The following is my recollection and reflection of an encounter at FreedomFest 2022. Viewer discretion is advised.
“How can you say the Chinese government doesn’t care about its’ people?” I just finished presenting in a panel about the threat of CCP to the world. I had the feeling that certain useful idiots would confront me.
There are many kinds of useful idiots. Some are authoritarian sympathizers who believe other people must be governed, ruled, supported, fed, and so on and so forth. Some useful idiots are moral relativists who hate their own nation and see themselves as the hegemons, oppressors. Please forgive me for not being exhaustive on the taxonomy.
"Have you ever been to China?” I asked.
I knew he’d say “Of course, I have.”
It turns out he’d only been to Shanghai, Shenzhen, or some major cities. They see the China CCP wants them to see.
Useful idiots believe China’s growth in the past 45 years was phenomenal because they do not see the other side of China. They never understand the institutionalized discrimination and oppression against people in rural China.
“Are you talking about the Uyghurs?” No, I am talking about the hukou system.
But never mind that for the time being. Useful idiots who do not care about the details. Mr. “Almost Right” (差不多先生) can be of any race or ethnicity.
“When you say the CCP cares about the people, how can you explain the destruction of my home town?”
“Are you talking about the towns along the Yang Tze River?”
I am talking about Hong Kong. F**k you, Mr. Useful Idiot.
Hong Kong is Hong Kong
“There are only three points I want you to understand.” This is how I start my presentation when there are many speakers, and people are often overloaded with information.
Firstly, Hong Kong is Hong Kong. China is China.
What Hong Kong represents is the antithesis of CCP ideology. Hong Kong is free. China under the CCP is not. China under the CCP is not capitalist. China nowadays is the textbook example of Fascism, a totalitarian society.
Secondly, in the past forty years or so too many people believed China would change. We were WRONG.
Too many parroted the newspeak “Economic Reform,” while the regime weaponized its economy and reinforced its regime. One Country Two System was a firewall that allowed China to tap into the global market without reforming its socio-political institution.
Lastly, Hong Kongers resisted since the 1980s. Yet in the end, China destroyed Hong Kong.
We Hong Kongers knew it was coming. We are living in America, Canada, Australia, the UK, etc so we are Americans, Canadians, Australians, and so on and so forth. We do not want Canada to become the next China. We do not want Australia to become the next China. We do not want America to become the next China.
Decency Defines Us
Simply by reading the above outline, you can tell the presentation is sensational. I received a round of applause. I knew I would.
When you deal with a large audience, emotional appeal is the only way to get the message across. But in a large crowd, you will always find a few useful idiots.
“But Macau is the second richest city in the world!” F**k you, again. Do I have to state the obvious? Macau is not Hong Kong.
I hate it when I say I come from Hong Kong and they tell me they had visited China. I do not care where you have been. China is China. Hong Kong is Hong Kong.
“But there was an agreement between the Brits and China.” F**k you! How dare you even mention the word “agreement!”
Of course, I did not really say “f**k you” out loud, not even once.
“I am sorry. But I think we have to agree to disagree.” Decency distinguishes us, doesn’t it?
What Jimmy Lai would say
“How do we fight against the state propaganda like Global Times?” another audience asked.
“We must do a better job.” With perfect hindsight, this is not a very good answer.
When I started a think tank in 2014, I went to Jimmy Lai hoping he would support us financially.
“Simon, if you want to be effective, you must run a profitable media. Come, join us at the Apple Daily,” he said. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I will always be grateful for his generosity.
Who is Jimmy? - by Simon Lee | 利世民 - Unsubject (substack.com)
There is also a documentary produced by the Acton Institute about the life of Jimmy Lai. The story of Jimmy Lai is also the story of Hong Kong.
If you believe in individual liberty, the human capacity for rational thought, free speech, and free enterprise, then do not seek the so-called fairness doctrine from the government. There is no fairness in any battle, especially in the battle of ideas.
“How do we do a better job in defending the freedom we have?”
Talk to the other side. If we don’t, they will. They are the Chinese. Since 2004, the Chinese government has been promoting the Beijing Consensus. Joshua Cooper Ramo, another useful idiot, has advocated for authoritarianism as a model for developing nations.
From the Beijing Consensus to China’s Model Superiority (中國制度優勢), the CCP has been uncannily consistent with its rhetoric, “China can always get things done. Liberal democracies suck because there is too much freedom.”
Even during the pandemic, China took advantage of the tragedy of humanity to make its case for the China model. If you think the Zero-Covid approach is irrational and insane, it is just because you do not get the CCP’s priority.
The CCP has nothing left but nationalism.
Does the CCP represent all Chinese?
The CCP wants everyone to believe the Party is the People.
No. Party members are the new aristocracy. Urban dwellers are above the rural peasants. The caste system is well and alive in the People’s Republic.
Throughout history, dynasty after dynasty, ideology has always been the most effective means of social control.
This is why we need to do a better job.
I am a proud Hong Konger not because I was born and raised in Hong Kong. Anyone can be a Hong Konger. All you need to do is to say no to authoritarianism.
Every free mind should have the freedom to say no to anything.
If you think China is freer than America, Australia, Canada, the UK, or anywhere you live now, please feel free to leave and let us alone. We left our home looking for freedom, and so can you. Good luck.
Last but not least, my most sincere thanks to Mr. Mark Skousen for putting together such a great event. There are so many moving pieces. I admire him and his team for the awesome execution. See you guys in Memphis in Summmer 2023.
世民兄:多辦些類似的活動,讓更多老外開竅。謝謝!