Taiwan's KMT welcomes Chinese with open arms.

[Ganoderma]

Old news, and there are countless things to mention, but a recent visit (actually today and now) form a high up Chinese came today to be welcomed by Taiwan.

 

to be fair, not long ago there was another chinese government official here in taiwan who was "Attacked".

 

On the news today (TV, i will post a written english report when its made...just a few hours ago) it showed a women walking down the road with a taiwanese flag umbrella. she was pushed aside and the umbrella taken with no explanation (common sense says they dont want to "upset" the visitor). Police stopped and checked the cars going to the biggest airport, causing thousands to be delayed getting to the airport.

 

Aside from this visit, when the President here (taiwan) he is called Mr. not President, as to not upset China...and the party backs this up.

 

China believes that every province should have a panda (or 2 or 3 etc) in their zoos, the previous president would not allow the "gift" of a panda as it admits "ownership" of taiwan.

 

Perhaps these are all small happenings, but there are lots and he has been "The Prez" for a relatively short period.

 

Anyone else here follow China/Taiwan politics? I feel this Country of Taiwan is stepping back many years and a lot of work to dignify and separate from China is being undone at incredible speed.

 

"Business as usual" and "The status Quo" are the new governments morals.

 

 

Pre visit:

Protests mount in Taiwan ahead of China visit

Protests mount in Taiwan ahead of China visit - Yahoo! News UK

 

A chinese websites veiw.

China Sending Top Envoy to Taiwan

China Digital Times China Sending Top Envoy to Taiwan

[Buffy]

Although the KMT is certainly a different party than in Chiang Kai-shek's day, and it certainly maintains a more "neutral" stance toward the mainland than the more openly hostile stance of Chen Shui-bian, who was arguably "pro-independence," thus making him the equivalent of an "Enemy of the State" to the PRC.

 

While this is a "roll back" of policy that may seem to be "coddling" the mainland, its also arguably safer, since those Communist party members get really bent out of shape about anyone who argues against their Imperialism. More importantly, on the international stage, no one except for the wacko neo-cons here in the US who think that the US should be preparing for war with China--something that would be seriously bad for Taiwan--is willing to stand up to the Chinese on this topic because good relations with this emerging economic superpower would really be foolish.

 

I do not see many parallels with Hong Kong though: Friends I have there have always said that *no one* in Hong Kong cares anything about politics, only money, and as long as Beijing doesn't mess with their bank accounts, their stock markets or their trade, no one cares who's in charge.

 

On the other hand, in Taiwan there is a half century of building of identity that has far more parallels to Tibet. While many feel that letting the mainlanders have a fantasy that they're in control by using the "proper language" will maintain the status quo, people on both sides realize that any sort of *real* political change would require an extremely messy military invasion that would have a very large number of unintended consequences.

 

I think it likely that if China gets too over bearing, that we'll see a resurgence in the DPP in Taiwan, which will result in--as we've seen endless times in the past--an increase in saber-rattling from across the strait, but there are many who see that any actual attempt by the mainland to invade Taiwan would likely result in a much broader conflict that likely would indeed cause the US to become directly involved, even if Obama were president.

 

Be careful what you wish for, :phones:

Buffy

[Ganoderma]

mmm. you make good points.

 

Granted Chen was no super president, but from what i gather form the news(papers) and the "talk" around places, Ma is not wanted by many (majority?). I know tough poop, they voted him in now they gotta deal with him. But one would think, or hope, that when the leaders of a nation see SO MANY people disagree with what is being done and things are starting to get controlled (such as losing freedoms to keep this fake friendship) things would stop going so far.

 

 

since his taking office we have seen people stopped from expressing free speech, or even walking with a flag on their umbrella.

 

news sources have been told to stop publishing certain things about china (this came about during the milk powder mess).

 

acceptance of items relating to being a province of china (pandas)

 

belittling the nation on the international stage (not sure if this is the right way to say this) by accepting and thinking its right to call the elected president nothing more than you would call your friends father or a stranger: Mr.

 

 

I can see, he is ok with that, then its fine. But he is the Leader of Taiwan, and he carries Taiwan's pride, image and dignity on his shoulders, and he is showing the world the exact opposite of what much of Taiwan has worked so hard at (in my opinion*).

 

 

I agree, there is no real way to deal with a country like China that doesn't end in bloodshed (honestly i think its a miracle Taiwan avoided such a thing). And it would likely draw in other nations, as you say even an Obama USA...because "free nations" have been spewing out all this stuff about standing up for freedom and democracy...and any conflict between China and taiwan, in the view of the current "freedom and democracy" China is the bad guy. would you agree with that?

 

lets face it, Taiwan couldn't defend itself from much of anything of an invasion....Like watching a spider fall onto an ant mound.

 

I know there are many Chen haters...hes as crooked as the next money grabbing politician. But i did like that he had balls to stand up for his beliefs (independence...?). He never did anything outright, which probably pissed off china even more, but aside from his money scandals he seemed alright. of course, when china is pissed at you, your gonna hurt financially....and so we did under Chen.

[Ganoderma]

CNA English News

Taipei, Nov. 1 (CNA) The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will organize a three-day sit-in during next week's visit of China's top negotiator to Taiwan, to "manifest the Taiwanese people's will to protect their sovereignty in a peaceful way."

 

The DPP hopes the sit-in will make China realize that Taiwan's people want peace but refuse to sacrifice sovereignty for economic benefits, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said at a news conference Saturday.............

[Ganoderma]

with the government doing some pretty gutsy things (antifreedom) and protesters getting pissed off...there has been a little violence...tv shows it best but here are some google translated articles (sorry, google does not do super at translating, but you get the idea)

 

original articles in chinese here: Yahoo!????

 

Translated version of http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/081106/78/18ybi.html

Key newspaper reporter / roundup〕 police escort for the president of the China Association for Chen, a gross over the past few days intended to choke off the people Chen, a strong resentment brewing in the outbreak last night, several hundred people gathered in the KMT Chairman Wu Po-hsiung, Chen hosted the Crystal City Mandarin Hotel, the hotel surrounded by front and back doors, leading to the stranded Chen Yunlin, the early morning of the last time so far not been able to return to the Grand Hotel.

 

Translated version of http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/081106/17/18z39.html

 

 

 

Translated version of http://tw.news.yahoo.com/featurestory1/protest1106.html

Besieged aftermath of the masses, the police continued confrontation between the Yuanshan