"A working group of 32 China hands published an assessment of possible infiltration of operatives from China in the US. In the 200+ page report published by Hoover Institution, the section on the PRC influence on the Chinese American community raised concern and objections from the community.
The report listed a bunch of organizations and associations, primarily located in Chinatowns of major US cities, San Francisco being most prominent, as likely being directed or influenced by China's Communist Party.
Given America's history of McCarthyism and xenophobia, the Chinese American community was understandably alarmed by the specter of mass arrest and concentration camps that could be just steps away.
Among the reaction of outrage, SB Woo, president of 80/20 Education Foundation, demanded that the working group provide evidence to back up their accusations that I am sympathetic to the goals of the CCP-I was the only individual named in the report.
In response, the co-chairs of the Hoover working group, led by Professor Larry Diamond at Stanford replied and offered as evidence that I have been listed as an advisor to the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China since the founding of the organization.
It's true. I did attend the inaugural conference in Sydney and my friend who organized the event listed me as an advisor. I had good company as a number of former prime ministers of Australia were also named advisors.
Former President Bill Clinton gave the keynote at the conference-this was in 2002. Apparently he also endorsed the idea of the peaceful reunification of Taiwan with the mainland.
Diamond sees the CCP in Beijing as the behind the scenes organizer and instigator of these reunification councils. Promoting unification or advocating one China is antithetical to his strong personal feelings for the independence of Taiwan.
On the other hand, the millions in the Chinese diaspora, no matter their family history, remember the Ming dynasty general that evicted the Dutch and retook Taiwan in the 17th century. Zheng Chenggong is one historical figure still revered by the people on both sides of the straits today.
That China had to recover Taiwan from Japan after WWII became that much more a matter of emotional ethnic pride to think of Taiwan as part of China. Unabashedly, I consider myself one of them. Only a small fraction of those born in Taiwan would deny their Chinese heritage and roots.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, supporters of the peaceful reunification come from all sorts of backgrounds. Allegiance to the CCP is not a necessary condition or a valid presumption.
As a bicultural person, I see the perspective from both sides of the Pacific and I believe a Chinese American point of view can add greatly to the public discourse about US China relations. I strongly object to having my loyalty impugned because I am willing to speak up."
George Koo writes regularly for online Asia Times. Before his
retirement, he advised US companies on doing business in Asia.
What Makes Our AsAm Community Strong? How you can help!
Besides leadership, the size of our war chest is probably next in importance in making our community strong. 80-20 EF is blessed with a $3.3 million war chest, thanks to all of you. I particularly want to thank 375 of our SELF donors, who having fulfilled their 5-yr pledges, nevertheless sent in equal or larger annual amounts year after year.
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