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China absolutely wants to be reunited with Taiwan. Taiwan is a constant reminder of the century of humiliation (Translated term that is basically China's term f

China absolutely wants to be reunited with Taiwan. Taiwan is a constant reminder of the century of humiliation (Translated term that is basically China's term for Opium wars to WWII). Taiwan is an integral part of the Chinese nation and for nationalistic reasons, it would be an issue even if Taiwan had no other benefits.

zasdffaa 4y ago
Speaking as a brit, the opium wars were an abomination but China does like to (or find convenient) playing the victim.
SkyMarshal 4y ago
> Taiwan is an integral part of the Chinese nation No it isn't. China under the Communist Party has never ruled or controlled Taiwan (since 1949). Taiwan democratized, developed, and got wealthy first, completely independently of China. Taiwan has never in modern history been an integral part of China.
- gnu8 4y ago
  China has been a country for longer than the history of European civilization. They do not subscribe to the view that nothing that happened before 1945 matters the way Americans seem to.
  - philliphaydon 4y ago
    China also makes the claim of 1000s of years of history but Taiwans inclusion in that history is about 200 years. And of that less than 10 was a province that China still didn’t govern or control. It was more or less just something they said to deter Japan. So historically China has never ruled over Taiwan. Japan has more claim to Taiwan than China as it actually ruled and controlled Taiwan.
    - rendang 4y ago
      Not if you're a nationalist, since most of Taiwan is ethnically Han, not Japanese.
  - quantumwannabe 4y ago
    No, China has not been a country for longer than European civilization. That CCP propaganda claim is the equivalent of saying that the European Union has been around for 8000 years because Plovdiv, Bulgaria was founded in the 6th Millennium BC.
- DoughnutHole 4y ago
  There's a difference between a nation and a state, although the two are nearly always synonymous in the modern world. Taiwan and China being one nation is the policy of the governments of both China and Taiwan. Of course Taiwanese nationalism is it's own thing now, but the Taiwanese people seeing themselves as not Chinese is a relatively recent phenomenon - it's been functionally independent for less than 100 years, and before that it was a Japanese colony like several others that have since been reabsorbed by China. I'm not supporting Chineses irredentism, and I don't think the parent comment was either. Taiwan should remain independent. What the parent was explaining is why China would want Taiwan no matter what - it's a historical part of China that is relatively recently separated, so they want it for purely nationalistic reasons. It's no different from Serbia and Kosovo, or Russia and swaths of Ukraine. The economics don't matter if all you care about is your wounded national pride.
  - philliphaydon 4y ago
    > Taiwan and China being one nation is the policy of the governments of both China and Taiwan. No one in Taiwan and not even the current government consider China/Taiwan together. When KMT fled and created the constitution they claim China. Taiwan is now stuck in limbo because the people just want to live their lives in peace and already consider themselves Taiwanese and independent. But if they change the constitution then China will consider it a formal act of independence and use it as an excuse.
    - MikePlacid 4y ago
      The pro-independence party just suffered a major loss in local elections. The prime-minister who invited Nancy Pelosi for a provocative visit had to resign. Looks like Taiwanese people are not very enthusiastic about becoming a new Ukraine.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
      - enticeing 4y ago

zasdffaa 4y ago

Speaking as a brit, the opium wars were an abomination but China does like to (or find convenient) playing the victim.

SkyMarshal 4y ago

> Taiwan is an integral part of the Chinese nation No it isn't. China under the Communist Party has never ruled or controlled Taiwan (since 1949). Taiwan democratized, developed, and got wealthy first, completely independently of China. Taiwan has never in modern history been an integral part of China.

gnu8 4y ago
China has been a country for longer than the history of European civilization. They do not subscribe to the view that nothing that happened before 1945 matters the way Americans seem to.
- philliphaydon 4y ago
  China also makes the claim of 1000s of years of history but Taiwans inclusion in that history is about 200 years. And of that less than 10 was a province that China still didn’t govern or control. It was more or less just something they said to deter Japan. So historically China has never ruled over Taiwan. Japan has more claim to Taiwan than China as it actually ruled and controlled Taiwan.
  - rendang 4y ago
    Not if you're a nationalist, since most of Taiwan is ethnically Han, not Japanese.
- quantumwannabe 4y ago
  No, China has not been a country for longer than European civilization. That CCP propaganda claim is the equivalent of saying that the European Union has been around for 8000 years because Plovdiv, Bulgaria was founded in the 6th Millennium BC.
DoughnutHole 4y ago
There's a difference between a nation and a state, although the two are nearly always synonymous in the modern world. Taiwan and China being one nation is the policy of the governments of both China and Taiwan. Of course Taiwanese nationalism is it's own thing now, but the Taiwanese people seeing themselves as not Chinese is a relatively recent phenomenon - it's been functionally independent for less than 100 years, and before that it was a Japanese colony like several others that have since been reabsorbed by China. I'm not supporting Chineses irredentism, and I don't think the parent comment was either. Taiwan should remain independent. What the parent was explaining is why China would want Taiwan no matter what - it's a historical part of China that is relatively recently separated, so they want it for purely nationalistic reasons. It's no different from Serbia and Kosovo, or Russia and swaths of Ukraine. The economics don't matter if all you care about is your wounded national pride.
- philliphaydon 4y ago
  > Taiwan and China being one nation is the policy of the governments of both China and Taiwan. No one in Taiwan and not even the current government consider China/Taiwan together. When KMT fled and created the constitution they claim China. Taiwan is now stuck in limbo because the people just want to live their lives in peace and already consider themselves Taiwanese and independent. But if they change the constitution then China will consider it a formal act of independence and use it as an excuse.
  - MikePlacid 4y ago
    The pro-independence party just suffered a major loss in local elections. The prime-minister who invited Nancy Pelosi for a provocative visit had to resign. Looks like Taiwanese people are not very enthusiastic about becoming a new Ukraine.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - enticeing 4y ago