Chinese Canadian protestors marched to China’s military anthem towards Canadian Parliament Hill
Why would they honour an army that murdered thousands of Chinese people at Tiananmen Square and fought against Canadian soldiers during the Korean War?
A Chinese Canadian community group raised a lot of eyebrows by marching in plain sight to the official anthem of China's military force on Canadian Parliament Hill last Saturday, June 24, 2023, further fueling the disputes surrounding the already controversial demonstration held that day.
A video clip recorded during the massive rally in Ottawa has been circulating on social media. In the 23-second footage, a contingent of some 40 people can be seen marching in a military formation along Wellington Street towards Parliament Hill. The group members move in perfect synchrony with the music emanating from a loudspeaker, which happens to be the official anthem of China's military force, ‘March of the People's Liberation Army’ (《中国人民解放军军歌》).
At the beginning of the clip, a female voice could be heard (00:02) giving instructions, ‘Golden Years (金色年华). Ottawa Parliament Hill parade. Start!’
Hearing this, the person leading the group abruptly made a military salute to the audience (00:11), putting his right hand on the forehead, while his left hand holding a Canadian national flag.
Members in the group wore the same uniforms, which looked similar to the Chinese athletes’ Olympic uniforms for the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games that featured the colors of red & yellow, and the pattern of auspicious clouds.
‘March of the People's Liberation Army’: the official anthem of China's military force
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The song ‘March of the People's Liberation Army’ was composed in 1939 amidst the Sino-Japan War and later designated as the official anthem for China's military forces through a decree issued by former CCP leader Deng Xiaoping (邓小平).
Since the CCP took control of mainland China in 1949, ‘March of the PLA’ has been consistently played at every PLA military parade held at Tiananmen Square, including the grand parade on October 1, 2019 marking the 70th anniversary of the PRC during which CCP supreme leader Xi Jinping waved his hand to a crowd of 90, 000 people.
During the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, the PLA troops, following the orders of Deng Xiaoping, killed thousands of Chinese people who held peaceful protests advocating for democracy in China.
The lyric of the ‘March of the PLA’ goes,
Forward! Forward! Forward! Our army faces towards the sun.
Stepping on the ground of our Motherland, carrying the hope of the People, we are an invincible power!We are the sons of the workers and peasants. We are the arms of the People!
Fearless, unyielding, heroically fight. Until we exterminate all counter-revolutionaries. Mao Zedong's flag is fluttering high!Listen! The wind is roaring and the bugle is sounding. Listen! How thunderously our revolutionary song is roaring!
Comrades, march forth united to the battlefields of liberation. Comrades, march forth united to the frontiers of our Nation!
Forward! Forward! Our army faces towards the Sun, towards the final victory and the liberation of all our land!
‘No Chinese flags! No Chinese national anthem! No red slogans!’
According to Senator Yuen Pau Woo (胡元豹), Senator Victor Oh (胡子修) and the event organizer, the purpose of the June 24 Parliament Hill rally was to remember the 100th anniversary of the enactment of Canada’s discriminatory Chinese Exclusion Act and defend Chinese Canadians’ rights and interests by working hard to prevent the history of Chinese exclusion to repeat itself.
But various marketing materials posted online suggest that the June 24 demonstration was planned to be a rally protesting against Canada’s proposed foreign agent registry, and encouraging Chinese Canadians to sign Petition e-4395.
Petition e-4395 is a citizen petition initiated by B.C. resident Li Wang (aka Ally Wang, 王立) and drafted by Senator Yuen Pau Woo that urges the Canadian government to reconsider the legislation of a foreign agent registry.
But for some mysterious reasons, two days before the demonstration, the organizer suddenly changed tunes and told participants not to mention Petition e-4395, and the opposition to the foreign agent registry. Meanwhile, the organizer issued a “3 No’s rule” to all participants, which forbade demonstrators to bring Chinese national flags, playing the Chinese national anthem, or chanting red slogans.
Even today, 5 days after the event, the official website of the June 24 rally shows part of the event was about signing Petition e-4395.
At an earlier event in Montreal organized by the Montreal Chinese Community United Centre (MCCUC, 满地可华人联合总会) on June 4, Senator Victor Oh (胡子修) told a group of Chinese Canadians to ‘bring Canadian flags and English banners only’. It was also at this event Senator Oh revealed his plan to establish a national foundation to raise funds for legal actions against Canadian reporters and politicians who ‘smear Chinese people’.
The June 24 Parliament Hill rally is reported to be caught in various controversies, including protestors receiving monetary compensation and free bus ride to show up, Senator Victor Oh promising to rent 50 buses to transport protestors to Ottawa, etc.
Why honour a military that killed thousands of Chinese people on Tiananmen Square at an event that allegedly defended Chinese people’s rights?
It is not the first time that a Chinese community group caused controversy by honouring China’s PLA. In October 2019, the Canada Chinese Veteran's Society in Ontario drew intense criticism when they were found to be dressed in PLA uniforms and proudly singing Chinese military songs on the stage to a large number of Canadian audiences.
Human rights activists in Canada, especially the pro-democracy members of the Chinese Canadian community, felt horrified by the group’s action. Published writer Anna Wang said they were ‘taking advantage of the freedom of speech in western countries’ by paying homage to a military force that crushed the Tiananmen Square protests, occupied Tibet, and stand ominously in the background of the Hong Kong demonstrations. In addition, the PLA was also the enemy of Canadians and other UN troops during the Korean War.
Shortly after National Post exposed the improper activities of the Canada Chinese Veteran's Society, this group dissolved. But Anna Wang reminded the public that this group might be part of a rise in expressions of support for the authoritarian regime in Beijing among the Chinese diaspora community.
Part of a network that has strong links to Beijing and the Chinese Consulate in Toronto
The name of the group that marched to the PLA anthem is yet to be identified, but there’s no doubt that they are part of the organizers for the June 24 Parliament Hill rally, instead of organic participants who went to the event to remember the defunct Chinese Exclusion Act and fight against anti-Chinese racism.
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