Liu You-chen, a Taiwanese E-sport player, suddenly displayed a Republic of China flag while he accepted a bronze medal at the award ceremony of World Cyber Games (WCG) 2007, which took place in Seattle USA. The actions immediately infuriated the players like Sha Junchun (aka PJ) and Li Xiaofeng (aka SKY) and members of media from China. The Taiwan media United Daily News reported two Chinese gamers insulted and badgered Taiwan competitors until police and event organizers quickly separated them.
Li Xiaofeng, one of the most famous gamer in mainland, explains his compulsion at the WCG finals in his personal blog at star sports:
WE.SKY看WCG国旗门事件:事情的真相如此而已
ECP电竞中文门户 2007-10-12 10:28:00
关于之前在WCG赛场颁奖时的三两事看到论坛里有些人在议论的比较多。出来随便说下吧，当时的那种情况，确实很难让人接受。
做为一个中国人，在从小就接受教育的同时，在我心里也一直认为台湾的同胞就是和我们一起的。
当然后来慢慢的长大后也懂的了很多，和朋友之间也经常聊起这种事情，有亢奋的，有无奈的，总之都是中国人的现实，在我与朋友的内心里从未改变过。
当时在那里我们已经向WCG组委会提出了交涉，只是后来由于台湾那边的领队措辞过于激人，所以引发了冲突。
当然，我从不会因为这种事情而改变自己对台湾那边的朋友的看法，只是在有些时候，有些场合下，作为一个中国人，我们都会为之尽到国人的义务。
至于什么所谓的围剿什么什么的，媒体的说法，他们想怎么说就怎么说吧，人人都有一张嘴。
公道自在人心。
总之此事，中国WCG组委会已经因为台湾队伍里的少数那几个人的小动作，已经向WCG组委会提出了。
来自宝岛的WAR3朋友，希望我们彼此以后能够有更多的交流！(和台湾的WAR3朋友一起交流也并不是一两天了，我相信彼此之间我们是熟悉的，不要因为一两个人的不愉快而影响到我们彼此之间的友情）
PS：（我并不是一个记者，详细的事情经过我相信会有人出来说明的，作为一个中国人，我完全有必要在我们的团队在外面为我们的国家争取自己的利益，贡献出我自己的力量）
ECP Chinese Electronic Portal 2007-10-12 10:28:00
I see a lot of people are talking about the things happened at the WCG award ceremony. Telling at will, the situation at that time did make me too sad to accept what had happened.
As a Chinese, educated from the very beginning, I always believe the compatriots in Taiwan are standing with us.
Of course, when I gradually grew up I had learned more about it. Talking such kind of issues with my friends, some of them felt stimulated while some of them felt there’s no alternative. Anyway, it’s the reality of Chinese and the belief in our mind has never changed.
At that time, we had made representations with WCG Committee. Subsequently, It’s the Taiwan team leader’s sharp words that caused the conflicts.
Of course, Such kind of things have never changed my views to the friends in Taiwan. However, at some time, under some occasions, being a Chinese, we all have the duty to do something.
As to the attack from all sides or whatever, it’s the media’s spin. Just let it go because everyone has the rights to speak.
Justice will always prevail.
Anyway, China WCG Committee has reported someone’s petty actions in Taiwan team to the WCG Committee.
WAR3 friends from Taiwan, I wish more mutual understanding between us from now on! (It’s not for one or two days that we have communicated with WAR3 friends of Taiwan. I believe we actually know each other and don’t let one or two people affect our friendship)
P.S. (I’m not a reporter and I believe someone will introduce the concrete process of this event. Being a Chinese, It’s absolutely necessary for me to strive interests of our country and devote my own efforts while our team compete abroad.)
Although Li Xiaofeng displayed a mild tune in his blog, lots of netizens in mainland strongly supported Sha Junchun and Li Xiaofeng’s behavior in this event and they did believe what they had done was patriotic and responsible.
Here are two comments from Li's blog:
Ygod 发表于 2007-10-14 16:56:29
公道自在人心 爱国是做人的根本
Justice will always prevail.
Patriotism is the essential to be a good man.
Kyo.陈 发表于 2007-10-12 13:15:55
支持中国选手的做法!!!!
少数的极端份子,是不能得逞的!!
我也看到结果了,WCG组委会对台湾WCG代表队提出了谴责,
而台湾代表队也道歉了!!
中国人民永远是团结一心的!
SKY,好样的 ,
还有FLY,PJ
你们都是中国人的骄傲!!
永远支持你们!!
Support the behavior of Chinese players!!!!
The ultra-minority can never gain their purpose!!
I have seen the results. The WCG Committee has condemned the Taiwan team, and the Taiwan team has apologized!!
The Chinese people will hold together for ever!
Good work, Sky!
So do Fly and PJ.
You are the proud of China!!
Support you for ever!!
An anonymous netizen at Sohu’s blog community has a more impetuous attitude to Taiwan:
发布者 搜狐网友 2007-10-12 21:03
坚决支持！ 扎反！
什么台湾民众！ 都是大陆子民，还在上面舞国旗，什么概念？
如果打台湾，我们学校所有人同学都会参战！！
Strongly support (the China team’s behavior)! Strongly oppose (to the Taiwan team)!
What the Taiwanese! (you are) All the sons and daughters of the mainland; how can you display a country flag there? What do you mean?
If (mainland) attack Taiwan, all the people in our school will take part in the war!!
A netizen named Feng Guangsile (means very famous) gives his opinion on Taiwan’s report at club.china.com:
作者:风光死了 发表于:2007-10-09 12:52:04
事件是真，确有冲突，照片为证。
人物也没错，照片拍得很清楚，好几个中国的小伙子，挺帅。
漫骂也许有，年轻人火气大，特别是李晓峰刚刚输了比赛，心情不会好。
打人则未必，看照片上当时在场人数众多，众目睽睽下发生的事情事后否认得了吗？
但我想不通中国人怎么会骂别人“中国猪”，那不是连自己一块骂了么？不可能有这样的事情，想必是现场有人大声朗诵这个词，媒体找不到朗诵者于是想当然的把屎盆子扣在了中国人的身上，很没有技术含量。
新闻自由了！也不见得都说真话.
The event is true. Surely there’s a conflict which is proved by the photos.
The persons involved are also quite sure. The photos were photographed very clearly — a number of Chinese youth, who are pretty handsome.
Maybe there’s abuse. The youth are always irascible. Especially to Li Xiaofeng, who had just lost the game, he was obviously not in a good mood.
I don’t think there are physical assaults. According to the photos, we can see a lot of people were present; would they deny what they had done in the full light of public notice?
However, I can’t understand how Chinese people call others “Chinese Pig”. Isn’t it insulting ourselves, so such kind of things can never happen. I supposed there must be someone present who loudly spoke this word; the media couldn’t find out the speaker, so they threw the shit to Chinese. It’s really not smart.
Although there’s freedom of the press, it doesn’t mean they always tell the truth.
Even though, there were still a few of netizens in mainland who were against the Chinese players’ impetuous behavior to the Taiwanese.
Some anonymous netizens show their different opinions at Sina’s blog community:
[匿名] 新浪网友
2007-10-10 13:30:51
不支持SKY和PJ的这种形为.一点也没有风度.台湾是不是国家不是你\我\他都能说的算的.这不是一个电竞选手和电竞爱好者能分清的事实.政治的东西应该交给政治.而不是交给向征和平友谊的电竞选手.
2007-10-10 13:30:51
I don’t support the SKY and PJ’s behavior, which has no manners. Whether Taiwan is a country or not is not decided by you/me/him. It’s not a thing that an E-sport player or a hobbyist can figure out. The politics must be handed by the politics, but not by the E-sport players who represents peace and friendship.
[匿名] 新浪网友
2007-10-10 13:33:21
看看以上这些所为的爱国青年的留言吧.我现在终于知道为什么台湾要独立了.真是可悲.我真的希望国人能真正的把台湾当做自己的领土.但现在好像事实正好相反.如果我们永远用这种态度.我想台湾永远不会回来.
2007-10-10 13:33:21
Look at the above comments which are written by those so called patriotic youth. I finally see why the Taiwanese want to be independent. What a pity! I truly hope people in mainland can really regard Taiwan as one part of China. But now it’s quite on the contrary. If we always hold this attitude to them, I think Taiwan will never come back.
18 comments
hi i-fan,
the responsibility to convey truth is too heavy and i don’t think we can pretend to be conveying truth. but i do agree that we should be careful not to spread fault information and be opened and genuine in our communication. the “truth” (inter-subjectivity) will reveal in the process. for mainland bloggers, access to outside info is a problem, and proxy is usually slow. but if we can carry on the post in the comment section, it will make everything different.
trust, please don’t say that you are “shallow”. i really appreciate the comments and discussions here. also pipperL for spending time and writing a more elaborated post in Chinese in his blog. that’s the advantage of new media grassroots journalism. we all learn from the process :)
無論如何，臺灣都必須回歸祖國。臺灣人受西方的影響太大，分不清事非、原則、大義。本是同根深。大陸人愛臺灣，臺灣人卻始終想著大陸軍隊會進攻臺灣，其實我們衹恨民進黨與陳水扁之流。西方巴不得中國分裂，臺灣獨立，這樣就可以制約中華民族的復興。臺灣人應該了解歷史，了解我們血濃於水的親情。如果臺灣回歸，全中國13億人民都高興。如果臺灣獨立，中國軍隊會消滅台獨分子。我願意把生命拿出來。我相信中國的幾千萬大學生都會這樣做，爲國家統一做貢獻。西方與臺灣不要低估了我們的力量。也不要對中國人耍陰謀。我們的崛起之路是不可阻擋的！！！
“The world should support all the Chinese who embrace democracy, freedom, human right, love and peace; and condemn the opposite ones.”
So is there anyone who is against Democracy, Freedom, human rights, love and peace?
People from both sides all say they support Democracy. And people from each side accuse the other side of being undemocratic. That is the problem and that is politics.
Some people for example, would accuse America of not being a democracy except on election day but as a 2 party state controlled by lobby groups. Some would say that Iran is a better example of democracy because it has more political parties and voter turnouts. But enemies of Iran would not like Iran to be called a democracy. So they invent a new term called a “theocracy” and tell the Iranians here, you are not a democracy, you are better categorized as a theocracy.
And that is politics. Enemies of both sides accuses the other side of being evil.
So here we have TRUST accusing China of being unfree. But how is China being unfree when its people’s rights are protected by the Constitution? Don’t believe me? Read its constitution:
“Article 34. All citizens of the People’s Republic of China who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote and stand for election, regardless of nationality, race, sex, occupation, family background, religious belief, education, property status, or length of residence, except persons deprived of political rights according to law.
Article 35. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration.
Article 36. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief.
Article 37. The freedom of person of citizens of the People’s Republic of China is inviolable.
Article 39. The home of citizens of the People’s Republic of China is inviolable.
Article 40. The freedom and privacy of correspondence of citizens of the People’s Republic of China are protected by law.
Article 41. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China have the right to criticize and make suggestions to any state organ or functionary.
Article 42. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China have the right as well as the duty to work.
Article 43. Working people in the People’s Republic of China have the right to rest.
Article 44. The state prescribes by law the system of retirement for workers and staff in enterprises and undertakings and for functionaries of organs of state.
Article 45. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China have the right to material assistance from the state and society when they are old, ill or disabled.
Article 46. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China have the duty as well as the right to receive education.
Article 47. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China have the freedom to engage in scientific research, literary and artistic creation and other cultural pursuits.
Article 48. Women in the People’s Republic of China enjoy equal rights with men in all spheres of life,
and on and on and on
”
Before, I know very little about China and I get a lot of propaganda about how China suppresses human rights. One day, I decided to investigate this matter myself. To my surprise, I see that all these accusations are groundless. Chinese people in Mainland China enjoy some o f the best freedom and rights and it is protected by its constitution. Since then, I have been very wary of people making such accusation about China. They are political accusations. Of course, there will be times when there are exceptions but those are times when the victims should take their case to the court of law so that the court of law can rectify and accord them back their rights.
Time and time again, we see people are have been violated of their rights by the Chinese government go around the world making speeches. Then you ask them if they have tried to seek justice through the judicial system. And they say no.
Perhaps they do not seek justice through China’s legal system because it is not a just legal system. They know it and thus avoid it. In fact, initiating a case in such a legal system could bring the “troublemaker” to the authorities’ attention and thus result in imprisonment; that would handily stifle whatever grievance the person had wanted to draw attention to.
There are indeed many against freedom, peace, democracy, co-existence. As an example, please consider those who worship Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. I would also add the many Palestinians who train their children to hate their neighbors and, in some cases, are lauded for sending their children on suicide bombing attacks against civilians.
Even in states such as Malaysia, courts do not fulfill their duties responsibly. Consider Lina Joy, a convert from Islam to Christianity, whose conversion was ruled illegal by a Malaysian court, despite the country’s constitution that professes freedom of religion. What role did Mahathir play in allowing courts to be so weakened?
Hi, mahathir_fan,
Is Taiwan a democratic XXX? (XXX can be plugged in with anything you like! :P )
Actually it’s not, before 1987.
Brfore that year, there was indeed a Constitution of Republic of China, but it was suspended because of the quasi-War atmosphere. At that time, Taiwan people (including those who came to Taiwan with KMT around 1948) were suppressed by the martial law and dictatorship. Ironically, during the same period, Taiwan was ever being an ally of Western democratic countries during that Cold War period.
In 1987, the long term curfew in Taiwan ended. The rights guaranteed by the Constitution gradually went back to people. Since then, people in Taiwan can exert the freedom of speech. However, this basic human right is still suffocated by the power of the government run by Community Party.
I agree that the slogans like “democracy, equality, justice, blah, blah, blah…” are inherently relative. Thus, my allegation of “unfreedom” on China could be unfair. However, it is undebatable that people in some China are more unfree or suppressed than the people in Taiwan. Frankly, I am also unsatisfied with the human right situation under Taiwan government. But if let me choose China and Taiwan government to suck my blood, I’d rather let the latter one…
Checking Constitution is not enough, it could be just a make-up. If the department of justice is not independent, the constitution is useless. Only when a country can sue the government operators when the latter disobey the basic articles in the constitution, people can really use their rights. As long as the government is like a gang, I don’t see how could it be in a free state.
Here are some counter examples to the articles in the PRC’s Constitution.
Disproof of 35th article
http://www.epochtimes.com/b5/6/9/15/n1454490.htm
People who demonstrated for the water polluted by arsenic from a plant, the protestors were beaten by gangs, just in front of policemen.
Disproof of 36th article
http://www.hkflash.com/diary/read.asp?id=tanghofung&aid=13015082
“Community Party won’t interfere as long as not against the Party.” This is religious freedom, or religious control?
Disproof of 37th article
An entry from GVO online told the journalist who had written a story questioning the materials for construction of railroad was fired and cannot be hired by any news company in China thereafter. “People’s freedom is inviolable”, as long as the authority’s interest is not threatened!!??
Disproof of 39th article
Please refer to the planned destruction of historic Hu-ton(胡同) in Beijin.
It needs lots of time to show all the disproof for other articles. :P It’s pitiful that every beautiful article has its proviso, i.e. don’t violate the leaders’ XXX. (Again, XXX can be plugged in with: wisdom, decision, power, interest, etc.)
I do not live in China, but I read many events about violation of the basic human right of freedom in China. I believe people are lovely there. But those authority and interest groups are the barriers to make this country a more humanitarian state. Surely Taiwan is not good enough, but it is better than China. If Taiwan government and politicians still focus only on self political interest, soon it would be caught up.
他们小孩子一点脑子都没有，只会被利用。
要是整个中国都向台湾一样民主。会是什么结果？现在少数民族都有很多优惠政策。民主了我会第一个站出来反对，凭什么歧视汉族？要是来个投票决定台湾前途，我想将超过90%的人赞成武力统一。到时候不知道谁在笑？