Mong Kok – Symphony

Taiwan’s landslide election was more historic than the Democrats’ whompping early November. The vote didn’t reject Taiwan’s KMT-Nationalist party as much as it rejected Beijing. One big factor ignored by media: Clearing HK demonstrators in Mong Kong two days before Taiwan elections solidified voters’ decision: The KMT’s de facto agenda of “Taiwan SAR” is unacceptable.

Taiwan’s Premiere “resigned” and President Ma “accepted” it. Rolling the head of the second in command is an old Chinese power tactic. Ma borrowed from the same playbook in his second election when he chose a new Vice President—the man who happened to be governor of Kaohsiung when the 24-year-old gasline was installed, which blew up a few months ago, killing 30 people, wounding 300, and turning one of the city’s beautiful streets into a WWI style trench. Even if Ma resigns as KMT Chairman, as Monday rumors claim, that would only embolden the East Asian culture of Taiwan, which loves the public beating. · · · →

Paula Bronstein, award-winning photojournalist, was arrested in Mong Kok, HK, for standing on a car to take a photo. Standing on a car, by HK law, is a greater crime than unsheathing a samurai sword in a theater. So, the new question is: How can HK’s Beijing-appointed government defend its sense of “justice”?

In the neighborhood, Taiwan’s government has the stronger sense of “justice”. Taipei is mulling a change in foreign labor—if a foreign employee is sexually assaulted, perhaps the employee should be allowed out of a work contract. Taipei is still considering the change. Which means that Taipei is considering more than either Beijing or Hong Kong.

With how the western media wants to paint Hong Kong’s government as oppressive—rather than deaf as a puppet—the Foreign Correspondents’ Club at Hong Kong should’t condemn Bronstein’s arrest. Quite opposite they should thank the police not only for helping her become more acclaimed than she already is, but by demonstrating the mismatched priorities of governments operating under the supervision of Beijing. · · · →

Showing all posts tagged Mong Kok

Prelude to Conflict: Asia, December 1

Prelude to Conflict: Asia, October 20