Chinese Community Rift

Re “Political Wind Shifts in S.F.’s Chinatown,” July 18: I agree with Rose Park’s comment that the continual fighting between KMT [Kuomintang] in Taiwan and Communist China to win over the San Francisco Chinese does not advance causes of the Chinese community. Overseas Chinese communities have been used as battlegrounds in the past. This extension of the civil war in China since 1911 into major cities in North America has drained much-needed resources in the Chinese community to deal with local issues.

In the recent squabble, some leaders chose Communist China over Democratic Taiwan. With allegiance to Communist China, they may not be the progressive leaders who will lead Chinatown into the new century. Their triumph in raising the People’ s Republic of China flag may just prolong the “enclave” mentality in Chinatown and hurt the community in the long run.

Wencheng Lin

Hacienda Heights