"Opium War"


Tatlong gabing katahimikan. Ngayon ko lang napansin na naipon na pala sa aking mesa ang ilang librong may patungkol sa China at mga Tsino. Inaaral ang kalaban? O naghahanap ng dahilan upang ituring na kakampi?

Opyo at ang papel nito sa kasaysayan ng China -- iyan marahil ang pinakamalaking dahilan kung bakit tila may kipkip na sama ng loob ang nasabing higante ng Asya sa mga bansang kanluranin. Kung nasa Beijing ka daw, subukan mong hanapin ang labi o ruins ng "Summer Palace" ng Qing Dynasty, sigurado may makakahalubilo kang ilang Tsinong maghahayag ng kanilang paghihinayang sa lugar at pagka- inis sa mga sumira nito -- ang mga British at French.

Kapag nakikita ko ang ilang imahe ng mga kasalukuyang protesta sa Hong Kong, sumasagi naman sa isipan ko itong unang "Opium War" na pinaglabanan ng Britannia at Imperyo ng China sa ilalim ng Qing Dynasty noong 1840's. Sa mga hindi pamilyar, ganito yan: Mahilig sa kanilang "afternoon tea" ang mga British kaya ungkat naman sila ng ungkat ng tsa (tea) sa China, kasama na din syempre ilang mga produktong luho gaya ng porcelana at jade. Hanggang sa naalarma ang gobyernong Britania sa kanilang malaking trade imbalance kontra China. Ibig sabihin sa malayang kalakalan, dapat patas lang (o lamang sila). Bili sila ng bili, samantalang hindi naman nakapasok ang maraming produktong British sa China.

Subalit tuso ang mga British, napansin nila ang mataas na pagkahumaling ng mga Tsino sa opyo. Ito naman ang kanilang pinuntirya. Ang pagtanim at paggawa opyo ay inihimpil nila sa kanilang kolonya sa India, na sekreto namang pinupuslit sa mga daungan sa China.

Sa kontrol at pagbabawal ng opyo na ginawa ng mga Tsino, umalma ang kabilang panig na nauwi sa pagpapadala ng mga barkong pandigma ng Britania sa China. Natalo ang mga Tsino at ang isa sa kasunduan ng tigil putukan ay ang kabayaran, pagsuko o pagbigay ng Hong Kong sa mga British.

Minsan sa isang talumpati nabanggit ni President Xi Jinping ang opium war na tila ibig niyang ipaalala sa mga bansang kanluranin ang pait na inabot ng China sa kamay ng imperialismo. Ang lahat kaya ng nangyayari ngayon ay isang uri ng paghihiganti ng China? Hindi pa rin nakaka "move on"o wala lang?

Pasig City.
Ika-12 ng Hunyo 2020

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