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China's announcement to the US. "We're an equal now".

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
My brother in law has been to China for adoption purposes and my nieces were born there.

It's hard to get any real worldview because of Communist China's implementation of social scoring its citizens.

I guess one would have to be high level official to even get a true inkling, but one could supposedly piece together bits and pieces of info to form a larger picture.
My individual perception is foggy, but I think war can be avoided without Taiwan losing its independence. This is about economics and prestige for the mainland regime. Its hurting, because its so crooked. Its communists know full well they that aren't communists, so its always on the run from the truth.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Taiwan is strangely a personally felt issue over there. Mainland actually are offended that Taiwan is separate. We find it hard to believe, but its true. The way we in USA see it, the communist regime simply lost a bit of land. Their fault, their problem. Taiwanese feel very threatened. For them is it personal, and we understand how they feel. Look at what happened to Hong Kong. Why would anyone in Taiwan want that? We understand how the Taiwanese feel, and we don't understand how Mainland feels. Therefore to us Mainland has no civil case, so this is simply a matter of wanting to expand again like Mainland did with Tibet or we did with Texas. Same thing to us, and we don't see any reason for Mainland to be upset about it.

The strange thing about it is that, the Communist Chinese never controlled Taiwan at all. It had been Japanese-controlled since the 19th century (they called it Formosa), and it was returned to the Nationalist Chinese government which was still in power in 1945. The Chinese Communist government didn't come to power until 1949, while the Nationalist government escaped to Taiwan under US protection. Up until the early 70s, the US recognized the Taiwan government as the legitimate Chinese government, while the Communist government on the Mainland was not recognized as legitimate. At some point, the US had to stop recognizing Nationalist China in order to recognize Communist China. It was the same for the UN, where they ceased to recognize Nationalist China and instead recognized Communist China.

But the Chinese government on the Mainland never really "lost" any territory, because they never had that territory to begin with.

I suppose an analogous situation might be after the American Revolution, when a lot of colonial loyalists escaped to Canada. Some Americans in the early days wanted to claim Canada as ours as well, but it was not to be.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
The strange thing about it is that, the Communist Chinese never controlled Taiwan at all. It had been Japanese-controlled since the 19th century (they called it Formosa), and it was returned to the Nationalist Chinese government which was still in power in 1945. The Chinese Communist government didn't come to power until 1949, while the Nationalist government escaped to Taiwan under US protection. Up until the early 70s, the US recognized the Taiwan government as the legitimate Chinese government, while the Communist government on the Mainland was not recognized as legitimate. At some point, the US had to stop recognizing Nationalist China in order to recognize Communist China. It was the same for the UN, where they ceased to recognize Nationalist China and instead recognized Communist China.

But the Chinese government on the Mainland never really "lost" any territory, because they never had that territory to begin with.

I suppose an analogous situation might be after the American Revolution, when a lot of colonial loyalists escaped to Canada. Some Americans in the early days wanted to claim Canada as ours as well, but it was not to be.
The PRC government wants Taiwan.
Justification is irrelevant.
 

Quetzal

A little to the left and slightly out of focus.
Premium Member
That's why we are paying the price ever since the brainacs in charge got rid of almost all our industry and turned the US into a dependent service based economy.
It was cheaper so companies decided to move it overseas.
 

Glaurung

Denizen of Niflheim
But the Chinese government on the Mainland never really "lost" any territory, because they never had that territory to begin with.
But we all know that's not the real issue. The real issue is that Taiwan's current existence rustles the CCP's - particularity Xi Jinping's - jimmies. The CCP is just another dynasty with an unquestioning belief in their 'heavenly mandate'. Taiwan's existence is an affront to their delusions of sole legitimacy.
 
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lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Taiwan is strangely a personally felt issue over there. Mainland actually are offended that Taiwan is separate. We find it hard to believe, but its true. The way we in USA see it, the communist regime simply lost a bit of land. Their fault, their problem. Taiwanese feel very threatened. For them is it personal, and we understand how they feel. Look at what happened to Hong Kong. Why would anyone in Taiwan want that? We understand how the Taiwanese feel, and we don't understand how Mainland feels. Therefore to us Mainland has no civil case, so this is simply a matter of wanting to expand again like Mainland did with Tibet or we did with Texas. Same thing to us, and we don't see any reason for Mainland to be upset about it.

Well...not really that the communists 'lost a bit of land' but rather that at the conclusion of the civil war the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan. Imagine if Hawaii was confederate.

Not defending the Chinese position on this, but I would think that's closer to the analogy from their point of view.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
The PRC government wants Taiwan.
Justification is irrelevant.

So it's just the principle of the thing, I guess.

Kind of like with the US and Cuba. Not that we really wanted Cuba, but some military hotheads apparently did.

I wonder if it's like that with China, where most of the people probably don't care if Taiwan remains independent, but a few military hotheads might still want it.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
So it's just the principle of the thing, I guess.

Kind of like with the US and Cuba. Not that we really wanted Cuba, but some military hotheads apparently did.

I wonder if it's like that with China, where most of the people probably don't care if Taiwan remains independent, but a few military hotheads might still want it.
It appears to be the entire government eyeballing Taiwan
& other nearby territories. This has been a desire & plan
long in the making.....not some momentary lust by hotheads.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
It appears to be the entire government eyeballing Taiwan
& other nearby territories. This has been a desire & plan
long in the making.....not some momentary lust by hotheads.

Perhaps, although it doesn't seem like they have much of a plan. Everything seems to rest upon the hope that the U.S. might someday stand down and withdraw its protection of Taiwan. All they can think to do is saber-rattle and make veiled threats, which only serve to make the U.S. more committed.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Perhaps, although it doesn't seem like they have much of a plan. Everything seems to rest upon the hope that the U.S. might someday stand down and withdraw its protection of Taiwan. All they can think to do is saber-rattle and make veiled threats, which only serve to make the U.S. more committed.
I see great dedication to a plan. Moreover, it's long term
& patient. Unlike our government, they have great continuity
of grand agendas. Elections & regime change every 4 or 8
years don't stand in their way.
- Foreign policy that sternly & continuously claims Taiwan.
- Build up of military.
- Taking over the South China Sea.
- Brainwashing the populace to support the goal.
- Belligerence & violence towards US presence in the area.
 

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
Well...not really that the communists 'lost a bit of land' but rather that at the conclusion of the civil war the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan. Imagine if Hawaii was confederate.

Not defending the Chinese position on this, but I would think that's closer to the analogy from their point of view.
That helps.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
It appears to be the entire government eyeballing Taiwan
& other nearby territories. This has been a desire & plan
long in the making.....not some momentary lust by hotheads.

China sent 25 warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone on Monday, the largest breach of that space since the island began regularly reporting such activity in September, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said.

The Chinese flights came a day after the US secretary of state warned Beijing that Washington was committed to the defense of the democratic, self-governed island, which China considers part of its sovereign territory.

The 25 planes dispatched by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces included 14 J-16 fighter jets, four J-10 fighter jets, four H-6K bombers, two anti-submarine warfare planes and an airborne early warning and control plane, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry.

Taiwan responded by scrambling combat aircraft, alerting missile defense systems and issuing radio warnings to the Chinese planes that they had entered the southwestern corner of the island's self-declared air defense identification zone (ADIZ), a ministry statement said.

China sends 25 warplanes into Taiwan's air defense zone, Taipei says
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I see great dedication to a plan. Moreover, it's long term
& patient. Unlike our government, they have great continuity
of grand agendas. Elections & regime change every 4 or 8
years don't stand in their way.

Do you think that puts the U.S. in a weaker position, because we have elections? I don't think continuity changes that much in the U.S., as both major parties have had remarkably similar foreign policy goals and geopolitical perceptions. Our position on Taiwan has been just as consistent as the Chinese.

- Foreign policy that sternly & continuously claims Taiwan.
- Build up of military.
- Taking over the South China Sea.
- Brainwashing the populace to support the goal.
- Belligerence & violence towards US presence in the area.

If they want flies, perhaps they should stop using vinegar and start using honey.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I have often wondered what the extent of capitalist America's global ambitions were. And whether the world is a safer or more dangerous place when America turns either inward or outward.
I'm not as keen on having my nation behave offensively on the world stage. We have been noted as a defensive nation traditionally, but as I'm sure that you know or suspect, that all changed admist middle east issues, particularly 911.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm not as keen on having my nation behave offensively on the world stage. We have been noted as a defensive nation traditionally, but as I'm sure that you know or suspect, that all changed admist middle east issues, particularly 911.

Traditionally, America was more neutral when it came to global issues, at least during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. I don't know if I would characterize our policies as "defensive," but we were content to remain mostly a regional power in our own hemisphere, while refusing to take sides in the conflicts which embroiled the nations of Europe.

The big change in U.S. policy occurred during World War I, when Wilson declared that we needed to fight to "make the world safe for democracy." However, at the time, the U.S. was not yet ready to enter the League of Nations or take the lead on the world stage. That wouldn't happen until World War II, which the Japanese so graciously invited us to enter, earning the praise of U.S. imperialists and warmongers. At that point, there would be no turning back. This was especially true after the war, when the French and British Empires were in receivership, and the U.S. had to fill the global power vacuum that other powers (mainly the USSR) were wanting to take over.

That's what put us in places like Korea, Vietnam, Iran, as well as elsewhere in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. 9/11 was merely the backlash against us for the policies we embraced for the sake of other nations, not our own.
 
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