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How so? The modern take on China-Taiwan relations is free trade and cross-strait economic cooperation. The Chinese have a not-very-hidden goal of having this l

How so? The modern take on China-Taiwan relations is free trade and cross-strait economic cooperation. The Chinese have a not-very-hidden goal of having this lead to eventual political reunification. The Taiwanese are much more ambivalent about this concept, but are embracing whatever option leads to continued de facto independence. The Taiwanese-independence issue is no longer the hot button topic it once was. In short, so long as Taiwan makes no overtures towards actual independence, this relationship is stable, with lifting trade interference being a publicly stated goal on both sides. Source: I'm a Taiwanese expat.

fauigerzigerk 14y ago
Taiwan making overtures towards actual independence doesn't seem like a very far fetched possibility. It has been a hot button issue on and off over the last decades. If, on the other hand, China and Taiwan actually move towards unification, Foxconn's decision seems even more pointless.
- snogglethorpe 14y ago
  The only way Taiwan's ever going to agree to any sort of unification is if the mainland political system changes dramatically (though of course this may the end result of more gradual changes). If that happens, the effects on China are going to be so huge that they'll make business decisions made today pretty much irrelevant.
gurkendoktor 14y ago
This is how I've perceived the relationship until the last election. But, just hypothetically speaking :), if the PRC was hellbent on absorbing Taiwan, they should simply let the Senkaku conflict escalate. In that case, the KMT could believably argue that they have no choice but join sides with the PRC, no matter the democratic ambivalence about it. The reason I could see this happen is because this would be the last chance for the PRC to actually achieve unification. It's certainly not going to happen democratically. Not that this would be of much interest to Foxconn; but being in the general area would suck in the case of a conflict. If Terry Gou really moves robot production to Taiwan out of all countries, I guess he agrees with you that there's no imminent danger (which I hope).

fauigerzigerk 14y ago

Taiwan making overtures towards actual independence doesn't seem like a very far fetched possibility. It has been a hot button issue on and off over the last decades. If, on the other hand, China and Taiwan actually move towards unification, Foxconn's decision seems even more pointless.

snogglethorpe 14y ago
The only way Taiwan's ever going to agree to any sort of unification is if the mainland political system changes dramatically (though of course this may the end result of more gradual changes). If that happens, the effects on China are going to be so huge that they'll make business decisions made today pretty much irrelevant.

gurkendoktor 14y ago

This is how I've perceived the relationship until the last election. But, just hypothetically speaking :), if the PRC was hellbent on absorbing Taiwan, they should simply let the Senkaku conflict escalate. In that case, the KMT could believably argue that they have no choice but join sides with the PRC, no matter the democratic ambivalence about it. The reason I could see this happen is because this would be the last chance for the PRC to actually achieve unification. It's certainly not going to happen democratically. Not that this would be of much interest to Foxconn; but being in the general area would suck in the case of a conflict. If Terry Gou really moves robot production to Taiwan out of all countries, I guess he agrees with you that there's no imminent danger (which I hope).