thegreatdivide
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Australian Politics<br />
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Good to see antiwar people in the US (as opposed to "freedom or death" neanderthals like chimera)
Global Times:
Young Americans recount moments angrily rebuking anti-China politician at a forum
'He is trying to lead us into war'
A video capturing a few passionate young Americans confronting a former senior White House official Matthew Pottinger and being forcefully removed from the venue has recently made a splash across social media platforms in China and the US. According to José Vega, the 25-year-old American who was being dragged out of the venue violently, Pottinger made inflammatory remarks accusing China of instigating a potential World War III during his speech at a forum on security issues relating to the Taiwan Straits recently held in New York. Outraged by these false allegations, José and his friends Simon Miller and Robert Castle felt compelled to speak out against Pottinger's divisive rhetoric.
In an interview with the Global Times, José recalled that he was held in a choke lock and struggled to breathe after that, while Robert was taken to a secluded area and subjected to further aggression.
Despite facing physical violence from security personnel, José and his friends remained steadfast in their commitment to stand up for what they believe in - "working with China, but not war." They were even labeled "Chinese agents" by Pottinger after the incident, a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common for writing off any criticism of US war policy.
What prompted José and the other two to stand up and angrily rebuke Pottinger? Involved individuals' accounts to the Global Times revealed another side of the incident - how US' "China hand" incited hatred toward China while voices calling ceasefire were silenced; and how American graduates appealing the US to adhere to the "one-China principle" was labeled a "Chinese agent."
The three young Americans also represent another perspective on the public attitude of ordinary American people toward China - they want cooperation, not hatred.
On July 1, the "Asia Society" in the US hosted a forum in New York to address the potential for conflicts in the Taiwan Straits. The organizers displayed a divisive stance by listing "China" and "Taiwan" side by side on the poster. Additionally, video clip shows that during his speech, Pottinger, as a panelist, accused the Chinese mainland of destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Straits, potentially escalating tensions to the point of sparking World War III.
"Pottinger, the neoconservative official, spreads lies and is paid to confuse the American public. He is trying to get us into wars and a nuclear confrontation, not just with China, but with Russia as well. His job is to make sure that the American public have some kind of hatred that's unfounded and irrational toward China. and I don't believe that the Chinese are our enemies," José recalled what inspired to stand up for expressing his discontent with the speech.
José said Pottinger did not respond to any points he had made, but rather calling him "paid by code pink," an US anti-war organization, and a "Columbia University student," in order to associate him with the large-scale student protests against US' funding of conflicts in Gaza that across the US campuses.
"I think it was his way of deflecting the content of what I was actually saying. I presented very valid criticisms of the US based on the fact that the US is the one that's actually been warmongering and trying to get us into World War III, not just with the Chinese mainland through [the Taiwan question], but also with Russia through Ukraine issue. The country is also sending money to Israel to instigate conflicts in the Middle East area," he told the Global Times.
Pottinger worked for Reuters and the Wall Street Journal as correspondent in China for about 10 years. He was sanctioned by Chinese government in 2021 for having "seriously violated" China's sovereignty. He has also endorsed joint US-Philippine resupply missions to China's Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) in the South China Sea, according to the South China Morning Post. Analysts in China believe that Pottinger's typical remarks are nothing but propaganda for an "anti-China united front."
For another protester Simon Miller, US' misconducts of fully supporting Taiwan like former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi did two years ago by flying to the island of Taiwan is akin to the actions happening with the Philippines. "The Philippines is bringing shipping and construction materials to Chinese-owned islands, which is a clear red line. If these actions continue, it could lead to a scenario of an inevitable nuclear exchange," warned Simon.
"What we're trying to do is to shed a light on the truth so that Americans can see where our policies are heading. If we don't speak up, we could face dire consequences. It's up to the American people to stand up to the government and say, 'This is unacceptable. We can't be pushed closer to World War III and nuclear war,'" Simon emphasized.
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