The Crimean parliament and an overwhelming majority of voters chose to join the Russian Federation, sparking protest from the US and EU and putting China in a rather difficult diplomatic dilemma. China’s government censors were quick to to forbid news organizations from making any connection to China’s own sovereignty “issues.” While Mainland news outlets were refraining from making those sensitive connections, Sina Weibo comments that did were being deleted [zh]. For example:
lc22: Seems as though China supports the Crimean referendum. So, why the opposition to Xinjiang, Taiwan, or Tibet independence? [Pondering]
中国若明确支持克里米亚公投，凭什么反对疆独台独藏独？[思考]
北京朱维民
: China mustn’t recognize the results of the Crimean referendum, or else it will cause no end of trouble. Imagine if Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) launched a vote for independence, where would you stand then?
中国必须态度鲜明的不承认克里米亚的公投结果。否则后患无穷;设想如果台湾的民进党发动一次独立公投、你将如何表态？
The Global Times’ Chief Editor Hu Xijin served his compatriots a reprimand for “daring to make comparisons” [zh]:
Global Times’ Chief Editor Hu Xijin tells his fellow Weibo users to refrain from making any comparisons between sovereignty debates on the Crimean Peninsula and those in China (Weibo)
胡锡进
: Don’t compare Crimea to Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Tibet, okay? The US and UK wouldn’t dare make that comparison, nor would the DPP, so why are we Mainland Chinese so quick to overanalyze? If we let Taiwan have a referendum, what do you think would happen? Let the Anti-Secession Law serve its purpose! China is never in the wrong, and from now on our need for power is most important. In this world, to a great degree, truth follows power.
别把克里米亚自比香港、台湾、西藏，好吗？老美老英都没敢这么比，民进党没敢这么比，咱大陆中国人干吗急着往里头钻？让台湾公投试试，还用说吗？用《反分裂国家法》伺候！中国从不输理，今后最重要的是要有力量，在世界上，理在很大程度上是跟着力量走的。
As often happens after Hu lets loose a weibo, many netizens were vexed:
dididadadididadaV5: Is Editor Hu a fascist or a militarist?
胡编是法西斯还是军国主义
JumpMan2013: The greatest power lies in the hearts of the people, not in military might. Do you understand?
最大的力量在于民心之力而不是军事之力,明白吧?
爬行的琥珀: In your thinking, marginalized social groups have nearly no power, so they’re always in the wrong and must accept their misfortune as fate?
照你意思，弱势群体几乎毫无力量，那他们就只有输理、认命？
人为财_死: What’s that? The Celestial Empire has no power? The shitizens wouldn’t dare walk down this road [of the referendum]. Who else in this world has so much power?
什么？天朝没力量？屁民们连上个街游个行都不敢，世界上还有谁这么有力量的？
新疆环桥文化传播: “Whoever holds the power is justified.” We’ve always been practicing this “truth” internally.
(Note: the user account of this post in translation is: “Huanqiao Culture Communication in Xinjiang”)
“谁有力量谁就有理”，我们一直对内践行这条“真理”
七兵QB: The precious Party’s “truth” is truly malignant; the people aren’t foolish. [We are] so sick of you, do you know that? You still pile on the BS.
贵党的这种道理真特么恶性，国民不傻。早烦透你们了，紫道吗？还扯！
悲夫-愚夫: If it only follows power, can you still call it “truth”?
跟着力量走的，还能叫做“理”？
For more commentary from China’s netizens on the recent events and referendum in Crimea, see ChinaSMACK’s “Netizens Compare Lost Chinese Territory to Crimea,” or the Huffington Post’s “Crimea Referendum Sparks Secession Debate in China.” Read more reactions to Hu Xijin on CDT Chinese [zh].
