Peter Boyle: The recent protests in China: An interview with PSM’s Choo Chon Kai

Peter Boyle discusses The recent protests in China: An interview with PSM’s Choo Chon Kai.

In the context of the escalating imperialist drive to contain China’s rise on economic, political and military fronts, some leftists in the West, and even in your country, are painting democracy activists in China as agents of imperialism. What do you say about this tendency?

This is really divisive for the left. The US feels threatened by China’s rise in economic power and is using every means to try and contain it and retain US supremacy. Of course the US is trying to use the recent protests as an excuse for its hostile policies against China, but the people in China also have a legitimate right to struggle for a better life and more democratic space. 

A lack of support from the left around the world will alienate them from the genuine democracy movement, and the real left, in China. This will also have the effect of pushing some democracy activists to the right-wing imperialist forces — not only in China but also in other countries whose governments are the targets of the imperialist powers in this period of growing geopolitical tensions.

It is challenging for the left to work out the correct policy in this situation, but this is a challenge it needs to take up.

Emphasis in original

This is also the case with the Kurds, Ukraine, BREXIT, Cuba, Venezuela, etc. There is a genuine progressive current that is being exploited by the Imperialist forces for their own needs. The progressive forces are glad to accept help from the Capitalist class because the Capitalists currently have the overwhelming force on their side.

The difficulty for progressive forces to maintain their identity and integrity while accepting help from a rival Imperialist power to counter another Imperialist power. Survival can make identity and integrity seem like luxuries to be enjoyed in better times.

Blank pieces of paper stuck on the 'Freedom' sign at Xidian University in China. Image: Wikimedia Commons