On Veterans’ Day: North American Patriotism versus Communist Chinese Party-ism

The News of the Day can be found here.

Today, November 11, Americans celebrate Veterans’ Day, one of two days specifically set aside every year to honor those who have served and died for this country in battle (the other is Memorial Day in May). Just to the north, Canadians call it Remembrance Day, and as it is their only day to honor their veterans (Memorial Day had its roots in the American Civil War), this is a much more powerful day to them. Those of us who live south of the 49th parallel should not forget that Canada entered World Wars I and II earlier than we did, and suffered far more grievously in proportion to their numbers.

Yet as I give time to remember those who have died for my country, and my neighbor, my mind also drifts to those serving in Communist China’s “People’s Liberation Army”: the Korean War veteran who was arrested for a Tiananmen Square protest after his petition was rejected by the Communist regime (Epoch Times), the 1,000 veterans who were transferred to a regime-owned construction conglomerate which proceeded to steal their wages (Asia News), the soldiers stationed in occupied East Turkestan who have become prisoners in their own bases, terrorized not by the local Uighur population, but by the Communist regime itself, which refuses to let them return to their homes and has turned their barracks into “a concentration camp” (Epoch Times).

In Canada, nearly everyone honors those who gave their lives for their country – what type of country it should be is a matter of heated debate, but such is the nature of democracy. The situation is similar in America: even opponents of America’s military engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq express the utmost respect for the men and women in uniform. One would expect the Chinese people to have same reverence and respect for those who serve. So why does Communist China treat its own military so shabbily?

The answer clear and obvious, but on this day, I feel it needs repeating, the “People’s Liberation Army” does not serve China. It serves the Chinese Communist Party. Of course, the CCP would like everyone to believe that this is the same thing, but history reveals otherwise. Now, the PLA servicemen are realizing the truth.

A nation is best reflected by its people, and no one would challenge the fact that the Chinese people have a rich, deep, and strong love of their country. The Chinese Communist Party, however, is reflected by its corrupt, cruel, and self-centered leadership, which places power above patriotism, control above country, and nihilism over nation. Lest anyone forget, the Chinese Communist Party began as an adjunct to the Soviet Communist Party, and was more than willing to make deals with China’s enemies (Commentary Two, Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party) in order to enhance its political strength.

For the Chinese Communist Party, power is all that matters. Thus the fate of the country itself is of secondary importance. Thus, when Mao Zedong wanted Soviet military technology to strengthen the Party’s control, he gladly let tens of millions starve to death while the grain they planted was sold to the Soviets (Time Asia). Perhaps an even better example, especially for those who focus on Europe’s colonial misdeeds in China, came in 1974, when Portugal offered to return its Macao colony. The Chinese Communist Party was still so enamored with its Cultural Revolution bloodlust that, in order to avoid any distraction, it turned Portugal down.

For the Chinese Communist Party, China is nothing more than a resource to be used and manipulated. For the Communist military, the message from the Party is crystal clear – kill yourself ramming a fighter jet into an American plane and you become a hero, survive long enough to demand basic human rights and you become a prisoner.

So while we in the United States and Canada remember our veterans, let us remember what makes us different from Communist China. Our nations, imperfect as they may be, are guided by patriotism, and as such we honor those who strive and strove to defend us. The Communist Chinese regime is guided by Party-ism, and as such it dishonors itself – but not the Chinese nation – by ignoring, imprisoning, and intimidating those who kept and keep it in power. As of this hour, over 5.5 million Chinese have recognized this difference, and have publicly renounced the Chinese Communist Party. Anyone who loves China can only hope that this number will continue to grow, and that the Chinese Communist Party’s reign of terror will soon come to an end. It’s time for China’s military to serve China again.