distinction between the CCP and the people of mainland China/Hong Kong, and between the Hong Kong government and ordinary Hong Kongers. If Messi had only refused to shake hands withJohn Lee Ka-chiu (the Chief Executive of Hong Kong), it would have been acceptable. However, his refusal to play or interact with the general fans in Hong Kong clearly went beyond merely snubbing the Hong Kong government, hurting the feelings of Hong Kong football fans and many ordinary citizens.

Regardless of these acts of discrimination against Chinese and Chinese people, or the support for such discrimination by Chinese political dissidents, I deeply detest and am seriously concerned about such phenomena.

Firstly, racial discrimination is universally recognized as wrongful behavior, and severe discrimination is both despicable and intolerable. The misconduct of a minority within a group does not justify wholesale discrimination against that group. In the aforementioned three incidents, the parties involved exhibited clear, public, discriminatory behavior in public settings. Regardless of the motives, even if some discrimination has complex precursors, the fact of discrimination should be acknowledged (not denied) and criticized, not glorified or supported.

An important aspect of these discriminatory incidents and their defenders' rhetoric is linking discrimination based on race, culture, and birthplace with "opposition to autocracy" and "support for liberal democracy," packaging racial discrimination within an "anti-autocracy" veneer. Initially, these incidents were clearly based on discrimination against a specific group, unrelated to "anti-autocracy" or "liberal democracy."

Later, some discriminators, upon being "enlightened" or "educated," exploited certain taboos within the Chinese system and government's restrictions on certain expressions, spreading content critical of the Chinese system, involving Chinese leaders, and related political controversies. This made it difficult for those opposed to discrimination to respond due to Chinese government censorship, gaining sympathy from many who criticize China's current system, both domestically and internationally. The prior acts of racial discrimination, even those continuing alongside political criticism, thus became obscured by a facade of "opposing CCP autocracy" and "defending universal values," shifting the focus.

Moreover, based on their usual expressions and actions, these individuals do not genuinely care about democracy and human rights in China; they often merely use "democracy" and "human rights" to camouflage previous discriminatory acts, win the favor of anti-Communist and anti-China individuals, and seek financial benefits and fame for opposing the Communist Party.

Those from mainland China who dispute these discriminators and oppose discriminatory actions are labeled with political identifiers like "wumao" or "little pinks" by political dissidents, subjected to public denunciation, doxxing, and threats of violence. However, easily verifiable information shows these individuals are not pro-government "wumao" or "little pinks" but ordinary Chinese citizens and overseas Chinese.

The Chinese person who reported the Japanese restaurant owner's discriminatory behavior is a food vlogger with no history of supporting the Chinese government. In the British pianist incident, those clashing with the pianist, holding Chinese flags, were filming a television program, not expressing a stance supporting the Chinese government. Moreover, because the Five-star Red Flag is China's national flag, even Chinese people not strongly supporting the current regime may need to carry it in various activities, which is understandable. In the case of Wang Zhian, the journalist is a mainland Chinese liberal supporting liberal democracy, who had to leave China due to opposition to the current system, making him a political exile.

Despite these facts, discriminators and their supporters still intentionally confuse "wumao/little pinks" with ordinary Chinese/overseas Chinese, forcibly equating "CCP" with "China," treating the "Chinese government" and "Chinese people" indistinguishably.

Clearly, both in terms of values and facts, the actions and words of these discriminators and their supporters are wrong and should be criticized.

For the Chinese people living under a non-democratic regime, unable to choose their ruling party or genuinely elect their parliament and executive team, rights and duties are inseparable. Chinese people, not enjoying certain rights, should not bear the material and reputational damages caused by the government's actions. Even if the Chinese government's behavior displeases foreigners, it is not directly related (at least not strongly) to the Chinese people.

According to Chinese dissidents, if China is under tyrannical rule, then the most affected are the Chinese people, especially those from mainland China. Therefore, people worldwide should offer more sympathy and respect to the Chinese people, rather than harming their rights and dignity like the Chinese government does.

Comparing the discrimination faced by Chinese people to that experienced by Germans and Japanese during World War II is a misunderstanding of the significant difference between external aggressors and an internally autocratic regime. Nazi Germany and militarist Japan expanded through nationalism and mobilization, making it reasonable for nationals of invaded countries to discriminate against them. For instance, the current animosity Ukrainians have towards Russians, or the mutual disdain between Gazans and Israelis, are understandable.

However, China has not invaded other countries, and the Chinese government is more of a self-preserving regime. Moreover, even Japanese Americans, closely associated with Japanduring World War II, received apologies and compensation from the U.S. government for discrimination after suing the government. Even with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ordinary Russians have the right not to be discriminated against. Therefore, there is no justification for discriminating against the Chinese people, who have not invaded any country.

Confusing "CCP" with "China," treating the government and the people as one, and not distinguishing the specific political stances and actions of each Chinese individual, but rather subjecting all Chinese, including those neutral or indifferent to politics, to hatred, discrimination, and insult, clearly does not serve to promote freedom and democracy in China. On the contrary, it only exacerbates hostility between different ethnic groups, forcing Chinese people to align more closely with their government and causing further divisions among Chinese communities worldwide. On the other hand, clearly distinguishing between the CCP and the Chinese people, "wumao" and "little pinks" and ordinary Chinese, could effectively weaken the CCP's grip on the population and benefit China's transformation.

Admittedly, the current situation of racial discrimination against Chinese people and the defense and encouragement of such discrimination by many is complex and has deep roots. The relationship between the Chinese people and their government, as well as the values and stances of the Chinese people, are somewhat ambiguous and controversial. Indeed, the actions of some "wumao" and "little pinks" are repulsive. However, these do not constitute valid reasons for indiscriminate discrimination against Chinese people.

In conclusion, such racial discrimination and the conflation of Chinese rulers with the general populace do not help improve human rights for Chinese people or the situation of overseas Chinese, nor do they benefit freedom and democracy. They only have the negative effect of tearing apart communities and international society, increasing hostility. Furthermore, this discrimination does not merely stay at the level of verbal insults but can gradually affect the real interests of Chinese people and overseas Chinese. If verbal abuse is not stopped, it may lead to more physical violence. Without preventive measures, the situation for Chinese and overseas Chinese could worsen, leading to more substantial material and mental suffering.

Yet, this discrimination has received support from many, including some well-known Chinese political dissidents, which is quite unsettling. This reflects confusion in identity, a distortion of values, and a departure from universal human rights among many Chinese political dissidents. While they loudly claim to pursue freedom, democracy, and human rights, their open support for discriminatory actions directly contradicts the principle of equality and respect for the rights and dignity of every individual.

Moreover, most of these political dissidents are themselves ethnic Han Chinese from mainland China, making their "reverse nationalism" even more shameful and pitiable than ordinary racial discrimination. To put it bluntly, it is a betrayal of their country and ethnicity. Opposing autocracy and seeking democracy are legitimate demands of every citizen. But extending opposition to the government to a total negation of one's ethnic group is merely another form of extreme nationalism, even more contemptible and degrading. Vigorously supporting or even participating in discrimination and hatred against one's ethnic group only distances them from universal values, harming their compatriots and poisoning civilized society, leading themselves down a tragic path.

True democrats in China should, while pursuing freedom, democracy, and human rights, adhere to basic principles of patriotism, oppose discrimination, and act with love for their nation and compatriots, rather than legitimizing obvious acts of discrimination and fueling prejudice and hatred. Likewise, foreign friends and non-Chinese individuals worldwide should not discriminate or encourage discrimination but should instead show more sympathy and understanding for the suffering Chinese people. They should treat the diverse Chinese population on a case-by-case basis, not becoming tools for those who sow ethnic discord with ulterior motives. Regardless of political stance, ethnicity, or skin color, everyone should treat others equally and fairly, contributing positively to fostering friendship between China and the world and to global peace.