华裔参选者们，请不要被中国“海市蜃楼迷”迷住双眼

如果即将到来的联邦大选中的政治候选人认为他们可以通过打出“爱国牌”来吸引华社选票，那么他们可能打错了算盘。

If political candidates in the upcoming election assume that they can woo voters from the Chinese community by playing a pro-China card, they should think twice.

的确，这些打着“爱国牌”的参选者会受到那些亲共的五毛分子们的夹道欢迎。随着中国经济实力的增长和军事力量的上升，一股莫名的自豪感在海外侨胞人士中冉冉升腾。那些在滋滋不断的教诲中长大的年轻人们将爱国的教导牢记心中；在中国经济繁荣期狠捞了一笔的中年移民们也会对祖国的施恩感激涕零；而那些仍盯着中国市场这块肥肉的利益大佬们呢？他们谁敢对党的主张说个“不”字！

Indeed, they may find “love” by voters who are vocal in support of Beijing. Amidst a growing economic power and military might, a China pride is surging in the overseas diaspora. Patriotism appears running high among those raised on a steady diet of pro-Communist Party messaging. The admiration for the communist party is also felt strongly by middle-aged immigrants who raked a bonanza throughout China’s economic boom. Stakeholders eyeing the lucrative Chinese market are under an urge to toe the party line.



但是不要把眼睛仅仅盯准那些高举国旗的爱国先锋们。随着中国政府不断向海外扩张专制势力，加拿大海外华裔群体中的反共浪潮也不断兴起。他们对共产党许多专制行径看不顺眼，对其侵犯人权，迫害异见人士和打压自由言论的做法极为反感。但害怕因公开反党会让自己处境危险或让家人遭连累，他们大都怒不敢言，并在按捺心中不满的同时，被迫三缄其口，默不作声。

However, this so-called patriotism is just part of the story. As Beijing increasingly asserts its authoritarian influence globally, a growing anti-China force has emerged from the overseas diaspora in Canada. They harbor deep-rooted disapproval of the party’s tightened authoritarian grip– from human rights abuse to intolerance towards dissent to crackdown on free speech. But they may not take overt actions to protest against the communist party, out of fear of repercussions that would put themselves or their loved ones in danger. They are the silent dissidents, feeling compelled to hold their tongues.



这种“反潮流”现象在中国大陆留学生中可见一斑。许多学生虽不愿与中共保持一致，但却不敢公开表态，阐明自己的立场。人权监督机构的“中国研究”学者王雅秋对这种现象有过具体报道和描述。她表示很多中国留学生对中国政府践踏人权行径极为不满但心存恐惧。但他们事不关己的表象却与愤懑不安的内心形成强烈对比。

You can catch a glimpse of these diverse views towards Beijing through Chinese international students. Many students held opinions dissenting from pro-China stance but are reluctant to be outspoken in public. Yaqi Wang, a Chinese researcher at Human Rights Watch, painted a picture of this silent demographic torn between outrages and fear over the Chinese government. Their outward quiescence is often in vivid contrast to their anger and dissatisfaction towards Beijing’s human rights abuse.

即使那些支持共产党的言论也是学生们因担心遭报复和迫害而为之。《纽约时报》一篇揭示澳大利亚校园内中国留学生焦虑心情的文章对这一现象进行了报道。文章引用了一位大陆留学生之言：“我们的国家，民族，文化和政府是一体的。无论你批评哪个，都是对这一整体的冒犯。”但就在他发表这一言论之前不久，中国当局曾造访了他在中国的家。悉尼大学学生报刊的编辑向《纽时》表示，许多参加支持中共抗议的学生并不是出于爱国心，而是为了达到“自我表现”的目的。

Even some students’ statements supporting Beijing could be the outcomes of the fear of the repercussions, according to a N Times article shedding light on the deepening anxiety among Chinese students on Australian university campuses. “We don’t differentiate the country, the culture, the people, the government. If you criticize one, you criticize all four,” a Chinese student was quoted as saying in the article. However, Chinese authorities had visited his home in China prior to his statements. An editor at a student newspaper at the University of Sydney told the NYTimes that many students attending pro-Beijing protests were not driven by “patriotism” but the desire for gaining “self-identity.”



在民主加国的投票站，选民是受隐私法保护的。加国华裔在那里可享受政治自由并安全地行使其民主权利。没有人敢用枪逼着他们投票，中国政府也不敢把监视仪安装到加国的投票箱上。因此那些沉默的异见华裔会随心所欲地把票投给支持民主立场的候选人，而不是遵守秘密特工的指令，将票投给共产党支持的参选者，不管这些便衣特工们是谁，所代表的势力有多强大。

Ballot boxes in democratic Canada are protected by the election law, which ensures the privacy and security as voters choose their trusted candidates. Chinese Canadians will exercise their political rights under freedom because communist China cannot stick its surveillance cameras over voting booths in Canada. The silent dissidents will vote for the candidates supporting for democratic values, rather than those backed by China. They will not comply with the orders given by the clandestine agents, no matter who they are and what a powerful force they represent.

显然，那些被“中国海市蜃楼”迷住了双眼的参选者，只能在投票结果前望洋兴叹了！

Undoubtedly, the candidates who get fooled by the “China mirage” may experience voting shocks on the election night.