POLITICS, NATIONALITY, WAR
Taiwan Isn’t Chinese
National identity isn’t something imposed by force
The People’s Republic of China (PRC), led by Beijing, has maintained since its origin that the island of Taiwan, the Republic of China (ROC), is and has always been nothing more than a breakaway province that will eventually come under Beijing’s control. The conquest of Taiwan is a goal written into the constitution of the PRC. It is a rallying point for Chinese nationalism. It is also a terrible error.
To impose such a change by force is not only aggression. It is an example of the same misconception of nationality and citizenship that led Russia to its disastrous invasion of Ukraine. We know the PRC has been watching the Ukraine operation for clues on how their efforts against Taiwan might turn out — militarily, and in terms of the reaction by the rest of the world. They show no recognition of how and why they are on track to make the same crippling mistake as Russia — only worse.
What is Taiwan?
Ancestors of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples settled on the island around 6,000 years ago. It was not until the 17th century that Han Chinese immigration was imposed as part of a colony established and administered by the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch met opposition doing…
