my family are Taiwanese-Americans. I was born in the US, but I grew up in a Taiwanese/Chinese household. I write both Taiwanese and Chinese because my grandparents were Chinese nationalists (KMT) who fought and lost to the communists and left China with Chiang Kaishek when he retreated to Taiwan. We’re from Guangdong.
Even though my grandparents spent most of their adult life in Taiwan and America, they still identify as Chinese. They still vote for the KMT and consider Taiwan a part of a democratic China, not the PRC but the ROC.
I don’t identify with an authoritarian China that suppresses freedom of speech, press and religion, commits cultural genocide against the Uyghurs, dilutes Tibetan culture and wants to annex democratic Taiwan. I wouldn’t like living in a country like that.
But that’s exactly what an uncle proposed me: some months ago he bought a house in Guangdong, a house he offers to our whole family. If I want, he says, I can live with him for free, he’s even offering me to let me live at his condo when he’s not in China (travels to America and Taiwan a lot).
I don’t see it: I’m politically active, actually support Taiwanese independence and I don’t believe I could keep my mouth shut if a Chinese starts telling me that Taiwan is a part of China every time I tell them I an actually Taiwanese. The conversation could go south really fast if they start to repeat communist propaganda about helping Uyghurs escape poverty (just an example out of several). I could land in jail.
My uncle says I should forget about politics and enjoy the scenery and local food. I still don’t see it.
Am I a moron? I’d only have to pay for the flight and food for as long as I live in China, a country cheaper than both Taiwan and the US
As a Chinese-American, I would never step foot in mainland China ever again, not for as long as the CCP is still in power. (Profile pic is used in protest, I’m was born in mainland China, not Taiwan)
I mean, there is one really narrow circumstances where I might. If I get denaturalized from US Citizenship and deported, then I try political asylum in Canada, Australia, maybe some EU countries, then maybe I’d try Taiwan, and Singapore is also kinda an option (Canada, Australia, Singapore, are countries that have a high level of ethnic Chinese population, which is why there are my first go-to locations, its easier to fit in), if all these options are exhausted, and I have a rich relative in mainland China, then maybe I’d consider going there as long as I can get a VPN. I mean I’d have to shut my mouth about all the things I hate about the CCP, but if I have a VPN connection and my hosts aren’t too hostile, I can probably make that work.
But if I can’t access western media, I’d just be too depressed to continue. Like all the TV shows that might not be accessible in mainland China. (I really dislike the tv dramas in mainland China, like its not even a political thing, it’s just soooo boring, especially the majority of media is either romance or WW2 resistance against japan, I can’t stand it)
TLDR: If I run out of options and I can get a VPN and the people I’m living with is not too hostile, I might consider it, but otherwise, nope.
@ricesoup@lemmy.ml
Also to add:
The instance you are currently using (lemmy.ml) are operated by people who support PRC and Russia (colloquially known as “tankies”), you might wanna reconsider using a different instance considering your political opinions. (Also avoid hexbear.net and lemmygrad.ml, everything else should be fine)
As you said, you are Taiwanese American, so I’m assuming you’re currently living in the US? The US is currently having political issues with regards to the xenophobia. I’d highly recommend you to Do Not Cross a US border (neither entry nor exit) until this administration is no longer in power. Either stay within the US for these 4 years, or if things deteriorate further and you decide to move away from the US (exit is usually much easier than entry, since they usually do not check citizenship when leaving), plan to stay away for at least 4 years (or longer, depending on 2028 election results). You don’t wanna risk getting detained re-entering the US and this racist ass administration denying your citizenship. I personally am just gonna stay in the US, was planning on visiting Canada, but then this administration happened.
Since OP stated they are a natural-born US citizen, this scenario would be a significant escalation towards authoritarianism if it does happen.
Even doing this to a naturalized citizen would be an escalation.
Right now, most “border surprise” cases involve green card holders, not citizens, who have old criminal charges that rendered them deportable a long time ago. Just no previous federal government has cared enough to go find them and put them into removal proceedings.