John Copper, the longtime pro-KMT academic, deserves a round of applause for coming out strongly for continued US support for Taiwan in the Taipei Times this week. There were a couple of interesting points along with some of the usual arguments:Another reason China probably does not want Taiwan immediately is that unification would likely be seen as a victory for the military; civilian leaders want to keep the military under control. (Many think it has become a loose cannon of late.) Chinese leaders feel that Taiwan will eventually want unification because of China’s economic attraction and that would be a better way of solving the problem.It's good to see some pushback against the short-sighted notion that the US should abandon Taiwan to please Beijing, as if Beijing would stay pleased for more than thirty seconds. As a longtime KMT supporter, Copper's position also shows the complexities and contradictions of academic positioning on key Taiwan issues -- arguing on the one hand that the US should support Taiwan and help keep it out of Chinese hands while on the other supporting the Party that officially wants to annex Taiwan to China.
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To correct you: KMT wants to reunite Taiwan with China.
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Kiki :)
KMT wants to annex Taiwan to China. "Reunite" is merely their political propaganda term for it.
ReplyDeleteCorrection - A small segment of no more than about 10-15% of the KMT, most of whom are all well into their 70's, 80's and 90's want to annex Taiwan to China. The vast majority want to remain independent.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: since you are a non-Taiwanese, why such a massive political interest in Taiwan? Yes, it is interesting to a point, as politics can be, but you cannot vote or actually do anything to change these conditions or is there?
ReplyDeleteVoting actually removes, reinstates or replaces political figures...not blogs that many Taiwanese that vote do not read (in my opinion). Seems like your energies and efforts could be used in a more useful and positive manner. Such as the people of Taiwan and continued writing on Taiwan's scenic beauty.
Taiwan is a wonderful country with some of the greatest people ever. Sure, there as people that aren't the best, that's anywhere you go.
Me, I have been here in Taiwan for over two years and should be over the 'honeymoon phase' but it's yet to completely fade. And if I ever decide to chronicle my time here I'll pass on the political aspect, unless someone can convince me that I can do something to change it.
Oh yes, I always voted in America..."You have no right to complain unless you try (vote)"
Happy cycling!
The ideal situation for the KMT is to trade the annexation of Taiwan for positions of significant power in China. KMT is concerned over power and nothing else.
ReplyDeleteVoting actually removes, reinstates or replaces political figures...not blogs that many Taiwanese that vote do not read (in my opinion).
ReplyDeleteIf I wanted to be read by Taiwanese, I'd be writing in Chinese.
Thanks for the kind comments.
Michael
The vast majority want to remain independent.
ReplyDeleteThat's right.