Friday, July 31, 2009

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu 陳菊 -- the face of Taiwanese Identity

Here is the true face of Taiwanese Identity:

Chen Chu 陳菊, Kaohsiung's mayor, was born in I-Lan County, SanHsin Township. Like many of the SanHsin residents, she very probably has a mixture of Austronesian-Kavalan, Hoklo, and Hakka ancestry. The next time I meet her, I'll ask this question.
She helped form the magazine, Formosa, which was pushing for freedom and democracy in Taiwan. It was shut down within the year by the KMT authoritarian government who did not hold the democratic values of free speech. She was arrested and imprisoned by the KMT authoritarian dictatorship government of Chiang Ching-kuo after the international human rights day demonstration in Kaohsiung in 1979.

As mayor of Kaohsiung, she visited China and refused to use any protocol or wording that would compromise the truth that Taiwan is not part of China. Yet her visit was received and respected. She did not bow to the current emperor of China (Chinese Communist Party) in obeisance like the KMT leaders in Taiwan have done.

She showed respect to the PRC as a legitimate country. And she stood up for and demanded respect for Taiwan as a separate country.

Her hosting of the World Games in Kaohsiung has shown dignity and restraint as well as an unflinching stand for Taiwan, its people, and their human rights.

1 comment:

Jen said...

what an amazing woman!! thanks for sharing!