Recently, Taiwan’s Kuomintang Chairman Zheng Liwen visited mainland China in early April and met with the leader of China’s Communist Party Xi Jinping in Beijing. Following the meeting, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China announced measures to promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, including promoting the normalization of cross-strait air passenger flights and supporting Taiwan’s agricultural and fishery products. Meanwhile, there are reports from Hong Kong about the promotion of a so-called “special project” for individuals arrested but not prosecuted in the anti-extradition protests.
In response to this, commentator Sang Pu, in an interview with New Tang Dynasty TV, analyzed that Beijing is continuing to strengthen its influence and control over Taiwan and Hong Kong by pursuing exchanges, economic incentives, and political transformation concurrently. The focus has now shifted to how Taiwan can safeguard its own system and free society.
On April 10, Zheng Liwen met with Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Regarding the “Zheng-Xi meeting,” Sang Pu pointed out that from the transport arrangements, venue design to the way the photo was taken, it was evident that the entire meeting was highly orchestrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), reflecting a clear power gap between the two sides.
He cautioned the Taiwan government not to recognize any political outcomes resulting from secret negotiations between the two sides. He stated that if the CCP negotiates with Taiwan bypassing the government of the Republic of China, it would already violate the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.
On April 12, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the CCP announced 10 measures to promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, described as a “big gift package” for Taiwan, including promoting the normalization of cross-strait air passenger flights, facilitating personnel exchanges, and supporting the import of Taiwan’s agricultural and fishery products.
Sang Pu analyzed that the CCP has long packaged its political objectives in the guise of exchanges and economic incentives for the purpose of united front operations, portraying it as false peace but true unification. He believes that Beijing is now more directly advancing the so-called “One Country, Two Systems” proposal for Taiwan.
Sang Pu further stated that one of the roles of the “Zheng-Xi meeting” is to gradually induce fatigue and even numbness in Taiwanese society by repeatedly reiterating related narratives over the long term. He warned that in the face of CCP rhetoric, Taiwanese society must remain vigilant and not gradually give up resistance psychologically.
He also pointed out that recent developments in Hong Kong hold significant warnings for Taiwan.
According to a report in Wen Wei Po on April 11, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security John Lee stated that the Hong Kong government has introduced a so-called “rehabilitation project” for individuals arrested but not prosecuted in the anti-extradition protests, assisting them in “rehabilitating,” which includes arranging for relevant individuals to visit mainland China to “understand the country” and learn about national security.
Sang Pu expressed that the term “rehabilitation” itself is absurd. If individuals have not been judicially determined guilty, there is no concept of “rehabilitation.” Conducting ideological transformation under the guise of “rehabilitation” without a conviction is a blatant disregard for the rule of law.
He believes that for these individuals who have not been prosecuted for years, the real pressure comes not only from the case itself but also from the long-term state of uncertainty, including whether they can leave Hong Kong, whether they will be labeled, and potential impact on future employment.
On the same day, Wen Wei Po also reported that singer Hins Cheung has become one of the mentors for the project, leading youngsters to exchange ideas in the north. Cable News and “Hong Kong 01” later reported on Hins Cheung apologizing for his past remarks.
During the 2014 Umbrella Movement, Hins Cheung sang the anti-extradition song “Who’s Not Silent” with Anthony Wong.
Sang Pu noted that under the CCP’s long-term strategy of using both suppression and attraction, Hins Cheung has shown a clear transformation and become part of the CCP’s political engineering.
He further analyzed that Beijing is attempting to shape Hong Kong into a highly monitored area with a color of re-education governance.
The so-called “positive guidance project” essentially functions as a political restructuring mechanism: requiring individuals to confess, admit mistakes, then arranging for exchanges and ideological training up north, and finally returning to Hong Kong to show loyalty, even becoming a demonstration model in return.
He pointed out that this practice at its core aims to gradually make individuals abandon their original standpoints through continuous ideological rectification and eventually incorporate them into the desired political narrative of the system.
However, Sang Pu also mentioned that Hong Kong is not entirely lost; there are still some artists who continue to sustain a public spirit through their creations and voices.
In conclusion, Sang Pu reminded that the lessons from Hong Kong are not distant, and Taiwanese society must face them squarely and learn from the experiences.