Uploaded August 2013 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Hi guys, I'm Karen and this is the Run List.
A huge protest in Taiwan happened over the weekend, after Hung Chung-chiu, a 24-year-old army conscript, died from abuse on July 4th. He passed away from multiple organ failure, caused by heatstroke, after being forced to exercise excessively by his superior officers as punishment for bringing a cellphone onto his base. Some people think the punishment was vendetta by officers who didn't get along with him. Hung had just 3 days left before finishing the compulsory military service.
Now, Taiwan is no stranger to protests, but this particular one stood out, first because of its size, around 200,000 people converged near the Presidential office, but also, unlike most other protest on the island, this one wasn't organized by either of the major political parties. It really was an expression of anger by the general public at the fact that a young man died under suspicious circumstances, and that the government failed to properly investigate the military for wrongdoing.
Another thing that's making this case rather interesting is the amount of interest it has generated across the Taiwan Strait, in Mainland China.
Now, the mass demonstration happened after the Defense Minister was forced to resign, and several military personnel were indicted. Taiwan's president Ma Ying-jeou has also apologized profusely over the incident, pledging to uncover the truth.
For Chinese netizens, this kind of response is already unimaginably beyond how their own officials would've reacted. Recently a fruit vendor in China was beaten to death by city patrol officers, and state-run Global time issued an editorial urging the media not criticize the local government.
Chinese netizens were also more than impressed that 200,000 Taiwanese people took to the streets and were able to hold up signs calling the government "scum". Then, when President Ma attended the Hung's funeral proceedings on Sunday, mourners heckled him and told him to climb into the coffin. Unmoved, Ma told the security guards not to push away the protestors. Ma was also denied a handshake by Hung's sister.
All of this was a huge eye opener for ordinary Chinese citizens. The Taiwanese protestors do not have to worry about retribution for heckling the head of state; Hung's sister had no qualms about making Ma Ying-yeou lose face by not shaking his hand; and all these people got together simply to pursue the truth for one young man and his family.
This Sina Weibo user wrote: For Taiwanese people, one wronged person takes away the dignity from everyone else. Democracy and justice don't come from endless discussions and theoretical papers. It's something the public fights for themselves.
Another person wrote: In China, multiple cases like this happen every day, but no one takes the blame. All the public can do is stare with their hateful yet helpless eyes.
You know, President Ma Ying-jeou has been pushing for closer ties between Taiwan and Mainland China. He's gotten a lot of criticism for that, basically for exposing Taiwan to the communist regime's plans to claim the island. I agree with those sentiments and think that Ma may be too optimistic sometimes, but then I also feel that as more and more mainland Chinese people are exposed to the types of freedoms and democratic ways that Taiwanese get to enjoy, it'll also make the Chinese think that much harder about how their lives are different under the Communist Party. And I think this particular case perfectly highlights that the government should be accountable for their actions, and as citizens of a country, you have the right to stand together and demand justice, even if it is just for one person.
What do you think about how the Taiwanese people have responded to the death of Mr. Hung. What about how Chinese people are reacting to this. Let us know your thoughts down below, and help us share this video with your friends.
Hi guys, I'm Karen and this is the Run List.
A huge protest in Taiwan happened over the weekend, after Hung Chung-chiu, a 24-year-old army conscript, died from abuse on July 4th. He passed away from multiple organ failure, caused by heatstroke, after being forced to exercise excessively by his superior officers as punishment for bringing a cellphone onto his base. Some people think the punishment was vendetta by officers who didn't get along with him. Hung had just 3 days left before finishing the compulsory military service.
Now, Taiwan is no stranger to protests, but this particular one stood out, first because of its size, around 200,000 people converged near the Presidential office, but also, unlike most other protest on the island, this one wasn't organized by either of the major political parties. It really was an expression of anger by the general public at the fact that a young man died under suspicious circumstances, and that the government failed to properly investigate the military for wrongdoing.
Another thing that's making this case rather interesting is the amount of interest it has generated across the Taiwan Strait, in Mainland China.
Now, the mass demonstration happened after the Defense Minister was forced to resign, and several military personnel were indicted. Taiwan's president Ma Ying-jeou has also apologized profusely over the incident, pledging to uncover the truth.
For Chinese netizens, this kind of response is already unimaginably beyond how their own officials would've reacted. Recently a fruit vendor in China was beaten to death by city patrol officers, and state-run Global time issued an editorial urging the media not criticize the local government.
Chinese netizens were also more than impressed that 200,000 Taiwanese people took to the streets and were able to hold up signs calling the government "scum". Then, when President Ma attended the Hung's funeral proceedings on Sunday, mourners heckled him and told him to climb into the coffin. Unmoved, Ma told the security guards not to push away the protestors. Ma was also denied a handshake by Hung's sister.
All of this was a huge eye opener for ordinary Chinese citizens. The Taiwanese protestors do not have to worry about retribution for heckling the head of state; Hung's sister had no qualms about making Ma Ying-yeou lose face by not shaking his hand; and all these people got together simply to pursue the truth for one young man and his family.
This Sina Weibo user wrote: For Taiwanese people, one wronged person takes away the dignity from everyone else. Democracy and justice don't come from endless discussions and theoretical papers. It's something the public fights for themselves.
Another person wrote: In China, multiple cases like this happen every day, but no one takes the blame. All the public can do is stare with their hateful yet helpless eyes.
You know, President Ma Ying-jeou has been pushing for closer ties between Taiwan and Mainland China. He's gotten a lot of criticism for that, basically for exposing Taiwan to the communist regime's plans to claim the island. I agree with those sentiments and think that Ma may be too optimistic sometimes, but then I also feel that as more and more mainland Chinese people are exposed to the types of freedoms and democratic ways that Taiwanese get to enjoy, it'll also make the Chinese think that much harder about how their lives are different under the Communist Party. And I think this particular case perfectly highlights that the government should be accountable for their actions, and as citizens of a country, you have the right to stand together and demand justice, even if it is just for one person.
What do you think about how the Taiwanese people have responded to the death of Mr. Hung. What about how Chinese people are reacting to this. Let us know your thoughts down below, and help us share this video with your friends.
