"Together against the dictatorship" The "Milk Tea Alliance" formed by young people from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand

Reporter : Yuning / Editor : Li Jun / Publisher : Sound Of Hope / https://www.soundofhope.org/post/433087/ Direct translation

Image : The emblem and flag of the Milk Tea Alliance (Courtesy of Sound Of Hope)

Thais, Taiwanese and Hong Kong people all have the habit of drinking milk tea, although Thai-style milk tea will add sweetened condensed milk; Taiwan’s pearl milk tea is added The powder circle made of tapioca powder is called pearls; while Hong Kong people’s silk stocking milk tea is added with milk and sugar, but no one expected that the young democracy protesters in these three places are due to this kind of dessert that everyone often drinks. The alliance formed a "Milk Tea Alliance", planning protests against the dictatorships in the Asia-Pacific region, including the CCP, alongside computers and mobile phones.

According to the Times, at a protest rally in Bangkok this week, demonstrators waved Hong Kong’s black bauhinia flag and condemned King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand and Prime Minister Prayut Chan Ocha (Prayuth Chan-ocha) General.

Although the Thai government issued a notice through national television on October 15, announcing that it would strengthen martial law in Bangkok from the 15th and prohibit gatherings of more than 5 people in order to control the anti-government demonstrations that began on the 14th. However, on October 16th, street protests broke out in Thailand. The protesters demanded the resignation of Prayut and the reform of the Thai royal family.

Joshua Wong, a 24-year-old former secretary of Zhongzhi in Hong Kong, expressed his solidarity on Twitter. He wrote: "Our brave Thai friends are now ignoring the new laws of the Thai government and are rushing to the streets to protest against the dictatorship. We cannot let them fight alone.'#奶茶联盟' will bring a pan-Asian grassroots protest movement. "And he is one of the allies of the Milk Tea Alliance.

According to reports, on October 14, when a motorcade carrying Queen Suthida of Thailand passed through the streets of Bangkok, a group of protesters raised their hands in protest along the way.

The 22-year-old protest leader, Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak (Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak), a student activist at the University of Political Science and Law in Thailand, and Francis J. Bunkueanun Paothong, a top student of the International School of Mahidol University in Thailand, were subsequently wanted and arrested. They are accused of "suspicion of obstructing the royal convoy...intent to attack and harm the personal safety and freedom of Queen Sudida of Thailand." Although the protesters only held up three-finger gestures and loudly demonstrated against the royal car; however, if they are convicted they will be sentenced to more than 16 years in prison at the lightest level and life imprisonment at the most severe.

In response, Barry said before his arrest on the 15th: “The solidarity between the pro-democracy groups in different Asian countries reflects a strong feeling of friendship.” He also said, “All the people in the Milk Tea Alliance are victims of extremely authoritarianism like CCP, so we are friendly and friendly."

Not only Joshua Wong, but other democrats in Hong Kong are also very friendly to Thai demonstrators. The Hong Kong actor Wang Zongyao, who was accused of participating in the riot in the Hong Kong demonstration, also raised the three-finger gesture of Thai protesters to reporters outside the court. At that time, he said that this gesture was intended to inform people that the milk tea allies "synchronized with each other, and speak for each other."

The Milk Tea Alliance was established in early April this year. At that time, Thai actor Chivare Bright was besieged by CCP netizens due to his tweets on Twitter. Netizens in Hong Kong and Taiwan expressed their support on Twitter. Then, on April 14 this year, Based on the desserts shared by these young people like milk tea, the "Milk Tea Alliance" was established. This dessert naturally separates its allies from mainland netizens, because mainland netizens often drink tea without adding any other things, such as sugar and milk. .

On October 1st of this year, the Thai allies of the Milk Tea Alliance gathered outside the CCP’s embassy in Bangkok to read aloud the protest statement: “We know that the global political system is like a network that integrates internally... In the Milk Tea Alliance We express our support to the Hong Kong people, Taiwanese, Tibetans and Uighurs who have been persecuted by Xi Jinping. "They also used tweeters outside the embassy to sing "May the glory be to Hong Kong" for their Hong Kong allies.

In Taiwan’s Double Ten, Francis also happily videotaped his congratulations and explained to Thai netizens: “Thais should also support Hong Kong and Taiwan, because people all over the world who pursue freedom, even if they only support it, should unite. Mutual aid and remote support."

In September of this year, when tens of thousands of demonstrators were stationed in Wangjiatian Square in Bangkok, at least one demonstrator was waving Hong Kong's Bauhinia flag. Phuthanawat Chaphuwon, an 18-year-old demonstrator at Bangkok University at the time, expressed his heart. He said that in the face of a government that does not listen to public opinion, the bleak economic outlook and the impunity of the authorities, "They (Hong Kong people) are fighting for democracy, and so are we."

At present, the Milk Tea Alliance has expanded to resist the authoritarian government more widely. The Taiwan Promoting Thai Democracy Alliance, which is composed of Thai students living in Taiwan, said that the Milk Tea Alliance now includes people across Asia who are dissatisfied with the continuous expansion of authoritarianism and demanding democratic reform. They said: "We are the young generation rising in Asia. We demand to curb the dictatorship trend, show the democratic concept we believe in, and strive for a fairer and just society instead of 'Westernization'." They express this universal desire, the idea of ​​autonomy and gaining more freedom, that has resonated in many people's hearts. Therefore, many netizens from Japan, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Australia have also said that they also have milk tea, and therefore joined the Milk Tea Alliance.

Analysts in the Times believe that the allies of the "Milk Tea Alliance" in Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan are all aware that the success or failure of their protests will depend on the support and intervention of Western democracies. They are collectively calling for the conscience of the world and arousing the attention of the international community to their protests.

This alliance also clearly shows that young people including Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong are very dissatisfied with the CCP’s dictatorship and are unanimously fighting against the CCP, although they have different characteristics. In response, the British "Daily Telegraph" stated that the Milk Tea Alliance demonstrated "uncommon unity in Asia."