China censors 'Tiananmen' image of young female athletes hugging

Tom Paine 1949

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Mar 15, 2020
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Two young Chinese athletes made China proud after their showing in the 100 meter hurdles race in the Asian Games. One of them, shown below, won Gold. Yet all the most iconic images of them hugging each other after the race … were “blacked out” in Chinese media and on the internet. Why?



No, it wasn’t because their emotional hug might suggest anything improper — though these days reports or images suggesting Lesbian or Gay relationship are often censored, given that the Chinese CCP is encouraging more women to marry and have children. Non-traditional sexual relationships, especially among women, are often looked upon as “unpatriotic” and suspiciously …“Western.”

No, the real reason for the image being censored was simply the coincidence that the “lane numbers” pinned to their running shorts unfortunately together appeared as “6/4” — the date used to refer to the pro-democracy Tiannamen Square demonstrations in 1989 that were ended by the CCP with violence on June 4th. All public internet discussion of “6/4” is verboten in China, and the once massive candlelight rallies in Hong Kong to commemorate the event have also now been forbidden.

Just a little example of the craziness of controlled media and public life in totalitarian China under XiJinping.

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Two young Chinese athletes made China proud after their showing in the 100 meter hurdles race in the Asian Games. One of them, shown below, won Gold. Yet all the most iconic images of them hugging each other after the race … were “blacked out” in Chinese media and on the internet. Why?



No, it wasn’t because their emotional hug might suggest anything improper — though these days reports or images suggesting Lesbian or Gay relationship are often censored, given that the Chinese CCP is encouraging more women to marry and have children. Non-traditional sexual relationships, especially among women, are often looked upon as “unpatriotic” and suspiciously …“Western.”

No, the real reason for the image being censored was simply the coincidence that the “lane numbers” pinned to their running shorts unfortunately together appeared as “6/4” — the date used to refer to the pro-democracy Tiannamen Square demonstrations in 1989 that were ended by the CCP with violence on June 4th. All public internet discussion of “6/4” is verboten in China, and the once massive candlelight rallies in Hong Kong to commemorate the event have also now been forbidden.

Just a little example of the craziness of controlled media and public life in totalitarian China under XiJinping.

View attachment 838132
Duped again…
 
gipper shows a video from Ben Norton that breathlessly announces he has moved to China — one month ago —and praises the Chinese “government” (he means the CCP). Norton retells the familiar true story of great economic successes since Mao’s disastrous “Cultural Revolution” was replaced by a kind of state capitalism under DengXiaoping and later leaders. Of course Norton says nothing about the authoritarian / totalitarian retrenchment of basic free speech rights that has been going on under XiJinping’s rule.

I lived in China for eight years, having studied Chinese for a few years even before moving there, and traveled widely in the country. From many friends & associates and their family connections I saw how the optimism of the “opening up” period changed under XiJinping. The early limited freedoms of Chinese people to use the internet to criticize & even make fun of China’s leaders were step by step curtailed, and sadly replaced by a growing distopian dictatorship and personality cult.

I still am very well informed, and have resources gipper totally lacks, but unfortunately ordinary people can no longer communicate freely to or from China via the internet or even telephone, for fear of losing jobs, travel visas or internet privileges.

I have defended China and understand the pressures its society increasingly feels coming from the West, and I have criticized the U.S. for its often obtuse and unnecessarily provocative policies toward China — so much so that some Trump fools here at USMB slander me as an agent of the CCP.

The idiot nonentity Andy Borham is just a paid employee working for a Chinese Communist Party Shanghai paper, and he is not even as “objective” as the Guardian / former Economist correspondent he criticizes, one Amy Hawkins, who may not be especially trustworthy but whose original article already explicitly stated:
Users had posted their congratulations to Ms Lin on Weibo, one of China's biggest social media platforms, but posts which included the photo were replaced with grey squares [factually true]. However, the photo does not appear to have been completely scrubbed off the internet, with some Chinese news articles still showing a photo of the two athletes.
Indeed, the Chinese authorities seem to have decided this particular little stupidity was unnecessary and too ridiculous to continue blocking the photos of these two lovely athletes even on Weibo. But the Chinese public can still NOT discuss the Tiananmen protests, or even use its “6-4” name, or criticize the Communist Party freely on Weibo or any other open platform of the internet.

That was the point of my OP, to just remind people of the fundamental lack of free speech and political rights in China. Needless to say, while the people there are as intelligent and decent as most anywhere, there are many other problems in China — like CCP corruption and sycophancy of officials — that a one-party one-man dictatorship can never hope to abolish.
 
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gipper shows a video from Ben Norton that breathlessly announces he has moved to China — one month ago —and praises the Chinese “government” (he means the CCP). Norton retells the familiar true story of great economic successes since Mao’s disastrous “Cultural Revolution” was replaced by a kind of state capitalism under DengXiaoping and later leaders. Of course Norton says nothing about the authoritarian / totalitarian retrenchment of basic free speech rights that has been going on under XiJinping’s rule.

I lived in China for eight years, having studied Chinese for a few years even before moving there, and traveled widely in the country. From many friends & associates and their family connections I saw how the optimism of the “opening up” period changed under XiJinping. The early limited freedoms of Chinese people to use the internet to criticize & even make fun of China’s leaders were step by step curtailed, and sadly replaced by a growing distopian dictatorship and personality cult.

I still am very well informed, and have resources gipper totally lacks, but unfortunately ordinary people can no longer communicate freely to or from China via the internet or even telephone, for fear of losing jobs, travel visas or internet privileges.

I have defended China and understand the pressures its society increasingly feels coming from the West, and I have criticized the U.S. for its often obtuse and unnecessarily provocative policies toward China — so much so that some Trump fools here at USMB slander me as an agent of the CCP.

The idiot nonentity Andy Borham is just a paid employee working for a Chinese Communist Party Shanghai paper, and he is not even as “objective” as the Guardian / former Economist correspondent he criticizes, one Amy Hawkins, who may not be especially trustworthy but whose original article already explicitly stated:

Indeed, the Chinese authorities seem to have decided this particular little stupidity was unnecessary and too ridiculous to continue blocking the photos of these two lovely athletes even on Weibo. But the Chinese public can still NOT discuss the Tiananmen protests, or even use its “6-4” name, or criticize the Communist Party freely on Weibo or any other open platform of the internet.

That was the point of my OP, to just remind people of the fundamental lack of free speech and political rights in China. Needless to say, while the people there are as intelligent and decent as most anywhere, there are many other problems in China — like CCP corruption and sycophancy of officials — that a one-party one-man dictatorship can never hope to abolish.
Thank you for reminding us of problems in China, but everyone knows there’s problems in China.
 
Anything stopping the ordinary stupid person sharing their crack pot ideas has to be applauded .
It's about time that we moved away from this silly idea labelled Democracy .
Where stupid and gullible people are allowed to diminish life with their irrelevant chatter .
Hoswever , you would not ban chat sites for the elderly -- like this place .
You need to know exactly what the nitwits are saying and thinking so that you can control and punish them exactly as needs be . With a little bit extra to keep them on their toes .
 
....I still am very well informed, and have resources gipper totally lacks, but unfortunately ordinary people can no longer communicate freely to or from China via the internet or even telephone, for fear of losing jobs, travel visas or internet privileges.....
So you keep saying - and I keep telling you that I live and work in China since 2000.

Anyone can communicate freely via the internet or telephone to and from China - see myself on this site, and I do not use a VPN.
That you are a "reactionary" foreigner, who naturally took up contact and was only given access by Chinese people who might dislike the CPC or China's present President Xi is understood.

There are certain policies enacted by Xi, which I personally dislike or find unfavorable for China's image - however in an overall assessment, Xi has done and is doing a far better job then his predecessors. Deng's job was to open the Chinese market - it wasn't his job nor priority to put an end to the thus rising corruption and social income gap - that is Xi's job - thus he faces lots of opposition amongst the "new wealthy" Chinese, that naturally oppose Xi's wealth distribution program.

That the Tienanmen issue is suppressed in China or rather sidelined is understood - since the "Countrywide uprising" was a workers uprising in view of State companies being privatized (Deng's reform program) and workers being rightfully enraged about the outlook of loosing their jobs and the extreme corruption involving CPC party boys, that went with it. This workers uprising upon being calmed down, was then instrumented by Students (naturally supported by Western governments) into a supposed "cry for democracy" issue.

Whilst the true issue was that Hu (a pro Western democracy proponent) had been ousted by Zhao in 1987 - and upon Hu's death in April 1989 - radical student wings took it as a reason to divert the workers strike in June, into "their" pro-democracy protest.

China and the CPC until today is certainly not proud that they had to use military force to subdue it - since they totally lacked a capable - trained Police-force (not to mention a non existent Riot-police) to counter the radical student wings that used force and extreme violence against the unarmed Police units stationed in Beijing. The shear amount of destroyed military vehicles by those radical student wings - clearly documented their "will/readiness" for violence.

BTW - anyone who uses the term CCP only shows that he knows nothing about China, and is solely interested to spread bull about China and the CPC.
 
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So you keep saying - and I keep telling you that I live and work in China since 2000.

Anyone can communicate freely via the internet or telephone to and from China - see myself on this site, and I do not use a VPN.
That you are a "reactionary" foreigner, who naturally took up contact and was only given access by Chinese people who might dislike the CPC or China's present President Xi is understood.

There are certain policies enacted by Xi, which I personally dislike or find unfavorable for China's image - however in an overall assessment, Xi has done and is doing a far better job then his predecessors. Deng's job was to open the Chinese market - it wasn't his job nor priority to put an end to the thus rising corruption and social income gap - that is Xi's job - thus he faces lots of opposition amongst the "new wealthy" Chinese, that naturally oppose Xi's wealth distribution program.

That the Tienanmen issue is suppressed in China or rather sidelined is understood - since the "Countrywide uprising" was a workers uprising in view of State companies being privatized (Deng's reform program) and workers being rightfully enraged about the outlook of loosing their jobs and the extreme corruption involving CPC party boys, that went with it. This workers uprising upon being calmed down, was then instrumented by Students (naturally supported by Western governments) into a supposed "cry for democracy" issue.

Whilst the true issue was that Hu (a pro Western democracy proponent) had been ousted by Zhao in 1987 - and upon Hu's death in April 1989 - radical student wings took it as a reason to divert the workers strike in June, into "their" pro-democracy protest.

China and the CPC until today is certainly not proud that they had to use military force to subdue it - since they totally lacked a capable - trained Police-force (not to mention a non existent Riot-police) to counter the radical student wings that used force and extreme violence against the unarmed Police units stationed in Beijing. The shear amount of destroyed military vehicles by those radical student wings - clearly documented their "will/readiness" for violence.

BTW - anyone who uses the term CCP only shows that he knows nothing about China, and is solely interested to spread bull about China and the CPC.

I would normally ignore your last petty criticism that “CPC” is “correct” and “CCP” is “incorrect.” But your argument that my casual American use of “CCP” (the most natural and recognized American abbreviation) shows that I am “solely interested to spread bull about China and the CPC” … is totally unworthy nonsense.

On to more serious matters …

Of course like Westerners or EurAsians or other Asians traveling, working or living in China, the Chinese themselves have many differences of opinion about Communist Party policies and its “cult of personality” leader XiJinping.

Even the Communist Party itself is not homogeneous, though one would never know that just looking at its conferences or press releases. For Americans in the past I have often emphasized the importance of looking at the CPC in context — e.g. see my 2020 OP on “The Communist Party of China and the Idea of Evil”: The Communist Party of China and the Idea of `Evil’

In any case your disagreements hardly seem surprising or extraordinary to me, considering everything.

In fact, for years before I traveled to the USSR (I happened to visit during the terrible crisis at Chernobyl in 1986) and afterwards too I strongly defended the “historical gains of the USSR” and even once had high (sadly mistaken) hopes for its future. Before moving to China (and marrying there) I felt much the same way about it. Back then I often found myself defending the “CPC leadership” against shallow criticisms, emphasizing its positive role in fulfilling necessary historical tasks, uniting the country, raising standards of living, etc.

By pointing out retrogression in political freedoms in China under XiJinping I am not blindly criticizing or condemning China or the CPC because I am “a Western reactionary.” Quite the opposite. I am defending the rights of the Chinese people to a better future.

During the Covid Crisis, for example, I defended both the regime’s early successes and later noted obvious bureaucratic abuses in dealing with what initially seemed an enormous threat to the whole of Chinese society. The Chinese people of course finally managed to force XiJinping to change his too-long maintained “zero tolerance” policy. On Taiwan, too, I have tried to educate fellow Americans about the danger of treating it as an internationally recognized independent sovereign state. It is not that and certainly should not be treated like Ukraine.

There is no doubt that Chinese traditional culture, much of which was wiped out before or during the Cultural Revolution, and Chinese social discipline in general has many positive features and results — for example in encouraging study & hard work, civic consciousness and keeping cities free of violent crime. We can see these expressed also, and arguably much more fully, in Taiwan. In my opinion, critical problems remain in China’s political culture and life.

Of course China, unlike the old Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, is not based on a planned economy superimposed on huge historically distinct nations with different aspirations, so there are probably more reasons to hope for its survival, eventual reform, and positive development, compared to the USSR.

As for the internet, when I was living there the use of a working VPN to get around the Great Firewall was almost a necessity for an educated political person. International access for English speakers was thus almost always different and less controlled then for ordinary Chinese speakers.

I know for a fact “censorship” and internal policing & security is far more prevalent today than when I was living there. There is no fully safe way to express dissident opinions for ordinary working people in the People’s Republic of China.

I also know many ordinary Chinese working people fear and thus simply completely avoid expressing their real opinions publicly. Of course I do not know about your own situation, nor exactly why you seem to have freedoms not available to many others. Just being a long-time foreign resident who organizes trade or similar work in China & who generally expresses agreement with the CPC may well insulate you. I trust you are telling the truth about not using a VPN, but of course there are other methods I’m not savvy enough to discuss — using SSH connections to computers outside China, business servers, etc.

I would not accuse you of being dishonest here or doing anything inappropriate at all. When I was in China, unlike most Westerners I basically abandoned using VPNs and the internet to try to stay well informed about what was occurring outside, settling for reading Chinese-controlled media, while concentrating on trying to immerse myself in everyday Chinese life.

I think I understand your views. After all the U.S. in particular has many social problems, especially right now. My country has followed many wrong policies internationally that have brought destruction to other countries … in pursuing its own narrow interests. Also, I recognize fully that probably the great majority of Chinese — being “patriotic” — would agree to one extent or another with most of your views.
 
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I would normally ignore your last petty criticism that “CPC” is “correct” and “CCP” is “incorrect.” But your argument that my casual American use of “CCP” (the most natural and recognized American abbreviation) shows that I am “solely interested to spread bull about China and the CPC” … is totally unworthy nonsense.
People that are not aware about the "fight" (until today) between the CCP and CPC - simply don't understand the internal power game that has prevailed in China until today - thank God, the CPC survived after 1938 and retook it's political primary position with Deng in 1978-80.
During the Covid Crisis, for example, I defended both the regime’s early successes and later noted obvious bureaucratic abuses in dealing with what initially seemed an enormous threat to the whole of Chinese society. The Chinese people of course finally managed to force XiJinping to change his too-long maintained “zero tolerance” policy.
Since such a virus or the dangers of a resulting epidemic wasn't recognized before December 2019 - it's plain stupid to criticize China for not "acting accordingly". SARS had an unnecessary negative impact onto China's economy due to it's open handling - therefore a reluctance within the CPC apparatus towards a new virus is understood. This so called Whistleblower had not discovered the virus - it was being investigated upon by a selected committee of scientists from which he was excluded - he made the existence of a virus known to the public, without being able to estimate it's potential for a spread. Thus simply causing panic without having a solution or possessing facts - that were forwarded by the said committee to WHO, the same week he went public on the internal hospital site - that is why he was reprimanded.

The local CPC authorities in Wuhan and more or less across China - did not respond according to the known procedures instituted for such a case, due to Chinese New Year (being China's largest and most important travel occasion) and thus fearing economic and social unrest repercussions towards their respective provinces. In a country such as China it takes at least 2 weeks to get the respective security issues running and placed into action to avoid a large scale unrest amongst the population.

Unfortunately those two weeks set the basis for a spread of the virus across China and it's spread out of China. Xi did not "punish" those respective governors for not having alarmed the population - but for their inefficiency to speed up the necessary security process that was vital in order to alarm the population.
On Taiwan, too, I have tried to educate fellow Americans about the danger of treating it as an internationally recognized independent sovereign state. It is not that and certainly should not be treated like Ukraine.
The CPC will never change it's policy towards Taiwan - independent of the fact that 70-80% of Taiwan's population had a totally different political and social evolution since 1949 then the population of the PRC. If you ask a normal guy in the PRC about the Taiwan issue he will tell you - we are 1.4 billion people - what do we care about the personal political feelings of 25 million people?. We will certainly not allow for the USA to get a military foothold onto Chinese territory. And that is essentially reflecting the mindset of the CPC.
There is no doubt that Chinese traditional culture, much of which was wiped out before or during the Cultural Revolution, and Chinese social discipline in general has many positive features and results — for example in encouraging study & hard work, civic consciousness and keeping cities free of violent crime. We can see these expressed also, and arguably much more fully, in Taiwan. In my opinion, critical problems remain in China’s political culture and life.
There are no critical problems in China's political culture and life that would discredit the CPC. 80% are in clear favor of the CPC - and they are not afraid to mention discontent towards decisions implemented by the CPC - there is factually a very democratic process established and running within the CPC structure. That 20% will always oppose the CPC due to their own personal priority's or agendas is understood.

As for the internet, when I was living there the use of a working VPN to get around the Great Firewall was almost a necessity for an educated political person. International access for English speakers was thus almost always different and less controlled then for ordinary Chinese speakers.

It is only a necessity for those who try do dig up unsubstantiated dirt in order to criticize the CPC. China's social media is extremely active and popular - and yes the moment "speculations" or political unsubstantiated nonsense starts to come up - those posts are being closed down.
I know for a fact “censorship” and internal policing & security is far more prevalent today than when I was living there. There is no fully safe way to express dissident opinions for ordinary working people in the People’s Republic of China.

I also know many ordinary Chinese working people fear and thus simply completely avoid expressing their real opinions publicly. Of course I do not know about your own situation, nor exactly why you seem to have freedoms not available to many others. Just being a long-time foreign resident who organizes trade or similar work in China & who generally expresses agreement with the CPC may well insulate you. I trust you are telling the truth about not using a VPN, but of course there are other methods I’m not savvy enough to discuss — using SSH connections to computers outside China, business servers, etc.
No I do not use a VPN - simply because I am not interested in unsubstantiated Western gossip - There are enough accredited foreign media platforms that despite criticizing the CPC are open for access. As for "surveillance" these systems had already been in place in China since 2005 e.g. microphones recording discussions in public areas or even in pubs. The same surveillance technology that was already introduced in Singapore and Taiwan in the 90'ies.

With Xi a new era came into place - a confident (maybe a partially overconfident) China that is not willing to back down anymore - unlike it's predecessors who simply decided to avoid confrontation in favor of a strong economy. Naturally this has placed the USA or others at attention - ups we can't play around with China anymore as we were used to.

That additional historical issues such as the reunification with HK placed additional stress onto the Western world and China is understood. And again China aka the CPC is not going to place at risk it's 1.4 Billion people due to some "democracy" advocates in HK. Xi, IMO found a great way to pacify and solve the Xinjiang issue - that "innocent" people might face unwarranted repercussions can't be out-ruled. And again it comes to the simple political viewpoint - we (PRC/CPC) will not tolerate 2-3 million Muslim nut-heads to endanger the civil peace and order in China.

Yes, if one want's to, one can declare it to be a repressive system towards any minority endangering the greater good of the PRC. Personally I am in favor for such a policy - the majority needs to be happy and cared for - not minorities. Which in the case of e.g. LGBT's in China - doesn't mean that they are persecuted or punished. On the contrary - Lesbians are openly seen in China and they are being accepted (also being smiled upon). If you want to see gays - just visit one of those millions of barber shops or their known pubs and discotheques.

China aka the CPC will certainly not allow for a gay parade - since it is aware that the vast majority in the PRC would be bewildered at such a spectacle and rightfully object or question it's purpose. Taiwan allows for it (their government is ridden with LGBT's) and the people in majority simply find it amusing.

As for people living in fear and thus avoiding political discussions;

There are known legal and accepted ways to express discontent or opposition towards CPC implementations - and they are practiced daily by millions of people. The factual difference between PRC folks and that of Western democracies or e.g. Taiwanese folks is that PRC folk is pragmatic and realistic in it's main character attributes - they can see that democracy sucks and bears no benefit - every single democratic country is basically facing economic and social turmoil, only beneficial to those trying to get their personal benefits via democracy aka via running an own party/agenda.

Off course they are aware that the CPC also has it's "elitist circles" simply working solely for their own interest and pockets. However they are realistic enough to understand that such elitist circles are far more easier to control by a one party system, then the abysses of chaos and corruption in a democratic system.

Therefore if I am the one to start/kick off a political discussion (a foreigner) - not a single person is afraid to participate or express his opinions - but all these discussions end abruptly once the statement "no system is perfect - but we can't see any advantage in democracy" comes in.

Off course no one will state; Xi is an asshole who busted the property market. But people will discuss how to circumvent regulations in order to still make a buck. Chinese people in general are interested to find solutions and not just to simply complain and whine about politics all day long - like e.g. Europeans.

Tom Paine 1949 said:
Also, I recognize fully that probably the great majority of Chinese — being “patriotic” — would agree to one extent or another with most of your views.

Believe me, Chinese "patriotic" folks are on par with MAGA's - and they are the ones I am having "heavy" and partially uncomfortable discussions with, in China.
 
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So you keep saying - and I keep telling you that I live and work in China since 2000.

Anyone can communicate freely via the internet or telephone to and from China - see myself on this site, and I do not use a VPN.
That you are a "reactionary" foreigner, who naturally took up contact and was only given access by Chinese people who might dislike the CPC or China's present President Xi is understood.

There are certain policies enacted by Xi, which I personally dislike or find unfavorable for China's image - however in an overall assessment, Xi has done and is doing a far better job then his predecessors. Deng's job was to open the Chinese market - it wasn't his job nor priority to put an end to the thus rising corruption and social income gap - that is Xi's job - thus he faces lots of opposition amongst the "new wealthy" Chinese, that naturally oppose Xi's wealth distribution program.

That the Tienanmen issue is suppressed in China or rather sidelined is understood - since the "Countrywide uprising" was a workers uprising in view of State companies being privatized (Deng's reform program) and workers being rightfully enraged about the outlook of loosing their jobs and the extreme corruption involving CPC party boys, that went with it. This workers uprising upon being calmed down, was then instrumented by Students (naturally supported by Western governments) into a supposed "cry for democracy" issue.

Whilst the true issue was that Hu (a pro Western democracy proponent) had been ousted by Zhao in 1987 - and upon Hu's death in April 1989 - radical student wings took it as a reason to divert the workers strike in June, into "their" pro-democracy protest.

China and the CPC until today is certainly not proud that they had to use military force to subdue it - since they totally lacked a capable - trained Police-force (not to mention a non existent Riot-police) to counter the radical student wings that used force and extreme violence against the unarmed Police units stationed in Beijing. The shear amount of destroyed military vehicles by those radical student wings - clearly documented their "will/readiness" for violence.

BTW - anyone who uses the term CCP only shows that he knows nothing about China, and is solely interested to spread bull about China and the CPC.
Wu Mao!
 
Only a paid CIA shill would use expressions like Native or White Monkey - carry on.
Yeah right, try and turn it on me, noob! Everyone here knows who the likely plant is. We have enough problems without CCP trolls stirring the pot.
 
The problem isn’t where the info originates, but the fact that the CCP wants to control all sources.
The CCP doesn't control anything, since there is no CCP
However you are absolutely correct that your paymaster, aka your spiritual guide the CIA - indeed want's to control all sources.
 
The CCP doesn't control anything, since there is no CCP
However you are absolutely correct that your paymaster, aka your spiritual guide the CIA - indeed want's to control all sources.
You lie again! CCP and CPC have been used interchangeably for as long as the party has existed. It’s only lately that the CCP has started to say that it’s racist to not say CPC. The CCP intention is to create a situation where the CCP=China. That’a ridiculous, since Chinese culture has already been largely destroyed on the mainland and only really exists on Taiwan.
 

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