【Joshua Wong speaking to the Italian Senate】#意大利國會研討會演說 —— 呼籲世界在大學保衛戰一週年後與香港人站在同一陣線

中文、意大利文演說全文：https://www.patreon.com/posts/44167118

感謝開創未來基金會（Fondazione Farefuturo）邀請，讓我透過視像方式在意大利國會裡舉辦的研討會發言，呼籲世界繼續關注香港，與香港人站在同一陣線。

意大利作為絕無僅有參與一帶一路發展的國家，理應對中共打壓有更全面的理解，如今正值大學保衛戰一週年，以致大搜捕的時刻，當打壓更為嚴峻，香港更需要世界與我們同行。

為了讓各地朋友也能更了解香港狀況，我已在Patreon發佈當天演說的中文、英文和意大利文發言稿，盼望在如此困難的時勢裡，繼續讓世界知道我們未曾心息的反抗意志。

【The Value of Freedom: Burning Questions for Hong Kongers】

Good morning. I have the privilege today to share some of my thoughts and reflections about freedom, after taking part in social activism for eight years in Hong Kong. A movement calling for the withdrawal of the extradition law starting from last year had escalated into a demand for democracy and freedom. This city used to be prestigious for being the world’s most liberal economy, but now the infamous authoritarian government took away our freedom to election, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and ideas.

Sometimes, we cannot avoid questioning the cause we are fighting for, the value of freedom. Despite a rather bleak prospect, why do we have to continue in this struggle? Why do we have to cherish freedom? What can we do to safeguard freedom at home and stay alert to attacks on freedom? In answering these questions, I hope to walk through three episodes in the previous year.

Turning to 2020, protests are not seen as frequently as they used to be on the media lens, partly because of the pandemic, but more importantly for the authoritarian rule. While the world is busy fighting the pandemic, our government took advantage of the virus to exert a tighter grip over our freedom. Putting the emergency laws in place, public assemblies in Hong Kong were banned. Most recently, a rally to support press freedom organized by journalists was also forbidden. While many people may ask if it is the end of street activism, ahead of us in the fight for freedom is another battleground: the court and the prison.

Freedom Fighters in Courtrooms and in Jail

Part of the huge cost incurred in the fight for freedom and democracy in Hong Kong is the increasing judicial casualties. As of today, more than 10 thousand people have been arrested since the movement broke out, more than a hundred of them are already locked up in prison. Among the 2,300 protestors who are prosecuted, 700 of them may be sentenced up to ten years for rioting charges.

Putting these figures into context, I wish to tell you what life is like, as a youngster in today’s Hong Kong. I was humbled by a lot of younger protestors and students whose exceptional maturity are demonstrated in courtrooms and in prison. What is thought to be normal university life is completely out of the question because very likely the neighbour next door or the roommate who cooked you lunch today will be thrown to jail on the next.

I do prison visits a few times a month to talk to activists who are facing criminal charges or serving sentences for their involvement in the movement. It is not just a routine of my political work, but it becomes my life as an activist. Since the movement, prison visits has also become the daily lives of many families.

But it is always an unpleasant experience passing through the iron gates one after one to enter the visitors’ room, speaking to someone who is deprived of liberty, for a selflessly noble cause. As an activist serving three brief jail terms, I understand that the banality of the four walls is not the most difficult to endure in jail. What is more unbearable is the control of thought and ideas in every single part of our daily routine enforced by the prison system. It will diminish your ability to think critically and the worst of it will persuade you to give up on what you are fighting for, if you have not prepared it well. Three years ago when I wrote on the first page of prison letters, which later turned into a publication called the ‘Unfree Speech’, I was alarmed at the environment of the prison cell. Those letters were written in a state in which freedom was deprived of and in which censorship was obvious. It brings us to question ourselves: other than physical constraints like prison bars, what makes us continue in the fight for freedom and democracy?

Mutual Support to activists behind-the-scene

The support for this movement is undiminished over these 17 months. There are many beautiful parts in the movement that continue to revitalise the ways we contribute to this city, instead of making money on our own in the so-called global financial centre. In particular, it is the fraternity, the mutual assistance among protestors that I cherished the most.

As more protestors are arrested, people offer help and assistance wholeheartedly -- we sit in court hearings even if we don’t know each other, and do frequent prison visits and write letters to protesters in detention. In major festivals and holidays, people gathered outside the prison to chant slogans so that they won’t feel alone and disconnected. This is the most touching part to me for I also experienced life in jail.

The cohesion, the connection and bonding among protestors are the cornerstone to the movement. At the same time, these virtues gave so much empowerment to the mass public who might not be able to fight bravely in the escalating protests. These scenes are not able to be captured by cameras, but I’m sure it is some of the most important parts of Hong Kong’s movement that I hope the world will remember.

I believe this mutual support transcends nationality or territory because the value of freedom does not alter in different places. More recently, Twelve Hongkong activists, all involved in the movement last year, were kidnapped by China’s coastal guard when fleeing to Taiwan for political refugee in late-August. All of them are now detained secretly in China, with the youngest aged only 16. We suspect they are under torture during detention and we call for help on the international level, putting up #SAVE12 campaign on twitter. In fact, how surprising it is to see people all over the world standing with the dozen detained protestors for the same cause. I’m moved by activists in Italy, who barely knew these Hong Kong activists, even took part in a hunger strike last month calling for immediate release of them. This form of interconnectivity keeps us in spirit and to continue our struggle to freedom and democracy.

Understanding Value of freedom in the university battle
A year ago on this day, Hong Kong was embroiled in burning clashes as the police besieged the Polytechnic University. It was a day we will not forget and this wound is still bleeding in the hearts of many Hong Kongers. A journalist stationed in the university at that time once told me that being at the scene could only remind him of the Tiananmen Square Massacre 31 years ago in Beijing. There was basically no exit except going for the dangerous sewage drains.

That day, thousands of people, old or young, flocked to districts close to the university before dawn, trying to rescue protestors trapped inside the campus. The reinforcements faced grave danger too, for police raided every corner of the small streets and alleys, arresting a lot of them. Among the 800+ arrested on a single day, 213 people were charged with rioting. For sure these people know there will be repercussions. It is the conscience driving them to take to the streets regardless of the danger, the conscience that we should stand up to brutality and authoritarianism, and ultimately to fight for freedoms that are guaranteed in our constitution. As my dear friend, Brian Leung once said, ‘’Hong Kong Belongs to Everyone Who Shares Its Pain’’. I believe the value of freedom is exemplified through our compassion to whom we love, so much that we are willing to sacrifice the freedom of our own.

Defending freedom behind the bars

No doubt there is a terrible price to pay in standing up to the Beijing and Hong Kong government. But after serving a few brief jail sentences and facing the continuing threat of harassment, I learnt to cherish the freedom I have for now, and I shall devote every bit what I have to strive for the freedom of those who have been ruthlessly denied.

The three episodes I shared with you today -- the courtroom, visiting prisoners and the battle of university continue to remind me of the fact that the fight for freedom has not ended yet. In the coming months, I will be facing a maximum of 5 years in jail for unauthorized assembly and up to one ridiculous year for wearing a mask in protest. But prison bars would never stop me from activism and thinking critically.

I only wish that during my absence, you can continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong, by following closely to the development, no matter the ill-fated election, the large-scale arrest under National Security Law or the twelve activists in China. To defy the greatest human rights abusers is the essential way to restore democracy of our generation, and the generation following us.

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[時事英文] 蔡英文總統BBC專訪關鍵英文詞彙

今天要來與大家分享蔡英文總統的BBC專訪! It's an insightful one!

★★★★★★★★★★★★

專訪(中文): https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-51115705

專訪(英文): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51104246

報導內有影片!

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has told the BBC that China needs to "face reality" and show the island "respect".

1. face reality 面對現實
2. show respect 表示尊重

★★★★★★★★★★★★

She was re-elected for a second term on Saturday, winning by a landslide after a campaign in which she focused heavily on the rising threat from Beijing.

3. win by a landslide 以壓倒性優勢獲勝
4. focus heavily on... 特別專注於...
5. rising threat 上升的威脅

★★★★★★★★★★★★

The Chinese Communist Party has long claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and the right to take it by force if necessary. Ms Tsai* insisted that the sovereignty of the self-governing island was not in doubt or up for negotiation.

-\-\BBC

6. the Chinese Communist Party 中國共產黨
7. claim sovereignty 主張主權
8. take it by force 以武力攻下台灣
9. the sovereignty of ...的主權
10. self governing 自治的
11. not in doubt 毫無疑問
12. not up for negotiation 不能談判

*President Tsai

★★★★★★★★★★★★

"We don't have a need to declare ourselves an independent state," the 63-year-old president told the BBC in an exclusive interview, her first since the election. "We are an independent country already and we call ourselves the Republic of China, Taiwan."

13. declare 宣布
14. an independent state 一個獨立的國家；政府
15. exclusive interview 專訪
16. an independent country 一個獨立國家

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Such statements infuriate Beijing, which wants a return to the "One China" principle favoured by the main rival she saw off in the race for president, Han Kuo-yu from the Kuomintang party. His party traces its roots to the defeated nationalists in the Chinese civil war, who fled to Taiwan and continued to see the island as part of a greater China from which they had been usurped.

17. infuriate 激怒
18. return to 還給, 歸回
19. main rival 主要競爭對手
20. trace its roots 追根溯源
21. defeated the nationalists 戰敗的國民黨
22. flee to 逃往
23. be usurped 被篡奪

★★★★★★★★★★★★

In recent years, that concept of One China has proved a useful compromise, Taiwanese supporters of it argue. China insists on its acceptance as a prerequisite for building economic ties with Taiwan, precisely because doing so is an explicit denial of its existence as a de facto island state.

24. a useful compromise 有用的協定, 妥協
25. insist on 堅持
26. a prerequisite for... ...的先決條件
27. build economic ties 建立經濟聯繫
28. a explicit denial 明確否認
29. de facto 事實上

★★★★★★★★★★★★

But it is clear that Ms Tsai* believes her victory is proof of how little appetite there now is for the One China concept and the ambiguity it allowed over Taiwan's real status. "The situation has changed," she says. "The ambiguity can no longer serve the purposes it was intended to serve." And what has really changed, she suggests, is China.

-\-\BBC

30. it is clear that… ...是清楚的
31. proof of… …的證明
32. how little appetite there is for... 對...沒有多少胃口; 對...不接受
33. One China concept 一個中國的概念
34. ambiguity 模棱兩可
35. real status 真實狀態
36. intend to serve… 所欲實現的（成效）

*President Tsai

★★★★★★★★★★★★

"Because [for more than] three years we're seeing China has been intensifying its threat... they have their military vessels and aircraft cruising around the island," she says. "And also, the things happening in Hong Kong, people get a real sense that this threat is real and it's getting more and more serious."

37. intensify its threat 加劇威脅
38. military vessels and aircrafts 軍艦和飛機
39. get more serious 變得更嚴重

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Taiwan's interests, she believes, are not best served by semantics but by facing up to the reality, in particular the aspirations of the Taiwanese youth who flocked to her cause. "We have a separate identity and we're a country of our own. So, if there's anything that runs counter to this idea, they will stand up and say that's not acceptable to us. "We're a successful democracy, we have a pretty decent economy, we deserve respect from China."

40. Taiwan’s interests are not best served by semantics. 文字遊戲並非最佳實現台灣利益（的方式）
41. semantics 語義學; 文字遊戲
42. face up to reality 面對現實
43. the aspirations of the Taiwanese youth 台灣青年的志向
44. flock to her cause 湧向她的目標
45. a separate identity 一個單獨的、不同的身份
46. run counter to 違反；有悖常理，背道而馳
47. a decent economy 像樣的、相當不錯的經濟制度
48. deserve respect 值得尊重

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-51115705

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51104246

https://www.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=5098630

Image source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51104246

★★★★★★★★★★★★

時事英文大全: https://wp.me/p44l9b-1Y8

[時事英文] 蔡英文總統BBC專訪關鍵英文詞彙

今天要來與大家分享蔡英文總統的BBC專訪! It's an insightful one!

★★★★★★★★★★★★

專訪(中文): https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-51115705

專訪(英文): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51104246

報導內有影片!

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has told the BBC that China needs to "face reality" and show the island "respect".

1. face reality 面對現實
2. show respect 表示尊重

★★★★★★★★★★★★

She was re-elected for a second term on Saturday, winning by a landslide after a campaign in which she focused heavily on the rising threat from Beijing.

3. win by a landslide 以壓倒性優勢獲勝
4. focus heavily on... 特別專注於...
5. rising threat 上升的威脅

★★★★★★★★★★★★

The Chinese Communist Party has long claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and the right to take it by force if necessary. Ms Tsai* insisted that the sovereignty of the self-governing island was not in doubt or up for negotiation.

--BBC

6. the Chinese Communist Party 中國共產黨
7. claim sovereignty 主張主權
8. take it by force 以武力攻下台灣
9. the sovereignty of ...的主權
10. self governing 自治的
11. not in doubt 毫無疑問
12. not up for negotiation 不能談判

*President Tsai

★★★★★★★★★★★★

"We don't have a need to declare ourselves an independent state," the 63-year-old president told the BBC in an exclusive interview, her first since the election. "We are an independent country already and we call ourselves the Republic of China, Taiwan."

13. declare 宣布
14. an independent state 一個獨立的國家；政府
15. exclusive interview 專訪
16. an independent country 一個獨立國家

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Such statements infuriate Beijing, which wants a return to the "One China" principle favoured by the main rival she saw off in the race for president, Han Kuo-yu from the Kuomintang party. His party traces its roots to the defeated nationalists in the Chinese civil war, who fled to Taiwan and continued to see the island as part of a greater China from which they had been usurped.

17. infuriate 激怒
18. return to 還給, 歸回
19. main rival 主要競爭對手
20. trace its roots 追根溯源
21. defeated the nationalists 戰敗的國民黨
22. flee to 逃往
23. be usurped 被篡奪

★★★★★★★★★★★★

In recent years, that concept of One China has proved a useful compromise, Taiwanese supporters of it argue. China insists on its acceptance as a prerequisite for building economic ties with Taiwan, precisely because doing so is an explicit denial of its existence as a de facto island state.

24. a useful compromise 有用的協定, 妥協
25. insist on 堅持
26. a prerequisite for... ...的先決條件
27. build economic ties 建立經濟聯繫
28. a explicit denial 明確否認
29. de facto 事實上

★★★★★★★★★★★★

But it is clear that Ms Tsai* believes her victory is proof of how little appetite there now is for the One China concept and the ambiguity it allowed over Taiwan's real status. "The situation has changed," she says. "The ambiguity can no longer serve the purposes it was intended to serve." And what has really changed, she suggests, is China.

--BBC

30. it is clear that… ...是清楚的
31. proof of… …的證明
32. how little appetite there is for... 對...沒有多少胃口; 對...不接受
33. One China concept 一個中國的概念
34. ambiguity 模棱兩可
35. real status 真實狀態
36. intend to serve… 所欲實現的（成效）

*President Tsai

★★★★★★★★★★★★

"Because [for more than] three years we're seeing China has been intensifying its threat... they have their military vessels and aircraft cruising around the island," she says. "And also, the things happening in Hong Kong, people get a real sense that this threat is real and it's getting more and more serious."

37. intensify its threat 加劇威脅
38. military vessels and aircrafts 軍艦和飛機
39. get more serious 變得更嚴重

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Taiwan's interests, she believes, are not best served by semantics but by facing up to the reality, in particular the aspirations of the Taiwanese youth who flocked to her cause. "We have a separate identity and we're a country of our own. So, if there's anything that runs counter to this idea, they will stand up and say that's not acceptable to us. "We're a successful democracy, we have a pretty decent economy, we deserve respect from China."

40. Taiwan’s interests are not best served by semantics. 文字遊戲並非最佳實現台灣利益（的方式）
41. semantics 語義學; 文字遊戲
42. face up to reality 面對現實
43. the aspirations of the Taiwanese youth 台灣青年的志向
44. flock to her cause 湧向她的目標
45. a separate identity 一個單獨的、不同的身份
46. run counter to 違反；有悖常理，背道而馳
47. a decent economy 像樣的、相當不錯的經濟制度
48. deserve respect 值得尊重

★★★★★★★★★★★★

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-51115705

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51104246

https://www.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=5098630

Image source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51104246

★★★★★★★★★★★★

時事英文大全: https://wp.me/p44l9b-1Y8