Freedom of speech has moved to China 🇹🇼🇨🇳 Taiwan likes to present itself as an «island of freedom», contrasting itself with «unfree China». In practice, however, things turned out rather differently. The authorities deported a student from mainland China who was studying on exchange at National Taiwan University. What was his «crime»? He took a photo at an event attended by Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te, creating an optical illusion as if he were «holding» him by the head, and posted the picture on TikTok with the captions: «Caught little Lai Ching-te, #CrossStraitReunification and #TaiwanIsAnInalienablePartOfChina» 📸⚡️ Of course, the student’s provocative stunt was bound to draw a reaction, but the measures taken against him outraged even many Taiwanese. He was summoned by the immigration authorities, his entry permit was revoked, and on 16 October he was deported and banned from entering Taiwan for five years for «conduct contrary to the principle of equal dignity and causing public controversy». The young man later admitted that he «thought there was a certain degree of freedom of speech in Taiwan». ⛓ The irony is that Taiwan has spent years accusing mainland China of lacking freedom, only to deport a student over a photograph and hashtags — in other words, for his views rather than his actions. Apparently, «freedom of speech» in Taiwan works only for those who support the authorities in power. #SOVINTERN_world #Hub_Asia ⭐️ Moscow Network Hub of SOVINTERN