By Oiwan Lam

Christine Fan, an American-born Taiwanese singer, received over 40,000 bullying messages on popular social media site Weibo after uploading a photo of her twin babies on September 3 during China’s military parade to commemorate the end of World War II.

The trolls accused her of not being patriotic enough, even though Fan’s nationality is American and China is not her homeland.

Apart from Fan, a number of other artists who did not share military parade photos were attacked online in a similar manner.

Below is an example of a typical comment from the “patriotic trolls”:

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You don’t post parade photos, but instead post your babies’ photo, you don’t love your country!

How can you not be touched? Are you Chinese?

You don’t love the country, leave China.[/mks_tab_item]

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你不发阅兵的照片，居然发你儿子的照片！你不爱国！

你不感动吗？你还是中国人吗？

你不爱国，你滚出中国！[/mks_tab_item]

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A number of Hong Kong artists upload salute photos during China’s military parade on September 3. Photo: Apple Daily.

Fan lost more than 200,000 fans within 5 days, from 47.93 millions before the parade to 47.73 millions on September 8 on her official Weibo account. Following the outpouring of hate, Fan deleted the photo and expressed regret:

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[mks_tab_item title=”Translation”]

I am sorry that because of my sharing of my babies’ photo, people are upset.[/mks_tab_item]

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真是对不起，因为分享了一张儿子的照片，让大家不高兴了！[/mks_tab_item]

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According to an online poll on Sina Weibo, by 10 p.m. on September 5, more than 80% of responses said it was OK for Fan to share the photo of her children during the military parade, while only 5.8% said she shouldn’t. Despite the vocal outcry, the majority of Chinese netizens likely share the feeling of Weibo user “Hi, Liming”:

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[mks_tab_item title=”Translation”]

Christine Fan attacked for posting a photo of her babies. How come a mother should apologize for loving her babies? What is the purpose of the military parade? To protect Chinese mothers and kids from fear? The call for peace is to ensure all mothers and kids in this world are safe and have the freedom to love? What’s wrong with Christine Fan?[/mks_tab_item]

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#范玮琪晒娃遭批#一個母親愛自己的孩子需要道歉麽？閱兵的目的是什麼？不就是為了保護中國的母親和孩子免於恐懼？呼喚和平的目的不就是為了讓世界上的每一個母親和孩子都有安全的、愛的自由？@范范范瑋琪 何錯之有？[/mks_tab_item]

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Christine Fan and her children. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Current affairs commenter Hou Hongbing argued that even though the trolls are a minority of net users, their online bullying of public figures could “redefine” the meaning of patriotism:

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To put it simply, an online community has redefined “patriotism”. Their judgement is not based on your contribution to the country or society and civilization. They attack those who are different from them, curse them and threaten them. And they do that in the name of “patriotism”.

When they are not happy, they forbid others to laugh; when they feel they should be happy, they force others to laugh.[/mks_tab_item]

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简单地说，网络上有这么一群人，重新定义了“爱国”，他们的衡量标准并不在于你为国家做了多少贡献，是否有益于社会和文明的发展和进步；而是，进攻每一个跟自己不一样的人，辱骂、胁迫，并把这种行为冠上“爱国”的名号。

他觉得应该不高兴的时候，便强迫别人不许笑；他觉得应该高兴的时候，又强迫别人一定要笑。[/mks_tab_item]

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Coordinated attack?

The September 3 parade was the first time that the Chinese Communist Party had organized such an event to commemorate the end of WWII. As anti-Japanese war efforts were led by the Kuomintang political party of the then newly established Republic of China (Taiwan), the communist party’s claims that it was central to fending off the Japanese invasion has raised more than few eyebrows.

China military parade. Photo: HKFP.

Another blogger, Shen Shi, believed that the bullying was a well-organized and coordinated censorship push executed by China’s so-called 50 Cent Party or online civilization army against artists. The author pointed out that a number of Hong Kong artists who had expressed support for Occupy Central movement, the massive pro-democracy protest in 2014, were prevented from appearing in movies, TV programs and concerts by mainland propaganda authorities. Given the large entertainment market that China represents, the sanction can ruin an artist’s career, so the online “patriotic” bullying can create fear among artists:

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[mks_tab_item title=”Translation”]

Though artists are influential public figures, their political engagements are counter-checked by their supporters. That’s why those artists who are working with dictators are trashed by their supporters. The dictator banned them because of their influences. For those who had not been banned, they have passed the political review, but such a review is a ongoing process. During the sensitive period, they have to be reviewed again; they would be pressured to perform their loyalty. [The bullying] is to let them know that if they are not acting according to what is expected, they will face the consequences.[/mks_tab_item]

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演艺人士固然有较高的知名度和影响力，但他们在参与政治活动时的表现受到的是与其他政治参与者相同的检验，这也是那些与极权同流合污的演艺人被唾弃的原因。他们有影响力、号召力，不是被处罚（封杀）的理由，而只是极权对他们的行为与影响力、号召力相结合的恐惧。那些没被封杀的艺人们被视作通过了政审的过滤，政审是持续存在的，每个敏感时段都是“检验”的时刻，用逼迫表态的方式施压，以令其感受到与极权勾兑就要时刻负起“政治队形的责任”。[/mks_tab_item]

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The scare tactic seems to be working, as at least a dozen Hong Kong artists saluted China in words or in photos posted online on the military parade’s occasion. A Hong Kong comedian, Ng Man Tat, even claimed to be a member of the communist party during the parade:

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I’m proud that I’m a Chinese Communist Party member.[/mks_tab_item]

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我驕傲，我是中國人！我自豪，我是中共黨員！[/mks_tab_item]

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