Social media Twitter launches the emoji of the online democracy movement “Milk Tea Coalition. (April 8, 2021)
Social media outlet Twitter launched a “Milk Tea Coalition” emoji on Thursday (April 8). The Milk Tea Coalition is an online democracy movement that unites pro-democracy activists in Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Twitter said, “To celebrate the first anniversary of the #MilkTeaUnion, we created a milk tea emoji that includes 3 different milk tea colors.” The 3 types of milk tea are Thai, Hong Kong and Taiwanese milk tea.
The establishment of the “milk tea alliance” began in April last year in a scolding war between Chinese and Thai netizens. Thai icon Vachirawit “Bright” Chivaaree retweeted a set of images that listed Hong Kong as a “country. He was then besieged by Chinese wall-flippers and 50 cents. Netizens in Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan formed the “Milk Tea Alliance” (named for the love of milk tea in Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and tweeted back at the pinkos.
The “Milk Tea Coalition” has since grown and expanded into a pro-democracy movement against centralization, speaking out for democracy and more political issues. Some members of the coalition have also moved from online to offline activities, taking to the streets to participate in protests against authoritarianism.
Twitter says the Milk Tea Coalition has grown into a “global democracy movement led by activists and concerned citizens in Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar and around the world.
Thai political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute for Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University, told VOA that the online movement “demonstrates the broad anti-Chinese and pro-democracy solidarity of people across Asia. “
Twitter also said that “we’ve seen over 11 million tweets with the hashtag #MilkTeaUnion in the past year,” with usage of the hashtag peaking again after the coup in Myanmar in February.
“Wherever you are in the world, grab a nice cup of tea and join our conversation to show your love and support the #MilkTeaUnion.” Twitter said.
Some democracy activists welcomed the release of the emoji. Former Hong Kong House of Representatives chairman Law Kwun Chung tweeted a motion picture containing the “Milk Tea Coalition” emoji and wrote, “Unity makes us stronger – we fight for democracy and we never give up. “
Hong Kong activist Wong Chi-fung also posted a tweet with the “Milk Tea Coalition” emoji, which read, “Always united, no matter how hard times are.”
Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, a prominent Thai activist, told Reuters that the Twitter emoji showed global recognition. It’s important because it shows young people fighting for democracy that the world is with them and that they are making an impact,” he said. It’s a signal that online activism (online activism) can go farther.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday responded to the launch of the “Milk Tea Union” emoji on Twitter. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the Milk Tea Alliance “has always taken an anti-China stance and is full of prejudice against China. We are firmly opposed to it”.
Twitter has previously launched emojis for the #Me Too and #BlackLivesMatter campaigns.
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