China’s Most Powerful Weapon Is NOT What You Think

Summary

In this episode of China Uncensored, Chris Chappell discusses the Chinese government's strategy of renaming places both inside and outside China to control narratives and territorial claims. He highlights instances in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Arunachal Pradesh, Tibet, and Xinjiang, emphasizing the political and cultural implications of these name changes. Chris also promotes the digital Hong Kong Lennon Wall project, encouraging global support for Hong Kong's democracy. He touches on the CCP's influence in various sectors, including video games, and invites viewers to support the show on Patreon.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Chinese government is renaming places inside and outside China as part of a strategy to control narratives and territorial claims.
• 🚶‍♂️ Five years ago, 2 million people in Hong Kong protested against the Hong Kong government and the CCP.
• 💻 China Uncensored partnered with the Hong Kong Democracy Council to create a digital Hong Kong Lennon Wall for global support.
• 📍 Place names matter significantly for national identity and geopolitics, as seen in Greece's protest against Macedonia's name change.
• 🇨🇳 The CCP has a history of renaming regions to assert control, including renaming the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China.
• 🗺️ In April, China renamed 30 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which borders Tibet, as part of its territorial claims.
• 🇹🇼 The CCP insists on calling Taiwan 'Chinese Taipei' internationally, despite Taiwan's official name being 'the Republic of China'.
• 🏔️ China has renamed Tibet as Xizang in official documents to reshape international perceptions.
• 🚸 The renaming in Xinjiang aims to sever Uyghurs from their history, culture, and identity.
• 🎮 Chinese game developers like Game Science are using games to spread China's soft power, but there are concerns about spying and the CCP's influence.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video by Chris Chappell on China Uncensored?

The main topic of the video is the Chinese government's strategy of changing place names inside and outside China as part of a long-term effort to control the narrative and territorial claims.

What is the significance of the digital Hong Kong Lennon Wall mentioned in the video?

The digital Hong Kong Lennon Wall is a platform created by China Uncensored in partnership with the Hong Kong Democracy Council to allow people around the world to show support for Hongkongers by writing digital post-it notes of support. It aims to gather 10,000 unique posts by the end of June.

How does the video illustrate the importance of place names?

The video illustrates the importance of place names by highlighting historical and contemporary examples, such as the renaming of Constantinople to Istanbul, Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, and the recent Chinese renaming of locations in Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet. Place names are shown to be significant for national identity and geopolitical narratives.

What examples of name changes by the Chinese government are mentioned?

Examples include the renaming of locations in Indian-controlled Arunachal Pradesh, now referred to by China as Zangnan, and the official replacement of 'Tibet' with 'Xizang' in Chinese and international contexts.

Why do place names matter in the context of international relations and national identity?

Place names matter because they can reflect and influence national identity, territorial claims, and geopolitical power dynamics. Changing place names can be a tool for asserting control and rewriting history.

What concerns are raised about the renaming of places in Tibet?

The video raises concerns that renaming Tibet to Xizang is part of an effort to reshape international perception and control the narrative about Tibet, obscuring human rights abuses and historical facts about Tibetan independence and cultural heritage.

How has the Chinese government used name changes as a part of its strategy in Xinjiang?

The Chinese government has renamed hundreds of Uyghur villages and towns, replacing culturally significant names with ones like 'Unity Village' and 'Red Flag Village,' aiming to sever Uyghurs from their history and culture as part of a broader strategy of control and assimilation.

What historical event related to Hong Kong is commemorated in the video?

The video commemorates the 2019 Hong Kong protests, where 2 million people marched through the streets to protest against the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

What is the stated goal of the digital Hong Kong Lennon Wall project?

The goal of the digital Hong Kong Lennon Wall project is to show global support for Hongkongers, aiming to collect 10,000 unique posts by the end of June and to demonstrate that the world has not forgotten Hong Kong.

What broader geopolitical message does the video convey about China's actions?

The video conveys that China's actions of renaming places and controlling narratives are part of a broader strategy of territorial expansion and suppression of dissent, affecting regions like Arunachal Pradesh, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang, and posing threats to international stability and human rights.

Outlines

00:00

🇨🇳 China's Place Name Strategy

The Chinese government is changing the names of places both inside and outside China as part of a strategy to control narratives about specific territories. This includes renaming locations in Indian-controlled Arunachal Pradesh and insisting Taiwan be called 'Chinese Taipei'. The CCP has historically used name changes as a tool for asserting control, as seen with Tibet being referred to as 'Xizang'. These changes are part of a broader approach to territorial acquisition and control, raising concerns about the impact on regional identities and geopolitics.

05:05

🏴 Name Changes and Cultural Erasure

The CCP's renaming efforts extend within China's borders, such as renaming Tibet to 'Xizang' to alter international perceptions. This move is part of a broader strategy to control narratives about regions like Tibet and Xinjiang. The renaming of Xinjiang, meaning 'new frontier,' underscores China's view of the region as needing 'civilization.' Recent reports reveal that Chinese authorities have renamed hundreds of Uyghur villages, severing cultural and historical ties, and highlighting the power of place names in shaping narratives and control.

10:05

📝 Supporting Hong Kong and Other Messages

Chris Chappell discusses the importance of supporting Hongkongers through the digital Lennon Wall project. He emphasizes the role of viewers in supporting China Uncensored through Patreon, which enables the show's continued critique of the CCP. He also addresses a viewer's question about Chinese video game developers and the potential for these games to spread Chinese soft power or spy on users. Chappell underscores the importance of staying vigilant about the CCP's influence across various industries.

Keywords

💡Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

The CCP is the ruling political party in China, which came to power in 1949. The video discusses the CCP's influence on place names and its broader strategy to control narratives and territories, both within China and in disputed regions like Arunachal Pradesh and Taiwan.

💡Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is a region in northeastern India that borders Tibet. The video highlights the CCP's efforts to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh with Chinese names, a tactic reflecting China's claims over the territory. This renaming is part of China's broader strategy to assert its territorial claims.

💡Hong Kong Lennon Wall

The Hong Kong Lennon Wall is a digital project launched to support Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement by allowing people to post anonymous notes of solidarity. The video connects this project with broader themes of resistance against CCP control and the preservation of Hong Kong's autonomy.

💡Tibet / Xizang

Tibet is a region with a distinct cultural and historical identity that was annexed by China in the 1950s. The video discusses the Chinese government's efforts to rebrand Tibet as 'Xizang' to reinforce its control and reshape international perceptions, minimizing the region's historical narrative and cultural significance.

💡Xinjiang / East Turkestan

Xinjiang, also known historically as East Turkestan, is a region in China inhabited by the Uyghur Muslim population. The video addresses China's policy of renaming and its implications for Uyghur identity, as well as the severe human rights abuses reported in the region, including mass detentions and cultural erasure.

💡Taiwan / Chinese Taipei

Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China, but the CCP insists on calling it 'Chinese Taipei' to undermine its status as an independent entity. The video critiques this practice as part of China's broader strategy to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan and diminish its international standing.

💡Narrative Control

Narrative control refers to the CCP's strategy of shaping how regions and their identities are perceived through renaming and other means. The video highlights how renaming places serves to reinforce CCP dominance and reshape historical and geopolitical realities in favor of its claims and policies.

💡Geopolitics of Naming

The geopolitics of naming involves how place names can influence national identity and political claims. The video discusses several examples where the CCP's renaming efforts are not just about labels but about asserting control, legitimacy, and territorial claims in regions like Tibet, Xinjiang, and Arunachal Pradesh.

💡Cultural Erasure

Cultural erasure refers to the systematic removal or alteration of a culture's symbols, names, and heritage. The video details how the CCP's renaming policies in regions like Xinjiang and Tibet aim to diminish local cultural identities and replace them with narratives aligned with the Chinese government's interests.

💡Hong Kong Democracy Council

The Hong Kong Democracy Council is an organization partnering with China Uncensored to support Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. The video mentions this collaboration to highlight ongoing global efforts to stand against the CCP's influence and support the autonomy and rights of Hongkongers.

Highlights

The Chinese government is changing the names of places inside and outside China as part of a long-term strategy to control the narrative and fate of specific territories.

China Uncensored is partnering with the Hong Kong Democracy Council to create the first-ever digital Hong Kong Lennon Wall for global support for Hongkongers.

The new website, HKlennonwall.com, is designed to be completely anonymous, not tracking cookies or personal information, and aims to get 10,000 unique posts by the end of June.

Place names matter significantly for national identity and geopolitics, as demonstrated by the protests in Greece over the renaming of Macedonia.

The CCP renamed the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China in 1949 to assert its control and communist identity.

The CCP has renamed locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which borders Tibet, to Chinese names, reflecting its territorial ambitions.

Taiwan is often referred to as 'Chinese Taipei' in international settings, despite its official name being 'the Republic of China.'

The CCP's renaming of places within China, such as changing 'Tibet' to 'Xizang,' is an effort to control the narrative and international perception of these regions.

The Chinese government’s attempts to rename places along its borders reflect its appetite for territorial acquisition.

The renaming of Xinjiang, originally East Turkestan, exemplifies the CCP's strategy to control narratives and erase local cultures and histories.

Chinese authorities have renamed hundreds of Uyghur villages and towns, severing Uyghurs from their history and culture.

Human rights organizations report that the renaming of Uyghur villages is part of a state-imposed policy aimed at erasing Uyghur identity.

Accepting the CCP’s recent name changes is equivalent to accepting its human rights violations and territorial aggression.

China Uncensored relies on support from viewers on Patreon to continue its work and projects like the digital Lennon Wall.

Chinese state-run media has labeled China Uncensored as 'disgraceful anti-China garbage,' highlighting the show's impact.

Transcripts


The Chinese government is changing the  names of places inside and outside China.  

This is part of a long-term strategy to  control the narrative and the fate of  

specific territories – sometimes without  us even noticing.  

Welcome to China  

Uncensored. I’m Chris Chappell.

 Real quick before I begin,

5 years ago, Matt, Shelley, and I were  in Hong Kong watching 2 million people  

march through the streets to protest the  HK government, and ultimately the CCP. 

So to commemorate it, China Uncensored is  partnering with the Hong Kong Democracy Council  

to create the first ever digital Hong Kong Lennon  Wall. A place for people around the world to  

show their support for Hongkongers by writing  digital post-it notes of support for Hong Kong.

Again that website is Hklennonwall.com I’ll  leave a link below. We built this site with  

a team of security experts. It’s completely  anonymous. It does not track cookies or any  

other personal information. It  does not store IP addresses.

Our goal is to get 10,000  unique posts by the end of June:  

To show Hongkongers that the world hasn’t  forgotten them. And again, to piss off the  

CCP. If you’ve already signed, please get  your friends and family to sign as well. 

On with the show. 
Old places constantly  

get new names, but it is not always easy to  make a new name stick.

Many people still say  

‘Turkey’ even though it’s now officially called  ‘Türkiye.


Many say ‘Macedonia’ instead of the  

official ‘North Macedonia’.


But with time, new  names usually have a way of booting old ones out.

We no longer refer to Istanbul as  Konstantinople, for example.


Or  

Zimbabwe as Rhodesia.


And all anyone calls  Sean “Diddy” Combs these days is, “...yikes.” 

Many of us probably feel like it doesn’t  really matter what we call a place as long  

as people understand what place we’re referring  to.

But in many cases, place names matter,  

and they matter a lot.

In the Greek capital of  Athens in 2019, as many as 100,000 people took  

to the streets to protest a deal that the Greek  government signed with the Macedonian government.  

The deal was to settle a naming dispute and  required Macedonia to officially change its  

name to North Macedonia.


The protesters believed  the deal didn’t go far enough and therefore posed  

a threat to the territorial and cultural integrity  of the Greek region that is also called Macedonia.  

  


That sounds a little paranoid. Why would the  Greeks be afraid of hidden dangers in something?

Oh. Right. They invented that tactic.

Tensions boiled over with the demonstrations  resulting in clashes between protesters and riot  

police near the parliament building.  


 
So it’s easy to see that place names can  

actually hold a lot of meaning, both  for national identity and geopolitics.

I doubt Skeletor would have commanded as much  fear and respect if instead of “Snake Mountain”  

his base was called “Bubblegum Bluffs”. 
And because names are so vital, there are  

few places where names are as important as in  modern day China.

  
One of the first things  

the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP, did when it  came to power in 1949 was to scrap the previous  

name of ‘the Republic of China’ and instead  proclaim the establishment of ‘the People’s  

Republic of China’.


That way there could be no  doubt that the CCP was in charge and that China  

had become a Communist country. This was along  the same lines as many other people’s republics  

and socialist republics that were established in  those decades.

So while many former socialist  

republics changed their names again with the  dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the  

fall of communist regimes all over the world, the  CCP has remained in power in China where it has  

held on to the Communist mantle.   

  
It also  never stopped with the name changes.

In April,  

the Chinese government released the names of 30  locations in Indian-controlled Arunachal Pradesh,  

which borders Tibet, giving them Chinese  names instead of the locally used ones.


It  

is the fourth time since 2017 that the CCP has  released names for places in Arunachal Pradesh,  

which it refers to as Zangnan.


They’ve gone  through more name changes than, “...yikes”.

In a similar situation, the CCP  insists that Taiwan be called  

‘Chinese Taipei’


in international settings even  though Taiwan’s official name is ‘the Republic of  

China’.


Chinese Taipei has been referred to as  “an imperial Chinese construction imposed on the  

people of Taiwan without consultation”.


The  Chinese government claims both Taiwan and  

Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory and  has been willing to back this up with force. 



Chinese and Indian soldiers have repeatedly  clashed in recent years along their shared  

border,


and the Chinese military often surrounds  Taiwan with large-scale military exercises. I’ve  

never seen someone with so much weaponry feel so  insecure.

   
Within this aggressive approach  

of shadow warfare, the name changes serve as a  weapon in the CCP’s arsenal.

Experts have said  

that the Chinese government’s attempts to rename  places along its borders on all sides reflects its  

appetite for territorial acquisition.


And  the CCP isn’t just weaponizing place names  

around China’s borders - it’s also doing it  within them.

At the end of last year, Chinese  

authorities announced that there is no more Tibet  in official documents of the Chinese Ministry of  

Foreign Affairs.


Oh yeah? Then where did Brad  Pitt spend seven years? Answer me that, China!

Since then, officials, state documents and state  media have referred to Tibet as Xizang in both  

Chinese and in English.


Chinese  media subsequently reported that  

the word “Tibet” has been geographically  misleading to the international community,  

and rectifying it will help enhance  China’s international voice on Tibet.


 

The change to Xizang has been combined with  an international symposium on Tibetan Studies  

in Beijing that seeks to rebuild the media’s  image of Tibet as a region very different from  

how Westerners perceive it.


Yes, of course,  the problem is that for too long Western minds  

have been poisoned by the wrong perception of  Tibet with things like the fact that the place  

was considered an independent state until  the CCP ordered an invasion of it in 1950,  

annexing much of it by 1951,


or the large-scale  destruction of Tibetan religious sites in recent  

years,


or the separation of 1 million Tibetan  children from their families and their forced  

assimilation at Chinese residential schools.


 And if you’re upset about these human rights  

abuses happening in Tibet… relax!  Tibet doesn’t even exist anymore! 


Thankfully, Xizang is totally different.

It  is a microcosm of China’s achievements


that  

is marching on the path of stability and  prosperity.


where it keeps making fresh  

progress in effectively running its society  and achieving high-quality development.


If  

Brad Pitt spent seven years here instead of a  war drama it’d be a light-hearted buddy comedy!

Sure, Tibet might sometimes look like this.


 But in Xizang, everyone is happy. Even the  

separated and assimilated children.


The  CCP’s attempts to control the narrative of  

a region simply by renaming it  can seem like a cheap trick.

 

But, unfortunately, we have actually fallen for it  in the past.

Back in 1944, a nation arose called  

the East Turkestan Republic in what is today  China’s Westernmost region.


But after the CCP  

seized power in 1949, it quickly took control of  the republic, incorporating it into what has been  

known as Xinjiang ever since.


The region has  primarily been inhabited by Muslim Turkic-speaking  

groups such as the Uyghurs.


Today, the vast  majority of governments in the world, the UN,  

as well as most human rights organizations all use  the Chinese “Xinjiang” to refer to the region.

 

“East Turkestan” as a name

is today mostly  used by Uyghur activists, some of whom hope  

for the creation of an independent state in the  region one day.

I don’t know why, though. I mean,  

according to China, nothing bad has ever  happened to the Uyghurs in that region ever!

The problem with the widespread  usage of Xinjiang is that Xinjiang in  

Chinese literally means ‘new frontier’.


 And a new frontier is usually not a place  

associated with its own people, history,  and culture.


Or freedom, apparently.

Instead, a new frontier is an unstable and wild  

place that must be “civilized” by a more  developed nation.


You know… “civilized.”

That is the attitude of superiority  the Chinese authorities have approached  

the region with.  

They have damaged  the natural environment,


desecrated  

cultural sites,


subjected Uyghur  children to forced separation from  

their families,


and detained as many as  1 million Muslims from across the region  

in re-education camps and prisons.  Whoops. I mean… “civilization camps.”

But, apparently, all that isn’t enough suffocating  control for the CCP.

Because just last week a new  

report by two human rights organizations found  that Chinese authorities have renamed hundreds  

of Uyghur villages and towns across the region.


 They’ve removed culturally significant names and  

replaced them with much more meaningful names. One  village was renamed ‘Unity Village’ while another  

was renamed ‘Red Flag Village’.


Because  in China a big red flag is a good thing.

In another case, a woman who was released  from a re-education facility tried to get  

a bus ticket home but found her village didn’t  exist anymore.


This is why one human rights  

lawyer commenting on the report said it’s  a state-imposed erasure and replacement  

policy aimed to sever Uyghurs from their history,  culture, and civilization.

And that is the  

power of place names. Changing them can raise one  narrative while simultaneously burying another six  

feet in the ground.

Accepting the CCP’s recent  name changes as “new place names” that we all need  

to get used to is equal to accepting the CCP’s  tightening control and human rights violations  

in Tibet and the Uyghur region as well as its  aggression against India and Taiwan. So maybe not.

And hey, if you haven’t yet,  visit HKlennonwall.com and  

leave a post-it note for Hong Kong. Link is below.

Doing this project—and this whole show,  

would not have been possible without  the support of viewers like you on  

the crowd funding website  patreon.com/chinauncensored. 

You can contribute however much you want,  but it could be even as little as a dollar  

an episode. Every bit helps. It’s what makes  projects like the digital Lennon Wall possible.

And the CCP is taking notice. 

That’s why Chinese state-run media has called  China Uncensored “disgraceful anti-China garbage.”

So join what I call the China  Uncensored 50 Cent Army on Patreon.

And as a thank you to  everyone who gives on Patreon,  

I’l respond to one of your questions or  comments at the end of these episodes.

Today’s comes  Postum “Black Myth: Wukong  

has been making waves lately. It's a game being  made by China-based developer Game Science. Chris,  

do you know if Chinese game developers primarily  target foreign audiences? I ask because the CCP  

likes to discourage Chinese citizens from playing  video games. Thanks for all your great work!”

You know, I’ve been keeping an eye on  that game (Corner Box) because I’m a  

big fan of the Chinese classic novel  Journey to the West (Corner Box) which  

is where the character Monkey  King, or Sun Wuknog comes from.

I’ll probably do something about  that game on my gaming channel,  

Gamers Unbeaten, which you  should check out link is below.

But I have some concerns.

The CCP keeps a tight grip on  the gaming industry in China. 

There’s evidence that Chinese made  games could be spying on users.

I don’t know for a fact that’s a risk with  Black Myth Wukong (Corner Box), but I’m  

just letting you know, that’s a concern I  have and I will be looking more into it.

I’m also not entirely sure of the  message of the game. Somehow I don’t  

imagine a game made in modern  China will really portray Sun  

Wukong’s transformation from a wild monkey  demon to faithful servant of the Buddha. 

But as for Chinese game developers  targeting foreign audiences,  

“China is already using games  to spread its soft power.”

And the CCP does have its hands  in all industries in China.

Thank you for your question  and your support Postum.

You can join Postum, on Patreon  by clicking this orange button,  

and remember to check out the Digital Lennon  Wall . Again, the link is below. And thank you  

to everyone who supports the show on Patreon for  making it possible to really stick it to the CCP.

Once again, I’m Chris Chappell. See you next time.