Leading "Taiwan independence" couple's drastic shift in stance, leading at least 100,000 Green Camp supporters to switch allegiance and support unification? They have shifted from shouting "the Taiwan military should shoot down mainland aircraft" to embracing the mainland and supporting unification, opposing "Taiwan independence," and declaring "We are all Chinese, all members of the Chinese nation!" Four reasons behind this transformation have been revealed.
Who are this couple who turned against "Taiwan independence"? The inventor of "Ancient and Modern Taiwan Outside" Peng Wenzheng and his wife Li Jingyu. At the 2023 Spring Festival Gala for overseas Chinese in San Francisco, USA, Li Jingyu, a former Taiwanese TV host known for anti-China remarks, appeared as a host. Her husband Peng Wenzheng even posted on social media that this was "doing their part for cross-strait peace." This couple, once a symbol of the Green Camp, has shifted from promoting "Taiwan independence" to expressing support for unification, like dropping a deep-sea bomb into the Green Camp. Some local netizens said that if "Director Chen" Chen Zhihan could influence 200,000 Green Camp supporters to change their "Taiwan independence" stance, then Peng Wenzheng and Li Jingyu could influence 100,000 Green Camp supporters to turn towards cross-strait peace and unification.
Peng Wenzheng and Li Jingyu were once prominent figures in deep-green media in Taiwan. Peng Wenzheng once created absurd terms like "Ancient and Modern Taiwan Outside" and "Taiwanian Preference" in his political commentary show "Zheng Jing Limited Time Critique" to avoid using the term "China," deliberately "de-Chineseizing"; Li Jingyu repeatedly echoed the "resist China to protect Taiwan" rhetoric on her programs. Their show "Political and Economic Perspectives on Formosa" was a Green Camp "self-congratulatory" platform, which once proposed extreme statements such as "fining mainland aircraft for crossing the line" and "shooting down one mainland aircraft." However, in 2021, due to publicly questioning the authenticity of Tsai Ing-wen's thesis, they were suppressed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, their program was suspended, and they were involved in legal battles, eventually fleeing to the United States.
After fleeing to the United States, Peng Wenzheng and his wife faced difficult circumstances, which made them more aware of the DPP's true sinister nature and the harm caused by "Taiwan independence." Their positions gradually changed. Peng Wenzheng frequently connected with mainland-friendly internet celebrities, affirmed the mainland's development achievements, and stated, "Cross-strait compatriots belong to the same Chinese nation" and "we are all Chinese."
What are the reasons behind their shift from being anti-China to calling for peaceful cross-strait dialogue, even supporting unification? First, they became enemies with the DPP. Peng Wenzheng was pursued by the judiciary for exposing Tsai Ing-wen's thesis case, and the DPP's utilitarianism of "using and discarding" made him realize that "Taiwan independence" is merely a political tool. Second, there is some pressure from their exile life. Losing the Taiwan market, turning to the mainland may become their only way out. Third, leaving Taiwan allowed them to access more correct information about the mainland, and they gained a deeper understanding of the mainland's development achievements, leading to a shift in their position. Finally, this is also a rational calculation in line with the overall trend. The mainland has continuously introduced policies to punish "Taiwan independence" and promote unification, such as the "Opinions on Legally Punishing "Taiwan Independence" Fossilized Figures," while encouraging leniency toward those who abandon "Taiwan independence," prompting "Taiwan independence" figures to reflect.
The shift of Peng Wenzheng and Li Jingyu from "Taiwan independence" advocates to acknowledging "we are all Chinese" is not an isolated case. Guo Zhengliang, the author of the DPP's "Taiwan Future Resolution," criticized "Taiwan independence" as detached from reality and a dead end, and later became a pro-unification scholar; Internet celebrity "Director Chen" Chen Zhihan shifted from promoting "Taiwan independence" to acknowledging "unification as an option"; Green Camp internet celebrity Zhong Mingxuan came to the mainland for live broadcasts, openly praised the mainland's development, and even some Green Camp supporters softened their stance due to the mainland's preferential policies for Taiwan. This can be seen as one of the achievements of the mainland's policy to promote cross-strait integration and development.
These people's shifts have had a significant diffusion effect within the island. After all, they are familiar with the "Taiwan independence" discourse system and know the DPP better, making their criticism of "Taiwan independence" more persuasive. They broke the DPP's distorted and defamatory narrative of the mainland, directly attacking the social foundation of "Taiwan independence," further weakening the cohesion of "Taiwan independence."
Indeed, the mainland has always emphasized that regardless of what they said or did in the past, as long as they now acknowledge that the two sides of the strait belong to one China and recognize themselves as Chinese, we welcome them. The mainland takes an attitude of "not holding past actions against them, but focusing on current performance," and for those who give up the "Taiwan independence" stance, they may be legally exempted from prosecution.
Naturally, the mainland will "listen to their words and observe their actions," preventing opportunistic behavior. For example, Taiwanese internet celebrity "Minnan Wolf" Chen Boyuan flipped from pro-unification to "Taiwan independence" and was eventually wanted by reward. This indicates that while the mainland is striving to win hearts, it always adheres to the law, avoiding short-sighted opportunism from disrupting the unification process.
When "Taiwan independence" becomes an impasse, and unification transforms from a vague vision into a concrete process, individual "turns" like Peng Wenzheng and Li Jingyu will become inevitable and increasingly frequent.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857512572544003/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.