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I am curious what the dominant opinion is in China regarding what the population of Taiwan wants. That the majority of Taiwanese want to become Chinese? That

I am curious what the dominant opinion is in China regarding what the population of Taiwan wants. That the majority of Taiwanese want to become Chinese? That it doesn’t matter what the Taiwan population wants because China has the right to claim it?

deleted 4y ago
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bena 4y ago
The dominant opinion of the people of China or of the government of China? I would say that the majority of the people of China are much like the majority of the people of any land, they don't directly care about the issue. Someone on the other side of the country in Karamay probably doesn't even think about Taiwan for most of their days. However, according to the government of China, Taiwan is an island occupied by a rogue government, the last remnants of the losing side of a Civil War. That island is part of China. The people of Taiwan have different opinions. Three major ones last I looked. There's the opinion of the natives who think Taiwan should be its own country, independent of any other country's influence. Control of the area has alternated between China and Japan. With China getting control back in 1945 after WWII. Then there's the people who believe that the ROC should be reinstated on the mainland. And finally, some people who think they should just become members of the PRC and get all over with.
- epolanski 4y ago
  > However, according to the government of China, Taiwan is an island occupied by a rogue government, the last remnants of the losing side of a Civil War. I mean, it's not an opinion, it's a fact of how things went.
  - DennisP 4y ago
    As of today though, "rogue" seems a bit of a judgment call. From the perspective of every country besides China, there's nothing rogue about Taiwan's government, they're a pretty well-behaved member of the international community.
    - epolanski 4y ago
      Sure, I agree on that.
  - ipnon 4y ago
    When the war started Taiwan was part of the Japanese empire.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
  - bena 4y ago
    The people who style themselves the ROC don't feel that way. They would say that mainland China is occupied by an illegal government. These aren't my opinions, these are generally the opinions of the people involved. Which I feel is a fair way to present things. Personally, the PRC has been the de facto government of China for long enough that the ROC loyalists in Taiwan should accept that the war is lost. The big question is to what to do about the island of Taiwan. After the end of WWII, it was surrendered to China. If the Chinese Civil War hadn't resumed, Taiwan would be part of China. But the ROC occupies that territory. And they were the China it was surrendered to. But if we accept that the PRC is China, then we do need to consider their position that by being China, they should be all of China. But sometimes, the resolution of a Civil War is that a nation fractures into multiple. But there isn't a big enough faction on either side of the strait to accept any solution. And even if Taiwan would accept a two state solution, getting China to accept that is a big ask. I think if China ever accepts a two state solution, Taiwan jumps on it. I think even the restorationists in Taiwan would accept that as a way to end the tension.
peter303 4y ago
The Independent-Taiwan political party has been growing as most mainland refugees have died by now. Peking is unhappy with this trend.
tarkin2 4y ago
Most of the Taiwanese--in fact all--say they're culturally Chinese but politically Taiwanese. That's to say, they do not want Chinese control.
HDThoreaun 4y ago
From talking to around 15 Chinese people my understanding is that they genuinely believe Taiwan is a province of china and most are completely unaware of the Taiwanese independence movement.

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bena 4y ago

The dominant opinion of the people of China or of the government of China? I would say that the majority of the people of China are much like the majority of the people of any land, they don't directly care about the issue. Someone on the other side of the country in Karamay probably doesn't even think about Taiwan for most of their days. However, according to the government of China, Taiwan is an island occupied by a rogue government, the last remnants of the losing side of a Civil War. That island is part of China. The people of Taiwan have different opinions. Three major ones last I looked. There's the opinion of the natives who think Taiwan should be its own country, independent of any other country's influence. Control of the area has alternated between China and Japan. With China getting control back in 1945 after WWII. Then there's the people who believe that the ROC should be reinstated on the mainland. And finally, some people who think they should just become members of the PRC and get all over with.

epolanski 4y ago
> However, according to the government of China, Taiwan is an island occupied by a rogue government, the last remnants of the losing side of a Civil War. I mean, it's not an opinion, it's a fact of how things went.
- DennisP 4y ago
  As of today though, "rogue" seems a bit of a judgment call. From the perspective of every country besides China, there's nothing rogue about Taiwan's government, they're a pretty well-behaved member of the international community.
  - epolanski 4y ago
    Sure, I agree on that.
- ipnon 4y ago
  When the war started Taiwan was part of the Japanese empire.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- bena 4y ago
  The people who style themselves the ROC don't feel that way. They would say that mainland China is occupied by an illegal government. These aren't my opinions, these are generally the opinions of the people involved. Which I feel is a fair way to present things. Personally, the PRC has been the de facto government of China for long enough that the ROC loyalists in Taiwan should accept that the war is lost. The big question is to what to do about the island of Taiwan. After the end of WWII, it was surrendered to China. If the Chinese Civil War hadn't resumed, Taiwan would be part of China. But the ROC occupies that territory. And they were the China it was surrendered to. But if we accept that the PRC is China, then we do need to consider their position that by being China, they should be all of China. But sometimes, the resolution of a Civil War is that a nation fractures into multiple. But there isn't a big enough faction on either side of the strait to accept any solution. And even if Taiwan would accept a two state solution, getting China to accept that is a big ask. I think if China ever accepts a two state solution, Taiwan jumps on it. I think even the restorationists in Taiwan would accept that as a way to end the tension.

peter303 4y ago

The Independent-Taiwan political party has been growing as most mainland refugees have died by now. Peking is unhappy with this trend.

tarkin2 4y ago

Most of the Taiwanese--in fact all--say they're culturally Chinese but politically Taiwanese. That's to say, they do not want Chinese control.

HDThoreaun 4y ago

From talking to around 15 Chinese people my understanding is that they genuinely believe Taiwan is a province of china and most are completely unaware of the Taiwanese independence movement.