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Taiwan is a completely sovereign, independent country. Its not a province, its not a semi-autonomous region, its a nation as much as Canada or Japan is. I'm not sure what the root of the OP's confusion is. It may consider itself part of greater "China" in the same way that Norway considers itself part of Scandinavia, but no one educated confuses it and Sweden as the same country. Not all Chinese people live in the PRC.
Taiwan is a completely sovereign, independent country. Its not a province, its not a semi-autonomous region, its a nation as much as Canada or Japan is. I'm not sure what the root of the OP's confusion is. It may consider itself part of greater "China" in the same way that Norway considers itself part of Scandinavia, but no one educated confuses it and Sweden as the same country. Not all Chinese people live in the PRC.
If you ask Taiwanese people whether a Beijinger or Hong Konger is a "foreigner", the vast majority will say "no".
If you ask Swedish people whether a Norwegian is a foreigner, they will say "yes".
Some (not all) influential media in Taiwan address China "mainland" only. Even Team China for the Olympic games was referred as "Team Mainland" by those media.
The constitution of ROC still claims mainland and Taiwan both belong to Republic of China.
China and the PRC are two separate things. One is a 4000 year old nation, the other is a 60 year old state. If the ROC isn't China without all of China, than the PRC isn't China without all of China.
Why must Westerners refer to Taiwan and China as separate?
1. Because the Taiwanese people say they are separate.
2. Because Taiwan is many times times nicer than China.
2a. Because Taiwan is a 1st world nation, while China is still a developing country.
2b. Because Taiwanese, in general, are much more polite than Chinese.
2c. Because pollution has been brought under control in Taiwan. The government and citizenry are genuinely concerned about the island's environment, and work together to preserve it.
3. Because Taiwan is a multi-party democratic society, while China is a one-party non-representative communist country.
3a. Because native Taiwanese don't commit acts of terrorism in response to an oppressive central government.
1. Because the Taiwanese people say they are separate.
2. Because Taiwan is many times times nicer than China.
2a. Because Taiwan is a 1st world nation, while China is still a developing country.
2b. Because Taiwanese, in general, are much more polite than Chinese.
2c. Because pollution has been brought under control in Taiwan. The government and citizenry are genuinely concerned about the island's environment, and work together to preserve it.
3. Because Taiwan is a multi-party democratic society, while China is a one-party non-representative communist country.
3a. Because native Taiwanese don't commit acts of terrorism in response to an oppressive central government.
etc.
etc.
GDP per capita of Hong Kong or Macau is higher than that of Taiwan...enough said.
1. Because the Taiwanese people say they are separate.
2. Because Taiwan is many times times nicer than China.
2a. Because Taiwan is a 1st world nation, while China is still a developing country.
2b. Because Taiwanese, in general, are much more polite than Chinese.
2c. Because pollution has been brought under control in Taiwan. The government and citizenry are genuinely concerned about the island's environment, and work together to preserve it.
3. Because Taiwan is a multi-party democratic society, while China is a one-party non-representative communist country.
3a. Because native Taiwanese don't commit acts of terrorism in response to an oppressive central government.
etc.
etc.
I've already said multiple times that I would never suggest that they should allow the CPC-controlled mainland to absorb them. This is about the loss of a great nation's identity.
I've already said multiple times that I would never suggest that they should allow the CPC-controlled mainland to absorb them. This is about the loss of a great nation's identity.
What is that supposed to mean? From what I can tell, Chinese identity can be very strong in the KMT-administered area of the Republic of China and Western media doesn't reflect this. With the Westernisation of the Eastern world continuing at full force, I sympathise with ROC nationals who have a will to preserve their country's identity. I'm not going to tell other people what to believe about their own country.
Last edited by pdw; 11-13-2013 at 09:28 PM..
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