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would you visit an authoritarian country if you had the chance to live there up to 4 weeks for free even if you believe multiparty democracy to be something non negotiable? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 6 days ago by ricesoup@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

37 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/35822445

my family are Taiwanese-Americans. I was born in the US, but I grew up in a Taiwanese/Chinese household. I write both Taiwanese and Chinese because my grandparents were Chinese nationalists (KMT) who fought and lost to the communists and left China with Chiang Kaishek when he retreated to Taiwan. We're from Guangdong.

Even though my grandparents spent most of their adult life in Taiwan and America, they still identify as Chinese. They still vote for the KMT and consider Taiwan a part of a democratic China, not the PRC but the ROC.

I don't identify with an authoritarian China that suppresses freedom of speech, press and religion, commits cultural genocide against the Uyghurs, dilutes Tibetan culture and wants to annex democratic Taiwan. I wouldn't like living in a country like that.

But that's exactly what an uncle proposed me: some months ago he bought a house in Guangdong, a house he offers to our whole family. If I want, he says, I can live with him for free, he's even offering me to let me live at his condo when he's not in China (travels to America and Taiwan a lot).

I don't see it: I'm politically active, actually support Taiwanese independence and I don't believe I could keep my mouth shut if a Chinese starts telling me that Taiwan is a part of China every time I tell them I an actually Taiwanese. The conversation could go south really fast if they start to repeat communist propaganda about helping Uyghurs escape poverty (just an example out of several). I could land in jail.

My uncle says I should forget about politics and enjoy the scenery and local food. I still don't see it.

Am I a moron? I'd only have to pay for the flight and food for as long as I live in China, a country cheaper than both Taiwan and the US

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[–] Lemvi@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I have a Taiwanese friend who is very much anti-CCP, but he does go to china for vacation every now and then.

Yes, you need to be in the right headspace, you cannot expect to vocally or publicly criticize the government and go unpunished. But politics are not everything. China is beautiful in many ways and has many great people. I think it would be a good idea to take the opportunity and make this experience. And afterwards, your opinions on china and the CCP will have a stronger foundation than they do now.

edit: you say you are politically active: is this evident from your social media accounts? That might be problematic.

[–] Flyberius@hexbear.net 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

You absolutely can criticise the government. Having spent the last year travelling there, it was a regular topic of conversation with locals. There was absolutely no fear of being dragged away by the secret police

[–] Lemvi@lemmy.sdf.org -2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Of course, that is also not what I would consider 'publicly or vocally'.

[–] Flyberius@hexbear.net 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I mean they had huge protests against lockdowns during COVID which resulted in the government relaxing those lockdowns. I can't think of a more public or vocal way of criticizing the government than that

[–] Lemvi@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

We shouldn't confuse the effectiveness of these protests with their legality. Yes, the protests moved the government to change its approach to prevent even more unrest. Still, the CCP considered them to be illegal and reacted with force, arresting participants or those that spread information about the protests.

[–] m532@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 4 days ago

"Information" is technically applicable as a description of viruses like covid, as they don't live themselves, so, one could say those who protest against covid measures "spread information"

Hehehe