Green Terror (Taiwan)

"Green Terror" (Chinese: 綠色恐怖; pinyin: Lǜsè Kǒngbù; Wade–Giles: 44 Kʻung3pu4) is a political term used to characterize and criticize purported "authoritarian-like" actions of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) or the pan-Green camp. It is used by the DPP's opponents in Taiwan (mainly the pan-Blue camp and the Taiwan People's Party), but is also sometimes used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and local CCP supporters.[1][a] The term is a combination the DPP's party color and "White Terror", a reference to political repression under the Kuomintang's rule by martial law.

Examples

Since 2014, the Ma Ying-jeou government has attempted to reduce Taiwanization and strengthen the identity of the 'Republic of China' in high school history subjects. This has intensified into a political debate, with criticism from pan-Green camps, including the DPP, which values the 'Taiwanese' identity over the identity of the 'Republic of China'. After asserting that the DPP's view on the deletion of the "White Terror" from the new syllabus was a form of de-Taiwanization, Lin Ming-cheng, a politician with the Chinese ultra-nationalist New Party, said that the DPP's approach was the "Green Terror".[3]

Following the arrest of Ko Wen-je, the chairman of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), Huang Kuo-chang blamed the arrest on Green Terror.[4]

When the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis (caused by Yoon Suk Yeol, the then far-right[5] anti-communist South Korea's president) broke out, the DPP Legislative Caucus posted an article on Threads, claiming that the declaration of martial law was a legitimate effort to protect free constitutional democracy in South Korea.[6][7] This led to the DPP being criticized by South Korean netizens, Chang Chi-kai and some Chinese/Taiwanese media dubbed it the "Green Terror".[8][9][10][11][12]

Similar term

  • "Green Communists" (Chinese: 綠共; pinyin: lǜgòng; Wade–Giles: 4kung4) is a term used to criticize the DPP's political behavior as "CCP-like". Comparing DPP to the CCP is meant to accuse DPP of controlling speech, fighting against dissidents, promoting nationalism, and using the judiciary to persecute political opponents.[14][15]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Some media criticized the DPP's politics as quasi-fascist or far-right.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Beijing Latches Onto 'Green Terror' Claims to Stoke Historical Divisions in Taiwan". The Diplomat. October 2, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  2. ^ "日本記者本田善彥:民進黨種族主義表露無遺". China Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 28 December 2018. 民進黨一旦執政,吸引文青的美好願景就變成噁心的偽善把戲與類法西斯的極右作風。
  3. ^ "力挺課綱微調 抗獨史陣線嗆「綠色恐怖」" [The Anti-Independence History Front strongly supports curriculum adjustments and condemns 'green terror']. 風傳媒. 2014-03-21. Archived from the original on 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2015-04-20.
  4. ^ "黃國昌:柯文哲陷綠色恐怖 民眾黨不會讓柯家人孤單" [Huang Kuo-chang: Ko Wen-je is trapped in a green terror; the Taiwan People's Party will not let the Ko family be alone]. 中央社 CNA. February 28, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  5. ^ "The troubling far-right tendencies of Korea's Yoon Suk-yeol". The Hankyoreh. 28 December 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  6. ^ Thompson, James (4 December 2024). "DPP deletes post comparing South Korea martial law incident to Taiwan". Focus Taiwan – CNA English News. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  7. ^ Thomson, Jono (4 December 2024). "Opposition criticizes DPP for likening S Korea martial law to Taiwan". Taiwan News. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  8. ^ "民進黨團挺南韓戒嚴?張啓楷:白色恐怖變綠色恐怖" [DPP supports martial law in South Korea? Chang Chi-kai: White Terror Turns into Green Terror]. 聯合新聞網. December 4, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  9. ^ "韓國戒嚴|民進黨發文力挺製「綠色恐怖」 韓網民:台灣人太瘋狂" [DPP's support for martial law in South Korea, South Korean netizens on "Green Terror": Taiwanese are too crazy.]. HK01. December 4, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  10. ^ "政治受難人團體:反對「戒嚴說」 拒絕威權心態 民進黨要道歉". 兩岸犇報. December 5, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  11. ^ "民進黨「戒嚴文」掀怒火 高嘉瑜表態了:非常不妥". 中時新聞網. December 5, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  12. ^ "批民進黨團拿戒嚴恐嚇台灣人民 白委:白色恐怖變綠色恐怖?". Newtalk新闻. December 4, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  13. ^ "《吳恭銘觀點》噴黑話自嗨!柯粉「閩猴論」的邏輯謬誤與道德困境". 28 August 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-12-23. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  14. ^ "台灣看中共百年・五|「綠共民進黨」:台灣人對中共的誤讀". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2021-07-01. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  15. ^ "民進黨是綠共還是真反共?". United Daily News (in Chinese). 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  16. ^ "影/黃國昌到北投「掃除綠衛兵」攤位助陣 呼籲團結支持罷免行動". United Daily News (in Chinese). 2025-06-01. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  17. ^ "「哥布林」的網路語境轉移,網路終究是短憶的". 奔騰思潮 (in Chinese). 2024-10-15. Retrieved 2026-02-07.