Taiwan is no stranger to threats and influence from China.
International media has called the arrival of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a game changer in cross-strait relations, but is this out of step with Taiwanese sentiment on the ground?
Taiwanese journalist William Yang told Crikey there is a disconnect between global news streams and local feelings, with the outside world preferring to overplay the risk of China.
“People here are concerned about Beijing, but not concerned there will be an actual war,” he said. “They are very used to China’s tactics.”
Before Pelosi’s arrival, Taiwanese people and media were paying the politician and the geopolitics she represents little attention. Talk of her visit picked up only once she was imminently incoming.
“News outlets one after the other started to confirm she was arriving — only then was there a lot more attention given to her,” Yang said. “People started to track her schedule.”
Although there were small groups of pro-China protesters who greeted Pelosi with placards accusing her of bringing war to Taiwan and demanding she leave, Yang said Taiwanese people were largely excited. Big crowds gathered outside the airport and her hotel and Taiwan’s tallest building, Taipei 101, lit up with a warm welcome message.
That said, there are genuine concerns among the general population about how China might respond. Rumours swirled that Beijing would send fighter jets, and although that turned out to be false, PLA drills around the island as well as import bans have taken effect.
But Yang said: “Overall, they think it is important she is visiting and showing her support and commitment to Taiwan.”
Unlikely the Taiwanese are too excited about Pelosis’ vist. They will be the ones that cop it if the bombs and bullets start flying. Nancy will be home by then.
I feel Western countries would be on a higher moral ground with China regarding Taiwan if they instigated regular referenda, say every ten years, in their own countries to see if there are regions or states which would prefer to be autonomous. Instead of acting like their sovereignty is under threat for even mentioning it like Spain. Or dragging the process out and claiming it will be an existential threat to their unity like the Tories did with Scotland. The US in particular might find the results enlightening.
Here’s a Ssggestion for the CPC. Send a Chinese diplomat to Hawaii to discuss the creation of a Hawaiian nation, ruled by the Hawaiian people ?
Followed by Alaska!
Seems native Hawaii peoples are treated much like our aborigines, excluded from good jobs making it impossible to live in better areas. They may well vote to succeed from the US if they were allowed to.
Restricted mainly to labouring or tourist jobs if they look the part. Lovely people though. The US would never let them secede.
I understood that the old Kuomintang party of the long Chiang Kai Chek almost won the last election. They see a Taiwan as part of China apparently. Is this so? Why the silence on this issue?
Long gone Chiang.
Doesn’t fit with the narative the Western media wants to promote. Very difficult to find objective analysis published anywhere in the Anglosphere :-(.
It is. Check the “Constitution” of the Republic of China. Taiwan maintains ownership of China.
“Almost won”? Not according to the Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/11/taiwan-re-elects-tsai-ing-wen-as-president-in-clear-message-to-china
I wouldn’t call 8M out of 14M a “landslide”.
Interesting analysis here:
https://www.cpg-online.de/2020/01/16/the-taiwan-2020-election-how-tsai-managed-to-regain-taiwan-and-reject-china/
Thanks for the reference. I was struck by this line:
such an astounding victory also reflects the majority of the Taiwanese people remain steadfast in the face of a bellicose China; and reflects a determination that they will not be deceived as the Hong Kong people were in the 1997 handover.
Wasn’t HK a lease that expired, who was deceived?
Indeed. Promised a “High level” of autonomy which they still have (and which is far more than they ever had under the UK).
No deception at all. Everything done in line with the Basic Law in HK. That was also just one separatist opinion as well on the Taiwan election.
TV channel CTi in Taiwan which was favourable to the Kuomintang opposition and closer relations to China had its broadcast licence revoked and forced to shut down. the excuse was it had a “self discipline problem”. Exposes the farce of democracy and free speech that currently exists in Taiwan.
Hmmm. Maybe a Rupert Ruled Democracy ?
A bit like Zelenskyy shutting stuff down in Ukraine.
groups of pro-China protesters who greeted Pelosi with placards accusing her of bringing war to Taiwan
I don’t know anything about the sympathies of these groups, of course, but they seem to have been on the money.
It’s not likely we can truly know the thoughts of Taiwanese people in terms of the pro/anti Beijing demographic. But I wouldn’t think many would be impressed by the USA’s attempts to inflame tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
Neither should we be.
Like anywhere its a mixed bag. Tsai Ing-Wen is a hardline right wing nutjob that has suspended any discussion on reunification.
Many of these comments are absolutely ridiculous and demonstrate no knowledge of Taiwan.
I have lived in Taiwan and actually care about it. I don’t expect other people to do the same but if it becomes a pawn in global war I hope people will inform themselves about it at Wikipedia level at least.