I assigned my students to present on a social/political issue in Taiwan. One group did Taiwan independence, which I thought was kind of cool. The ready way they selected this, with its suggestion that they did not feel anyone would be offended, shows how things have changed. After READ MORE are the PPTs they made, reproduced with their permission. On the "system of value" when I asked for an example of different values, they said Taiwanese treat each other with more respect than the way Chinese treat each other. The comment about women represents better women's rights in Taiwan. They laid it out in advantages vs disadvantages format, and concluded about what you'd expect for this generation...
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It seems to me that your students have unjustly ignored the possibility of rejoining Japan.
ReplyDeleteAdvantages:
* Mikado a fine symbol of national sovereignty
* Would immediately resolve 2/5 of the East China Sea territorial disputes
* Automatic Mutual Defense Treaty with the USA
* Original Shinto shrine way cooler than Martyrs' Shrine or Grand Hotel
* Remaining Takasago soldiers can finally come home, ending WW2 (and confusing Ma Ying-jiou when he has to award them medals)
* Cultural renaissance in the form of sumo, geisha, manga, cosplay, and those vending machines that sell used schoolgirl panties !!!
Disadvantages:
* Food suddenly more expensive (and also healthier, which could either be a good thing or a bad thing)
* Taiwanese legislators suddenly have to learn karate instead of kung fu
* A lot of trouble to change the names of famous places like Taroko Gorge or Sun-Moon Lake into Japanese
* Have to remember to clap hands instead of doing baibai
* Still no nuclear weapons (maybe we should join Pakistan instead)
That was cool. Note that when they asked "Is Taiwan a country?" they put up a big picture of the ROC flag, not the green flag. I think the ROC flag would survive formal independence.
ReplyDeleteThe strategy is to use the ROC shell for as long as needed. The symbol of that shell is still therefore acceptable, for now...
ReplyDeleteOne big disadvantage I see if we become two separate countries is that we have to go through custom and pay duty when visiting China and enter long and hard negotiations to sign trade pacts; wait! we already do!
ReplyDeletePerhaps anonymous was being tongue-in-cheek talking about Taiwan rejoining Japan. Regardless, I wonder why Taiwan needs to join any other country. Taiwan has proven that it is fully capable of governing itself. Why does it need to be part of the PRC or Japan?
ReplyDeleteI think your students have demonstrated that in the minds of most ROC = Taiwan and Taiwan = ROC. There is really no need for Taiwan to declare independence. On what country is it currently dependent? Perhaps we need Constitutional reform to make clear that the ROC no longer has any claim to China. But why create a new flag, passport, national anthem, etc. when we already have those things?