There is no question about Taiwan’s status today. Only an authoritarian regime’s denial of a reality its ideology finds inconvenient.
[Op-ed by Roy Chun Lee, Taiwan’s Ambassador to the EU and Belgium.]
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Over the past 130 years, the people of Taiwan have cultivated a unique identity with a multicultural heritage, drawing not only from Chinese influences but also from the Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, and Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, who are widely regarded to be the origin of all Austronesian cultures. Like the identity-building process of most European countries, Taiwan’s journey has been a mixture of darkness and light, suffering and joy, struggle and triumph.
Yet these elements are exactly what make the Taiwanese identity unique and render it a special, like-minded partner to Europe and the world, with or without formal diplomatic recognition.
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Unfortunately, instead of applauding Taiwan, the PRC has continually employed every available method to deny the existence of Taiwan. One of the most frequently used tools is to distort the meaning of UN Resolution 2758, arguing that the Resolution reflects a global consensus that Taiwan is part of the PRC.
This is fake news. The following is a direct quotation from a speech delivered by European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, on behalf of EU High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell in October 2024: “United Nations Resolution 2758 is very short - only 150 words. And among those 150 words, the word ‘Taiwan’ does not appear. The resolution switched representation in the United Nations from the ‘representatives of Chiang Kai-shek’ to the ‘representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China’”.
In short, Resolution 2758 provides no legal basis for the PRC to claim ownership of Taiwan or to deny the fact that Taiwan has existed as a sovereign, independent, and meaningful country for the last 75 years.
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Europe can help deter coercion in the Taiwan Strait.
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First, face the facts: Taiwan is a democracy whose sovereignty is exercised and enjoyed every day by its 23 million people. No amount of propaganda can erase that reality.
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Second, expose and resist coercion: Call out and reject the PRC’s disinformation campaigns, economic blackmail, and military intimidation whenever and wherever they appear.
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And third, invest in partnership: Expand trade, technology, security dialogues, and cultural exchanges with Taiwan, so that shared values can become shared resilience.
[…]
What are you gonna say next, Republic of Ireland is part of UK? They speak English.
Oh, how about, the whole South America is Mexico? Wait, is Spain Mexico too?
I’ve been to Spain and can confirm they speak Mexican there
I see you do not like how the world works. I promise you that Taiwan will be part of PRC eventually. The only reason why the western world cares anyway, is because they are worried about the semiconductor production.
You are naive.
I’m sure the semiconductor industry is important for the global economy, but it’s not just that. The Western world government was voted in and picked by the people of their countries. Just like Taiwan, our democracy picked the type of government we want.
I want to ask you fellow brother. Outside of the blind pride, what has the CCP done for you lately?
It is not that I am a blind CCP follower or disagree with democratic government forms. I simply view it as unavoidable that Taiwan will not be included to mainland China eventually. Besf thing we can hope for is, that Taiwans forwardness to the western world will somehow influence mainland chinese people. But I am afraid the disinformation campaign of CCP is too strong for that.
What has CCP done for me? Build up a large country from dirt and leftovers from colonization, that made my todays life very good. And it is continuing to do so. I think Taiwans wealth comes from the worlds dependence of semiconductor creation, but alas, soon PRC will have that technology as well. It simply seems unavoidable that Taiwan will be able to defend themselves, with the USA being run down by facists and EU as well. Even If Orange Man won’t run for office again, I think republicans will stay in power for a while and therefor be less inclinded to do military intervention If PRC strikes Taiwan.
First of all, thank you for having a civil conversation with me.
I disagree with you on the semiconductors. China doesn’t need Taiwan for that. They are capable at either making it or at the very least, stealing it from Taiwan. They already can’t have anything smaller than 5nm. They are still doing well.
Unfortunately, the CCP built a large country, not because of you. It is benefiting the CCP and if you benefit indirectly, its purely by accident. If one day life isn’t very good for you, you have zero recourse except for accepting your fate. A society functions when everyone has a voice at the table.
In Taiwan, we too were colonized by multiple countries. The Dutch, Spain, and most recently Japan. Our current government that we voted for, at least for now, the benefits are all for the people. We actively prosecute sitting majors and government officials. The major of Taipei is in jail right now because of corruption.
The Swedish Vikings created the settlement that is now Kyiv, and later spread to settle parts of what is now both Ukrainian and Russian.
With your not naive world view, Putin should give his land to Sweden, right? It is what history tells him to do.
?