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Letters | Hong Kong’s pro-America rioters ignore the US’ long history of anti-China racism

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Protesters with US flags march to the US consulate in Central on December 1 to thank US President Donald Trump for signing off on the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Photo: AP

Rioters who carried the American flag to the United States consulate and shouted pro-US slogans should be ashamed of themselves. They are so ignorant of the history of US policy against China.

Chinese labourers who built the Transcontinental Railroad through the Sierra Nevada mountains in the US were paid less than native-born American workers.

From 1882 onwards, the US Congress enacted a series of laws to prevent Chinese immigration to the US, culminating in the Chinese Exclusion Act, requiring Chinese in the country to carry a resident’s permit at all time. This act was only repealed in 1943.

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Between 1916 and 1918, China sent around 140,000 labourers to help the Allies during World War I. At the Versailles Peace Conference, which ended the war, Shandong province, previously held by imperial Germany, was awarded to Japan. This sparked the May 4 movement, which resulted in the establishment of the Communist Party.

All you rioters: educate yourselves, unless you despise your own people and want to be white.

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Chris Ma, Mid-Levels

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