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Staking Their Independence
"Each generation of Taiwanese feel a stronger sense of Taiwanese identity than the one before."
By Andres Chang
I’m an American in Taiwan. I recently moved from my home in West Covina, CA to Taichung, Taiwan because I don’t agree with what the country is doing. Specifically, I think it’s wrong for the United States to conquer Iraq and impose our own form of government on them. And now, ironically, China is threatening Taiwan with the same thing.
China just passed an anti-secession law giving them a legal basis to invade the island of Taiwan. China views Taiwan as a renegade province. But, the fact is the Chinese Communist government has absolutely no territorial or historical claims to Taiwan. Taiwan was part of Imperial China until it was annexed by Japan. After the Second World War, China was a republic: the Republic of China (ROC), and Taiwan was given to the ROC. Civil war broke out in China, and the Communists won. The ROC set up shop in Taiwan, where it still exists. However, Taiwan has never been under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.
It is absolutely disgusting and ridiculous the way China treats Taiwan. If China thinks they can conquer this island of more than 23 million people, they’re wrong. First of all, Taiwanese people live in a free market democracy, and they like it that way. They like having massive protests and rallies without the tanks being sent in, a la Tiananmen Square. Each time, China threatens Taiwan, the people here respond by freely electing a pro-independence candidate. And this Saturday, March 26, there will be a massive rally in the capital city, Taipei, to protest China’s actions. There will also be protests in Taiwanese communities around the world.
Poll, after poll, after poll, shows that people in Taiwan don’t want to be a part of China. Furthermore, each generation of Taiwanese feel a stronger sense of Taiwanese identity than the one before. Taiwanese people don’t call themselves Chinese, they call themselves Taiwanese. Yes, both countries share the same official language, but once you leave Taipei, everybody and their mama speaks Taiwanese. Nobody here says, “I live in the Republic of China;” they say, “I live in Taiwan.” They also say, “No, I am not Chinese, I am Taiwanese.” “We are independent.” One friend of mine also told me, “America didn’t want to be a part of England so they became independent. We don’t want to be a part of China.”
I can’t stand big countries beating up on little countries just because they can. If China wants to attack Taiwan, I suggest they call two of their friends first: Russia and the United States. Ask Russia about Afghanistan. Then call the United States and ask about Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.
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