• About
  • Photo Contest: AAPI Heritage Month
  • Community Calendar
  • Advertise
  • Subscriptions
  • Contact
  • Seattle Chinese Post

Northwest Asian Weekly


  • Community
    • Names in the News
    • Local
    • Business
    • Pictorials
    • Obituaries
  • Nation
  • World
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Columns
    • On the Shelf
    • At the Movies
    • A-POP!
    • Publisher Ng’s blog
    • The Layup Drill
    • Travel
    • Wayne’s Worlds
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentary
    • Publisher Ng’s blog
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Astrology
  • Classifieds
  • Community Calendar
You are here: Home / Columns / Publisher Ng's blog / Blog: Politics sneaks into Chinatown parade

Blog: Politics sneaks into Chinatown parade

July 28, 2011 By Northwest Asian Weekly

By Assunta Ng

Consul General Gao Zhansheng (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)

Politics is about punching the enemy when he is not expecting it. At the Chinatown parade last Sunday, the “punch” was actually a small, but very controversial, flag.

For the first time in the parade’s 50-year history, its organizer, the Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce, invited China’s Consul General Gao Zhansheng of San Francisco, to be a part of the parade.

Traditionally, Taiwan officials are represented in the parade. Upon learning that the Chinese consul general would show up, Taiwan’s director general Daniel Liao excused himself from participating.

Instead, he sent his deputy director general Sam Peng.

Taiwan official Sam Peng holds the Taiwanese flag during the parade (Photo by Rebecca Ip/SCP)

To diffuse tension and prevent any unforeseen conflicts, Dennis Su, the event co-chair, introduced Gao to Peng at a restaurant prior to the parade. “They were friendly towards each other,” said Su.

“They even shook each other’s hands.”

But Peng surprised many Chinese Americans, including Su, when he waved Taiwan’s flag of the Republic of China during his ride in the parade. In the past, no Taiwan officials has held a flag during the Chinatown parade. Peng’s deliberate act would draw attention to the controversial “two-China” policy.  The U.S. government has a one-China policy, that the People’s Republic of China is the sole government of China.

One of the Chinese groups, not affiliated with Zhansheng, holds the Chinese flag (Photo by Rebecca Ip/SCP)

Gao was in the first part of the parade, so he was unaware that Peng, who was behind several other groups, would carry a Taiwan flag.

Designed with fanfare, Gao’s entry was accompanied by more than 200 dancers and participants in colorful costumes, reflecting the diverse minority groups of China. He and his group released white pigeons to symbolize goodwill and friendship toward the Seattle Chinese community. As he stepped out from the BMW at the end of the parade and approached the stand, Peng had just arrived and waved the flag at the people watching. Gao was furious and avoided the stand until Peng passed.

A few people who saw this said in Chinese, “Put that flag down.”

“This event should not be about politics,” said Gao in a brief interview later. “We all came to showcase Chinese culture. They should not do this kind of petty act. I was very unhappy when they did that. Look, I didn’t bring any flags myself. We are the legitimate government recognized by the U.S. government.” It should be noted that one of the groups that followed Gao did raise a big China flag.

“I was surprised that Peng still did such a petty act,” said Su.  “But then, I was also not surprised because it’s Peng’s job,” to irk the Chinese side. “And it’s Gao’s job to show his anger towards this incident.”

“This is a free country. There’s not much I can do,” added Su.

Contrary to the Chinese–Taiwan officials who tried to outdo each other, the local politicians who walked in the parade didn’t bring fancy cars, tricks, or any surprises. They walked on foot to meet and greet.

Each of the 10 political candidates who participated in the parade paid the $100 entry fee. Aside from four Seattle City Councilmembers campaigning at the parade, the most notable rivals were the gubernatorial candidates Attorney General Rob McKenna, a Republican, and Congressman Jay Inslee, a Democrat.

Both brought their Asian American supporters along.

Melanie Brown, who is white, was sitting on South Jackson Street and missed the political China–Taiwan drama on South King Street. The Chinatown parade has been her favorite parade for the past 15 years.

“I love the color and diversity of the groups.”

Su said this was the biggest turnout, with more than 10,000 people attending, since he chaired the event nine years ago. The success of the parade is determined by the number of groups participating, which in turn lead more friends and families to come to Chinatown. And this year, there were more than 70 groups, an increase of 12 percent from 2010.

If you watched the Chinatown parade for the first time, you would be amazed by its diversity. “For a second, I thought this was Harlem,” said my Canadian friend.

“There are so many Black attendees.”

Florida Daniels, 91, an African American, said she has enjoyed the parade for almost half a century. The Chinese Drill Team and the Chinese dragon delighted her immensely.

Perhaps the only negative was a fight that broke out toward the last part of the parade at Seventh Avenue and South Jackson Street. Su said three policemen quickly jumped on it and controlled the crowd in seconds. No one was hurt. But it delayed the last few groups joining the procession. ♦

Share:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Publisher Ng's blog Tagged With: 2010, 2011, Blog Politics, China Taiwan, Chinatown, Chinese Americans, Chinese Taiwan, Congressman Jay Inslee, Daniel Liao, Dennis Su, Florida Daniels, Gao Zhansheng, Melanie Brown, Sam Peng, Seattle Chinese Chamber, Seattle City Councilmembers, Seventh Avenue, South Jackson Street, South King Street, Vol 30 No 31 | July 30 - August 5

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Find us on Issuu!

Subscribe to our e-news

Front pages

Biden awards Medal of Honor for Vietnam heroism

Lori Matsukawa: Recipient of Japanese Emperor’s Rising Sun Award—A celebration of the Japanese Americans’ achievements

Local community benefits from man’s pickleball passion

Norman Mineta, transportation secretary in 9/11 era, dies

UW bioethicist calls for justice in distributing global COVID treatments

Community members urge support for SPD hiring bonuses

PICTORIAL: AAPI Heritage Celebration

“Celebrate Asia” 2022 encourages a community to move forward, together

Biden COVID coordinators leaving in April, Jha to take over

Long COVID: the disease that cannot be described

More of Last Week's Front Page

© 2022 NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
412 MAYNARD AVE. S., SEATTLE, WA 98104
206-223-5559 | INFO@NWASIANWEEKLY.COM