In this file photo taken on February 28, 2021, protesters hold signs relating to the “Milk Tea Alliance” during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon. Twitter has launched an emoji to spotlight the “#MilkTeaAlliance” online protest movement that has forged links between pro-democracy activists across Asia, the social media giant said on April 8, 2021. Photo by Ye Aung THU / AFP
HONG KONG — Twitter has launched an emoji to spotlight the “#MilkTeaAlliance” online protest movement that has forged links between pro-democracy activists across Asia, the social media giant said Thursday.
The alliance — named for the shared love of sugary tea drinks across Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan — emerged last year in an expression of cross-border solidarity and shared fear of authoritarian China.
The campaign gained steam at a time when Hong Kong was emerging from months of pro-democracy protests and urban youth in Bangkok and other Thai cities were beginning their own street confrontations with authorities, demanding reform to the country’s military-drafted constitution and other rights.
It has since spread to Myanmar — where tea with condensed milk is a staple breakfast accompaniment — after a coup ousted the country’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February, sparking a mass uprising.
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
“To celebrate the first anniversary of the #MilkTeaAlliance, we designed an emoji featuring 3 different types of milk tea colors from regions where the Alliance first formed online,” Twitter said on Wednesday.
The image appears in any tweet featuring the hashtag in English, Thai, Korean, and several other Asian languages.
