Final Radio Project

Tensions between mainland China and Taiwan have escalated globally. Chinese citizens fear speaking out against the government due to the power it holds over them and their families. Chinese-Americans also have concerns for their family members in China. The fear of repercussions and government monitoring has created a reluctance to discuss Chinese politics. Taiwanese citizens, on the other hand, seem more apathetic and unconcerned about the possibility of China invading Taiwan. The Chinese government attempts to instill fear, while Taiwan provides a false sense of security. There is a difference in discussing the Chinese government as an insider versus an outsider. Mainland China and the Republic of China, or Taiwan, have had extreme political differences for decades now, but recently the tensions between the two territories have escalated to a global level. Over my years of learning Mandarin, I have encountered people from both China and Taiwan. I have conversed with teachers and professors that immigrated to the U.S., as well as citizens that live in China and Taiwan. I'll use the information I've gathered over the years to analyze and develop deeper insights relating to the differences between opinions and feelings from mainland China and people from Taiwan, specifically why some might feel more comfortable than others speaking about the issue. To develop a better understanding of the unfiltered opinions, I interviewed Chu Hong-chan, a Chinese teacher from second grade to the end of school. Speaking from mainland China, she has always been reserved about her political beliefs and opinions, but I was curious as to why. Many stay quiet because of controversy, whether in the U.S. or China, but others stay quiet because of fear. Even when monitoring technology wasn't a concern for the U.S., it was for Chinese citizens. There is still fear instilled in them because of the power the Chinese government has over them and their families. The beliefs instilled through education and society began at a very young age in China. One might think, even if China does you something they don't like, what can they do if she has been an American citizen for over 20 years? However, most Chinese Americans still have family in China. The same fear instilled by parents, school, and society carry beyond an individual. The fear of power is so great that there is belief the government will go after family and friends if they are unable to reach that person. Whether these beliefs are true or not is not my concern. I will be focusing on how power, society, and nationalism affect Chinese and Taiwanese citizens. Because of the sensitive subject, location, and time conflicts, Mrs. Zhuang preferred to interview over email. When asked about instilled beliefs and level of neutrality, she admitted to having been heavily influenced through school and society. She also admitted to being very uncomfortable talking about Chinese politics, whether in the U.S. or China. As a follow-up question, I asked if talking about politics was uncomfortable in the U.S. because of potential misunderstandings or because of fear, to which she did not wish to respond. She did say that she is not afraid of the government monitoring her through technology, but there is a concern for family members still living in China. She said whether private conversations are being seen or heard is unknown, but there is reason to believe speaking out against the government will have repercussions. She says she doesn't have any first-hand experience, but she has heard stories through family and school, which answered my first question, which was whether or not she believes her opinions are neutral. She did not wish to say whether or not her beliefs have changed since living in the United States. So how was China able to instill such psychological permanence? Whether it is through fear or through strategic nationalism remains unclear. The conflicts between China and Taiwan stem from an underlying sense of threat. Will China lose control and power over their people if others were able to escape that control? The conversations I had with locals in Taiwan fostered a different feeling than conversations with Chinese Americans or Chinese citizens. Granted, I had never met the people I talked to in Taiwan and rarely talked to them for longer than ten minutes. Despite that, the conversations seemed more apathetic. I also gathered that the political freedom Taiwan provides may cause the lack of interest in the Chinese government. What surprised me the most was the responses I received from one specific question, which was, are you concerned about China invading Taiwan any time soon? I traveled at what seemed to be the peak of concern about invasion, in summer of 2023. However, not one person I asked was genuinely concerned about the possibility, so I asked what their concern is about China invading in the next decade, and people in Taiwan still seemed to remain unconcerned and uninterested. The Chinese government has been trying to instill fear in the Taiwanese people, while Taiwan may be trying to combat those threats by providing themselves with a false sense of security. It seems speaking about the Chinese government as a cultural insider is very different from speaking about the Chinese government as a cultural outsider, even when those outsiders – Taiwan citizens – are directly affected by the actions of the Chinese government.