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In Rome you do like Romans. Just like you don't call for independence of Tibet in China, you don't say Taiwan is a part of China in Taiwan.
Why can't you call them part of China? Maybe because they have an independent government and consider themselves an independent country. Culture or language is irrelevant.
Just because they're independent from the PRC doesn't necessarily make them separate from "China". There are 3 countries called Guinea, 2 countries called the Congo, 2 countries called Korea... you get my point. The Chinese national identity is very important to many ROC nationals, and I don't feel it's fair for Western media to ignore this.
Just because they're independent from the PRC doesn't necessarily make them separate from "China". There are 3 countries called Guinea, 2 countries called the Congo, 2 countries called Korea... you get my point. The Chinese national identity is very important to many ROC nationals, and I don't feel it's fair for Western media to ignore this.
How does western media ignore this? When do they talk about taiwanese culture completely separate from China rather than as a political term? Please, give me instances of this. And I think you are sort of washing away the idea that a lot of Taiwanese actually make a strong distinction between Taiwan and China--there are some who don't and some who do. It's definitely not similar to Korea where both are basically fighting to say that one is more Korean than the other. It's also not similar to Guinea or Congo, because those are recent national identities that a very strong backseat to actual ethnic group identities for the most part.
Not ALL Taiwanese consider themselves an independent country. Still, some Taiwanese consider themselves Chinese.
The issue is not crystal clear.
I think most domestic polls have the vast majority of Taiwanese claiming themselves an independent country. The differing opinion is on how loudly on the foreign relations level Taiwan should actually be saying that due to its economic entrenchment with China. In terms of identity, there's a larger degree of variation on saying if Taiwanese is a now separate offshoot of Chinese culture or if it's a subset of Chinese culture--however, there's a large distinction being made between national and ethnic identity.
I think most domestic polls have the vast majority of Taiwanese claiming themselves an independent country. The differing opinion is on how loudly on the foreign relations level Taiwan should actually be saying that due to its economic entrenchment with China. In terms of identity, there's a larger degree of variation on saying if Taiwanese is a now separate offshoot of Chinese culture or if it's a subset of Chinese culture--however, there's a large distinction being made between national and ethnic identity.
I consider Taiwan an independent country de facto too. However, I won't ignore the fact that there are many things in shade too. I mean, people from either side do not really consider the other side "foreigners", and such an ambience will probably last.
Surveys usually ask some stupid questions and give you several answers to choose from.
People's opinions are way more complicated and opaque than that.
Every argument made by the OP's opening remarks could also be made with respect to Austria vis-a-vis Germany.
I'm sorry, but I don't see how the situations are the same. Austria wasn't founded in 1949 by a German government in exile on land that was already part of Germany. I acknowledge that nationality and language are very separate.
I'm guessing the vast majority of ROC nationals consider themselves Taiwanese. No argument from me, for most, that's their home province. Many consider themselves Taiwanese first, even. That still doesn't mean that they don't consider China as a part of their national identity.
It seems that China is causing a bit of a stir in some of the islands in the South China Sea. Ownership is in dispute with China over islands off Taiwan, the PI, Japan and Vietnam. China can claim ancestral ownership but taking control will be another matter.
It seems that China is causing a bit of a stir in some of the islands in the South China Sea. Ownership is in dispute with China over islands off Taiwan, the PI, Japan and Vietnam. China can claim ancestral ownership but taking control will be another matter.
Mainland China does not have any dispute with Taiwan. In fact, Taiwan "seized" some islands of Fujian Province but China does not care at all. Sometimes, both sides claim an island, together with another country, but then the focus is always "the other country", not the dispute between mainland China and Taiwan.
There are some disputes with Vietnam, The Philippines and Japan.
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