Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 27, 2015

Propaganda. Taiwanese students protest “rewriting” history curriculum. Taiwan’s Ministry of Education responded on cue: police to arrest protesters—as well as three reporters. Notwithstanding Mark Twain’s “Never argue with people who buy ink by the barrel”, taking action against the students will fall into the playbook MLK used in Birmingham. Had the police not responded, there might not have been any news. The backlash will whack the Taiwan party that caves to China—just before an election. And, the stories reveal that freedom of Taiwanese’s own press in their own country is as bad as it is in China. Reportedly, the press aren’t allowed to cover a protest unless the government invites them.

Chinese TV shows a simulated assault on the Taiwan presidential palace. This raises questions about whether China has also simulated the vast mountain range and beach landing necessary to reach Taiwan’s presidential palace. China’s propaganda within its own borders could backfire—not that the international world should be concerned with whether China tells the truth to its own people, but if the public gets unhappy with the Beijing bullhorn, it would create another battlefront, on top of the other battlefronts expanded under Xi Jinping.  · · · →

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