Comments on: Beijing Olympics: Taiwan vs. China

By: 8Asians.com » Taiwan’s New 2009 World Games Stadium is Completely Powered By Solar Energy

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:05:22 +0000

[...] the U.S. is not represented in the medal rankings, Taiwan (competing as Chinese Taipei) is currently ranked #2 behind Russia with four gold medals. (See current medal [...]

By: Jeff C.

Jeff C. — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 02:32:37 +0000

> However, has anyone ever stopped to think that this might be because of pressure from China?

That didn’t stop Taiwan from electing Chen Shui-bian back in 2000, who, despite the sugar-coating in official documents, is supportive of all-out independence.

And his exit approval ratings were hovering around 20%… apparantly people were extremely upset that the economy was tanking due to the loss of business with China (and the corruption scandals didn’t help either)

Taiwan learned from that mistake and overwhelmingly elected KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou to power in 2008, who phrases his wording to lean to that of status quo: “for our party, the eventual goal is reunification, but we don’t have a timetable”

If the majority of Taiwan was ever pro-Independence (which I don’t think it was), Chen’s tenure surely changed that… I think it’ll be a long time before another DPP gets elected as President again.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:22:44 +0000

I’m not disputing the fact that the UN, the WHO and other large international organizations don’t recognize the independence of Taiwan, or the fact that the majority of Taiwanese citizens support the status quo. However, has anyone ever stopped to think that this might be because of pressure from China? If there were hundreds of missiles across a 100-mile strait aimed at your island, and a large belligerent power had made it clear that they were going to attack you if you ever declared independence, and the fact that China refuses to give diplomatic recognition to any country that also recognizes you as well and China’s economic clout is only growing, I think you might also support the status quo as well.

That’s probably why most people don’t want to declare independence.

By: lara

lara — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:11:55 +0000

im not saying taiwan should or shouldn’t declare independence but just that it should be given the opportunity without having to consider factors such as ready to be used missiles aimed solely at it if it does so

By: Jeff C.

Jeff C. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:32:44 +0000

The reason that Taiwan isn’t declaring independence is because it doesn’t WANT to declare independence. It’s generally claimed that only 10% of the population want to formally split from China…. these would be considered the ultra-left DPP. By the same token, 10% want to “re-unite” with China… these would be the ultra-right KMT. However, 80% of the population just want to retain the status-quo.

I have no statistics to back up these claims (it’s been told to me first-hand from numerous Taiwanese citizens), but the overwhelming victory of Ma in the recent presidential election shows that the desire for independence is not as popular as outspoken Taiwanese-Americans make it out to be.

Also, don’t forget that it’s not just the PRC that doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a separate entity. The UN, WHO, and obviously the IOC are among the world organizations that don’t recognize Taiwan as separate from China.

Even the United States, once the most powerful backer of Taiwan, is becoming ambiguous about the amount of support it would provide to Taiwan if it declares independence, if any.

By: Grace Chu

Grace Chu — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:49:49 +0000

Oh and Hong Kong competes separately from the PRC.

Both examples I gave above are sort of the opposite – Palestine and Israel don’t want to be associated with each other, despite being within the same borders. HK is now officially part of China but it still gets to compete separately. Taiwan, on the other hand, is not part of China, but China uses a possessive word in Taiwan’s name in international competitions, so it sounds like Taiwan is part of China.

By: Grace Chu

Grace Chu — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:39:09 +0000

“Are there any other countries in the world that have to do that as well???”

Not really analogous, but Palestine competes separately from Israel.

By: lara

lara — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:48:08 +0000

i don’t understand why china won’t allow taiwan to declare indepenence – if it wishes to do so that is. the people of taiwan should be allowed to make that decision for themselves without fear of war and whatnot, it is after all them who will live with the decision foremost. although relations are warming between the two i can’t help but to think it is but forced – with china ready to declare war on taiwan if it declares independence, and china’s economy forming its ties and obligated allies if it were to do so.
TAIWAN FOR INDEPENDENCE!!!!!!!

By: lil

lil — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:38:46 +0000

i am with you . “Chinese Taipei” blows the big one and the KMT are a bunch of Uncle Toms. China has successfully used the Olympics to further erase Taiwan from existence and the people of Taiwan sat idly by and let it happen. Taiwanese people (and i do mean the real people of Taiwan) need to man up or else we will be usurped by the communists in no time.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 02:44:08 +0000

The Chinese position is not that Taiwan doesn’t exist, nor even that Taiwan doesn’t have the right to govern itself (recall: one country, two systems) — it’s that Taiwan can’t be independent. The flag can’t be the ROC flag since that would imply sovereignty. However, the flag is also not a generic five-rings flag — it’s got the same 18-pointed white-sun-on-blue-background that’s on the ROC flag.

Similarly, the song played isn’t the Olympic anthem — it’s the National Banner Song. Given that this song is customarily played for ROC flag-raisings anyway, it’s not at all clear that this was any type of concession. The analogy would be if Britain promised not to play Rule Britannia — big deal, they would’ve played God Save the Queen wanyway.