Discover the deep-rooted issue of ethnic polarization behind China's political divide. Explore the implications of a pro-establishment fencer's retirement in Hong Kong and the controversy surrounding her political stance. Gain insights into the underlying issues shaping Chinese politics and society.
Sources:
https://finance.sina.cn/2024-08-02/detail-inchhtat3409606.d.html
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/8/6/n14305540.htm
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20240805-%E5%B7%B4%E5%A5%A5%E9%8F%96%E6%88%98%E4%B8%AD-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E5%89%91%E5%90%8E%E6%B1%9F%E6%97%BB%E6%86%93%E6%8C%82%E5%89%91-%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB%E7%AB%8B%E5%9C%BA%E6%83%B9%E4%BA%89%E8%AE%AE
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/8/6/n14305540.htm
Outline:
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:00:43) The cause behind the political division
(00:03:11) "Asian Chao Meng" entered the top 50 of the New York Political Club
(00:05:24) The political position of the Hong Kong sword after the sword of the Hong Kong sword in the Baluyu war provoked controversy
(00:07:21) "Asian Chao Meng" entered the top 50 of the New York Political Club
Simply Politics, from China
The Ethnic Pathology Behind China’s Political Division, Hong Kong Fencer’s Retirement Sparks Controversy
Discover the deep-rooted issue of ethnic polarization behind China's political divide. Explore the implications of a pro-establishment fencer's retirement in Hong Kong and the controversy surrounding her political stance. Gain insights into the underlying issues shaping Chinese politics and society.Sources:https://finance.sina.cn/2024-08-02/detail-inchhtat3409606.d.htmlhttps://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/8/6/n14305540.htmhttps://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20240805-%E5%B7%B4%E5%A5%A5%E9%8F%96%E6%88%98%E4%B8%AD-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E5%89%91%E5%90%8E%E6%B1%9F%E6%97%BB%E6%86%93%E6%8C%82%E5%89%91-%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB%E7%AB%8B%E5%9C%BA%E6%83%B9%E4%BA%89%E8%AE%AEhttps://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/8/6/n14305540.htmOutline:(00:00:00) Introduction(00:00:43) The cause behind the political division(00:03:11) "Asian Chao Meng" entered the top 50 of the New York Political Club(00:05:24) The political position of the Hong Kong sword after the sword of the Hong Kong sword in the Baluyu war provoked controversy(00:07:21) "Asian Chao Meng" entered the top 50 of the New York Political Club
- Duration:
- 9m
- Broadcast on:
- 06 Aug 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
Good morning, and welcome to Simply Politics from China. It's Tuesday, August 6th. On today's show, we'll be discussing the cause behind the political division and the controversy surrounding the political position of the Hong Kong sword after the Baluyu War. Plus, we'll talk about Asian chao Meng entering the top 50 of the New York political club. Please coverage and more up next. I'm David, and you're listening to Simply Politics from China. We start off with an intriguing comparison made by visiting scholar Jiang Fei in a recent conversation with his mentor, Professor Barrett McCormick. Fei drew parallels between the current state of the United States and the late Austro-Hungarian Empire, suggesting that the US might be suffering from what he termed the Habsburg disease, a situation where identity politics take precedence, leading to parliamentary deadlock, paralysis, and political and social polarization. Here to delve deeper into this comparison is our correspondent, Abi. Could you elaborate on this Habsburg disease? Certainly, David. The Habsburg disease is a term coined by Jiang Fei to describe a situation where identity politics become the primary focus, leading to a deadlock in the parliament and a polarized society. This is a reference to the late Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was characterized by such issues. And how does Professor McCormick respond to this comparison? Professor McCormick, a Democrat, agrees with the comparison, but points out that the real problem of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was the Hungarians, not the Germans. He explains that the Hungarians saw themselves as a persecuted minority and actively defended their power and privileges against the Austrians and many smaller minorities within the Empire. He sees a terrifying similarity between the modern Austro-Hungarian Empire and contemporary America in the accumulation of complex institutions that may have made sense when they were created, but due to changes in the environment, these institutions have long become inefficient, yet are protected by powerful minorities with vested interests. So, he's suggesting that the U.S. government is hampered by a minority of Republicans who are more concerned with scoring points in partisan games than promoting national peace or prosperity. Exactly, David. Professor McCormick sees a parallel between the Hungarians in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Republicans in the U.S. He suggests that just as the Hungarians were more interested in limiting the power and success of the Austrians than in promoting the security and well-being of the Empire, the Republicans in the U.S. are more focused on partisan games than on promoting national peace or prosperity. He expresses concern that America's fate may be similar to that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thanks for that report, Abby. It's certainly a complex situation. Lifting gears now to local politics, the nonpartisan political club, Asian Wave Alliance, co-founded and chaired by Yatin Chu, has been ranked as one of New York's top 50 political clubs by city and state, placing 38th on the list. Here to discuss this further is our correspondent, Michael. Can you tell us more about the Asian Wave Alliance and its significance in New York's political landscape? Certainly, David. The Asian Wave Alliance is a political club that focuses on driving political education and interests in New York City's Asian community. It was founded in February 2022 and in just two short years, it has surpassed the influence of longstanding political clubs representing the Asian community. The club's key issues focus on quality of life and advocacy for New York's Asian community, including safe cities, great schools, thriving businesses, language assistants and senior care. And how does the Asian Wave Alliance engage with the community and the candidates? The Asian Wave Alliance frequently holds candidate forums and events to help the community better understand candidates' positions. It provides a platform for two-way communication between candidates and the community and recommends candidates whose positions align with community needs. Yatinchu, the chair of the club, has previously stated that ethnicity should not be the priority when voting, but rather the candidate's positions. What does this ranking mean for the Asian Wave Alliance? Yatinchu has stated that the club's inclusion in New York's top 50 political clubs shows that the work they are doing is making an impact. She said, "As a club founded in February 2022, we are proud of the influence we have had in just two short years, surpassing the influence of long-standing political clubs representing the Asian community over the past few decades." Educating and motivating Asians to vote in their best interests and to get true representation, not just party affiliation, is our mission and we are being recognized for it. Thanks for that report, Michael. Shifting gears now from politics to sports, as the Olympic events continue in Paris, Hong Kong's fencing gold medalist Vivian Kong-men-Y has announced her retirement from her career as a full-time fencing athlete. This decision has sparked a range of reactions from regret to controversy over her political stance. Here to discuss this further is our correspondent Bella. Can you tell us more about Vivian Kong-Man-Y's decision to retire? Certainly, David. Vivian Kong-Man-Y, who won Hong Kong's first gold in women's epee at the Paris Olympics, announced her retirement on her social media platform Instagram. The 30-year-old expressed gratitude for being able to focus on fencing for nearly 20 years and after completing her third Olympic journey, she decided to bid farewell to her career as a full-time fencing athlete. And what are her plans after retirement? Kong-Man-Y looks forward to new career developments that will allow her to learn and grow, equip herself, give back to Hong Kong, and prepare for the establishment of her own charitable foundation. She plans to use the prize money given by the Jockey Club to gold medal-winning athletes to establish a social enterprise or charitable foundation to teach children to learn fencing and share the joy of the gold medal. What has been the reaction to her retirement? The head coach of the Hong Kong fencing team, Zheng Zhao Kang, feels reluctant and regretful about this, believing that it will definitely impact the fencing team, but he still feels optimistic about the development of Hong Kong's fencing scene. However, what netizens are more concerned about and discussing is her pro-establishment stance, revealed after winning the gold and a political reform thesis that is similar to the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party but is considered a major setback for democracy. Thanks for that update from China Bella. Shifting our focus to local politics, the nonpartisan political club Asian Wave Alliance, co-founded and chaired by Yatin Chu, has been ranked as one of New York's top 50 political clubs by city and state, placing 38th on the list. Here to discuss this further is our correspondent Celeste. Can you tell us more about the Asian Wave Alliance and its significance in New York's political landscape? Certainly, David. The Asian Wave Alliance is a political club that focuses on advancing political education and interests in New York City's Asian community. It was founded in February 2022 and in just two short years it has surpassed the influence of long-standing political clubs representing the Asian community. The club's main issues focus on quality of life and advocacy for New York's Asian community, including safe cities, excellent schools, thriving businesses, language assistants and elder care. And how does the Asian Wave Alliance engage with the community and the candidates? The Asian Wave Alliance frequently hosts candidate forums and events to help the community better understand candidates' positions. It provides a platform for two-way communication between candidates and the community and recommends candidates whose positions align with the community's needs. Yetin Chu, the chair of the club, has previously stated that when voting, policy positions should take priority over ethnicity. What does this ranking mean for the Asian Wave Alliance? Yetin Chu has stated that the club's inclusion in New York's top 50 political clubs demonstrates the impact of the work they are doing. She said, "As a club founded in February 2022, we are proud of the influence we have had in just two short years. Surpassing the influence of long-standing political clubs representing the Asian community over the past few decades, educating and motivating Asians to vote in their best interests and to have true representation, not just party affiliation, is our mission, and we are being recognized for it." Thanks for the update, Celeste. And with that, we wrap up our stories for today. Thanks for listening to Simply Politics from China. We'll see you back here tomorrow. [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO]