Oct. 1 marks the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China under Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rule. Hong Kong groups in Taiwan marked the occasion with a rally in Taipei under the theme “No Celebration of Authoritarianism,” featuring a street performance based on the traditional Hong Kong ritual of “villain beating” and speeches warning about authoritarianism and transnational repression.

According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA), Hong Kong Outlanders, the New School for Democracy Association, and the Hong Kong Human Rights Front jointly held the “Taiwan-Hong Kong Connection: Resisting Authoritarianism” rally beneath the archway at Liberty Square on Oct. 1. Organizers opened the event with a “villain beating” performance in which images of CCP leader Xi Jinping and others were placed on the ground and struck before being burned together with paper tigers.

Hong Kong Human Rights Front founder Tong Wai-hung, also known as “Fu Tong,” explained that “villain beating” is a Hong Kong folk tradition. Before Beijing imposed the Hong Kong National Security Law in 2020, people sometimes used the ritual to express dissatisfaction with government officials or social conditions. The practice also carries symbolic meanings of seeking blessings and dispelling unease, according to CNA.

Freedom and democracy ‘should never be taken for granted’

According to CNA, Sky Fung, secretary-general of Hong Kong Outlanders, said such folk customs and collective memories were once part of everyday life for Hong Kongers but have become increasingly difficult to practice publicly. For Hong Kongers living in exile, he said, those traditions and memories can provide strength to carry on.

Ivan Choi, a project manager at the New School for Democracy Association, said that as someone who grew up in Hong Kong, “today is a reminder to me that freedom and democracy should never be taken for granted.” Choi also warned that authoritarian repression does not automatically stop at national borders. Even in Taiwan, he said, some people remain fearful because of their political views or participation in public affairs. He urged Taiwan and other democratic societies to strengthen their ability to identify transnational repression and establish mechanisms to protect those targeted by it.

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