Collusion of dupes seeks to pursue 'independence'

About 20 members of Taiwan's "legislative yuan" launched on Monday a "platform" in Taipei designed to connect "pro-democracy" groups in Taiwan with their "allies" in Hong Kong in the name of promoting democracy in both places against "suppression" by Beijing.

Not surprisingly five men representing the opposition camp in Hong Kong, including three "pan-democrat" members of the Legislative Council and two leaders of radical student organizations, were on hand to seal the deal, widely seen as a token of defiance to the overwhelming support for national reunification, sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country.

Obviously they did their best to omit any perceivable link to separatist or secessionist ideas in the paperwork for their cross-regional alliance, but people familiar with the political situations in Taiwan and Hong Kong have no problem understanding why they have publicly come together at this juncture.

The Taiwan side in this marriage of convenience is led by the New Power Party, which is as "pro-independence" as they come; while the Hong Kong side is well-known for its dubious label of "localist self-determination", which of course embraces "independence".

The NPP rode the Sunflower Student Movement of March 2014 to prominence while some of its Hong Kong allies are poster boys of the illegal Occupy Central movement, also known as the "umbrella revolution". But their media stardom came at the expense of their local societies' overall interests, and both camps have been experiencing waning public support lately as a result of their highly divisive and destructive political stunts.

The biggest victim of their activities has been democracy itself, as evidenced by the mess that is the "legislative yuan" in Taiwan and non-stop filibustering by opposition lawmakers in Hong Kong just so they can undermine the SAR government at all costs in total disregard to people's well-being.

People who believed the Sunflower Movement was all about democracy should have realized by now it was designed to put the "pro-independence" Democratic Progressive Party in power. The DPP got what it wanted, but Taiwan's economy and ultimately the local society are now suffering in its name.

Hong Kong, fortunately, has avoided a political disaster like Taiwan's, thanks to the principle of "One Country, Two Systems", but there are groups funded by foreign governments and forces hostile to China trying everything they can to achieve their aim of declaring it at least an independent political entity. They are sacrificing the city's stability and prosperity and residents' well-being for their doomed and selfish cause.