4 ms·

Many accept the status quo in which Taiwan is de facto self ruled but at least there is an aspiration towards future reunification by peaceful means, and in whi

Many accept the status quo in which Taiwan is de facto self ruled but at least there is an aspiration towards future reunification by peaceful means, and in which Taiwan identifies as Chinese (just disagreeing on the government). As one of my (Chinese) family members put it: we can be very flexible and patient in arrangements as long as you reconize you're Chinese; who is the government is not the most imporant. Letting go of the reunification aspiration entirely, and letting Taiwan relinquish their identity as Chinese, is a whole different matter and would make lots of people angry. It would be seen as a sign of a weak government, one which is in collusion with foreign forces to destroy Chinese sovereignty; an extension of early 20th century efforts by the west to balkanize China. The CCP will lose legitimacy. Once CCP is overthrown, who can say whether the new policy is peaceful? Maybe a populist will make use of the anger to incite people to call for an invasion. The CCP are actually moderates. Be careful of what you wish for.

4ea13ffe 5y ago
> Letting go of the reunification aspiration entirely, and letting Taiwan relinquish their identity as Chinese There are different types of "Chinese", and as the PRC frequently does, you are blurring the difference between them. Taiwanese are 中文 but not 中國.
- FooBarWidget 5y ago
  Well there are many mainlanders who disagree with that. To many people, being Chinese is being 中国人, which doesn't mean belonging to the Chinese state (whether that's PRC or ROC), but belonging to Chinese civilization, which is a bigger concept than merely speaking Chinese (中文).
  - 4ea13ffe 5y ago
    I don't place much value on what mainlanders think, but we have to care because they make us. > being Chinese is being 中国人, which doesn't mean belonging to the Chinese state I wish that were the case, but the CCP declare themselves the arbiter and they have all the guns. People's Daily says we are "race" traitors if we don't obey their government. So we don't like calling ourselves 中國人 anymore. I can read OK but not speak their 國語 well enough with the Taiwanese I meet to understand what they prefer. It is not a simple question. 或者华人? Maybe they ignore the pinks and still say 中國人. 我叫自己唐人 If the PRC were as reasonable as the relative you quoted above, none of this would matter. But they are not.

4ea13ffe 5y ago

> Letting go of the reunification aspiration entirely, and letting Taiwan relinquish their identity as Chinese There are different types of "Chinese", and as the PRC frequently does, you are blurring the difference between them. Taiwanese are 中文 but not 中國.

FooBarWidget 5y ago
Well there are many mainlanders who disagree with that. To many people, being Chinese is being 中国人, which doesn't mean belonging to the Chinese state (whether that's PRC or ROC), but belonging to Chinese civilization, which is a bigger concept than merely speaking Chinese (中文).
- 4ea13ffe 5y ago
  I don't place much value on what mainlanders think, but we have to care because they make us. > being Chinese is being 中国人, which doesn't mean belonging to the Chinese state I wish that were the case, but the CCP declare themselves the arbiter and they have all the guns. People's Daily says we are "race" traitors if we don't obey their government. So we don't like calling ourselves 中國人 anymore. I can read OK but not speak their 國語 well enough with the Taiwanese I meet to understand what they prefer. It is not a simple question. 或者华人? Maybe they ignore the pinks and still say 中國人. 我叫自己唐人 If the PRC were as reasonable as the relative you quoted above, none of this would matter. But they are not.