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Chinese takeover? The United States has officially recognized Taiwan as part of China since 1972. Documents declassified nearly 20 years ago reveal that Nixon p

Chinese takeover? The United States has officially recognized Taiwan as part of China since 1972. Documents declassified nearly 20 years ago reveal that Nixon promised China the United States would neither suppress nor support a Taiwanese uprising. Talking about China "invading" Taiwan sounds as ridiculous to me as talking about the United States "invading" Puerto Rico. That we've allowed Taiwan to become a critical part of our economy is a result of our own short-sightedness. Seems crazy we'd want to start a war with China at a time when we're wrapping up a 20 year misadventure in Afghanistan.

filereaper 5y ago
>The United States has officially recognized Taiwan as part of China since 1972. Its a bit more subtle than this. Something along the lines of the US recognizes the One-China policy but doesn't accept it leaving the whole situation in a limbo status. I think this video tries to explain it: https://youtu.be/cA8VoY3dUFU https://youtu.be/cA8VoY3dUFU
stale2002 5y ago
> Talking about China "invading" Taiwan sounds as ridiculous to me as talking about the United States "invading" Puerto Rico. No, that is nonsense. Taiwan is already its own country. It has its own laws, taxes, borders, and army, and it has been that way, for decades. That makes it a country, no mater what china says on the matter. That is a much different situation than puerto rico. What makes something a country, is not some document somewhere. Instead, what makes something a country is the facts on the ground of the situation. IE, who controls the laws, taxes, borders, and military. All of which, are clearly not controlled by china.
- taylodl 5y ago
  https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-recognize-taiwan https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries... This isn't our fight. Never mind we gave China our word we wouldn't interfere. Does our word mean nothing anymore?
  - stale2002 5y ago
    You completely ignored everything that I was talking about, and misdirected to some other thing, about "promises", lol. My initial post was about how Taiwan is already a country, no matter what words are on a piece of paper. What makes something a country, is the fact that it has its own laws, borders, taxes, and army, and it has been that way for decades. That was my point. And no words on a piece of paper change those facts on the ground.
    - taylodl 5y ago
      Everything you said applies to U.S. states - taxes, laws, borders, governments, armies - and they’re not countries.
      - stale2002 5y ago
        No, actually. People living in states, still have to pay federal taxes. They still have to follow federal laws. And federal armies still have bases, in these states, and defend those borders. People living in Taiwan do not have to pay taxes to China. They do not have to follow China laws. And if a fighter plane, from china, flew across Taiwan, it would get shot down by the Taiwanese military. That is why Taiwan is a country, and is different than the states example.
- CRConrad 5y ago
  > Taiwan is already its own country. Yup. And to the question whether China should be reunited under a single regime... Sure, OK, let's discuss that. The default position is of course that if this were to happen, it would be under the legitimate government in Taipei, not the usurpers in Peking. Right?
sershe 5y ago
To be fair, the misadventure was in nation building. I don't support either (ok, I kinda-but-not-really support the Chinese case because I'm hyper anti-communist, but even I'm not sure the human cost is worth it), but if US can somehow destroy the Chinese govt as effectively as we destroyed the Taliban government (or Iraqi, or Libyan), that would be more than sufficient to defend Taiwan. No rebuilding necessary.

filereaper 5y ago

>The United States has officially recognized Taiwan as part of China since 1972. Its a bit more subtle than this. Something along the lines of the US recognizes the One-China policy but doesn't accept it leaving the whole situation in a limbo status. I think this video tries to explain it: https://youtu.be/cA8VoY3dUFU https://youtu.be/cA8VoY3dUFU

stale2002 5y ago

> Talking about China "invading" Taiwan sounds as ridiculous to me as talking about the United States "invading" Puerto Rico. No, that is nonsense. Taiwan is already its own country. It has its own laws, taxes, borders, and army, and it has been that way, for decades. That makes it a country, no mater what china says on the matter. That is a much different situation than puerto rico. What makes something a country, is not some document somewhere. Instead, what makes something a country is the facts on the ground of the situation. IE, who controls the laws, taxes, borders, and military. All of which, are clearly not controlled by china.

taylodl 5y ago
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-recognize-taiwan https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries... This isn't our fight. Never mind we gave China our word we wouldn't interfere. Does our word mean nothing anymore?
- stale2002 5y ago
  You completely ignored everything that I was talking about, and misdirected to some other thing, about "promises", lol. My initial post was about how Taiwan is already a country, no matter what words are on a piece of paper. What makes something a country, is the fact that it has its own laws, borders, taxes, and army, and it has been that way for decades. That was my point. And no words on a piece of paper change those facts on the ground.
  - taylodl 5y ago
    Everything you said applies to U.S. states - taxes, laws, borders, governments, armies - and they’re not countries.
    - stale2002 5y ago
      No, actually. People living in states, still have to pay federal taxes. They still have to follow federal laws. And federal armies still have bases, in these states, and defend those borders. People living in Taiwan do not have to pay taxes to China. They do not have to follow China laws. And if a fighter plane, from china, flew across Taiwan, it would get shot down by the Taiwanese military. That is why Taiwan is a country, and is different than the states example.
CRConrad 5y ago
> Taiwan is already its own country. Yup. And to the question whether China should be reunited under a single regime... Sure, OK, let's discuss that. The default position is of course that if this were to happen, it would be under the legitimate government in Taipei, not the usurpers in Peking. Right?

sershe 5y ago

To be fair, the misadventure was in nation building. I don't support either (ok, I kinda-but-not-really support the Chinese case because I'm hyper anti-communist, but even I'm not sure the human cost is worth it), but if US can somehow destroy the Chinese govt as effectively as we destroyed the Taliban government (or Iraqi, or Libyan), that would be more than sufficient to defend Taiwan. No rebuilding necessary.