I've seen a lot of articles recently where China seem to buying countries' recognition of Taiwan or at least trying to force people into such.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4963798.stm (saying how China will only the Vatican to appoint bishops if they discontinue recognizing Taiwan)

excerpt from http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/2006/concacaf_wrapup02.html (Caribbean island Dominica is having its national stadium rebuilt by the Chinese government, along with other gifts)

Quote :

"As everyone knew, the game was set for San Antonio because Dominica didn't have a stadium available. But you heard it here first: next time they will. That's because prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica (population about 70,000) signed a deal with a slightly larger country known as the People's Republic of China (population really really a lot). The Chinese agreed to rebuild the Windsor Park stadium (plus some hospitals, roads, and schools, but those don't matter), and all Dominica had to do was boot the Taiwanese embassy out of the country and recognize the PRC as sole representative of the Chinese people. Hey, no problem. As Skerrit very properly reasoned, totalitarian governments come and go, but the World Cup is forever."

from http://www.cricketworldcup.com/Venues1.html, the National Stadium of the Caribbean island group nation of Antigua and Barbuda is being rebuilt for the coming 2007 Cricket World Cup being hosted by the West Indies, I am guessing in exchange for ousting Taiwan like Dominica above.

These are small countries with no political clout of course, but this is a growing trend.

5/2/2006 8:32:02 AM

who cares. not our business. let them handle it.

5/2/2006 8:38:28 AM

OH HO, that's damned tricky.

My best wishes to taiwan, may they find a way to move their island way the hell away from the Chinese before they get invaded (which I guess I'll have to see in my lifetime).

Honestly I think that is pretty underhanded by the chinese. Bribing out people's viewpoints doesn't really make them look that good (and where's somebody on the ball with the counterpoint that we do it as well).

5/2/2006 9:22:32 AM

people don't recognize somaliland either

5/2/2006 9:36:31 AM

what's new about this?
this has been China's policy for decades...
i honestly don't know why they still care... Taiwan split half a century ago, get over it already...

5/2/2006 9:59:20 AM

^,^^ thank you.
However, the idea that they "split" 50 years ago is a misconception. This is the standard one line that you will hear in mainstream media that don't want to piss of China or are too lazy to find the truth (only reason I can think of).

I have studied this issue extensively so I'll point a few things out--for those who care. Also I can provide good reference books and international documents.


----------------- Very Brief history of Taiwan aka. Formosa---------

Taiwan(Formosa) went through different periods of occupation from, the Dutch(1624-1662), Spanish, Portuguese etc... Though there was never a real strong occupation (like India and the British).

Around 1887 China(Ching dynasty), in response to Japanese expansion, claimed Formosa as a outlying Provence.

In 1895 China signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, ending the sino-Japanese war. In there China ceded its sovereignty over Taiwan in perpetuity.

A short time after that Taiwan formed the first republic in Asia; however, this did not last long as the Japanese began to colonize Formosa. Japan made Taiwan into an economic powerhouse, built railways, roads, etc... Many Taiwanese studied also medicine in Japan.

Fast-Forward to WWII:
China was being invaded by Japan. See the Nanjing massacre etc...

To help defeat the Japanese America joined with China, which was under control of the corrupt Nationalist Regime-- Chaing Kai-Shek, Madam Soong(who lived in Wilmington, NC for a while btw), and Sun Yat-Sen, and family.

Around this same time the idea of communism, Mao, was spreading in China. This seemed better than the Corrupt Nationalist. Capitalizing on the weaked KMT(nationalist party) the communist rebels helped defeat the Japanese and the KMT. Though credit is given to the KMT(Chaing Kai Shek) who had the support of America.

Generalissimo Chaing Kai-Shek was the general of the allied forces in the Asia theater. This is why when you see pictures of the Parade after WWII in DC there are Taiwan(KMT) flags flown next to USA and Britain.

At a press conference in Cairo(22 - 26 November 1943), Gen. Chiang Kai-shek, President Franklin Roosevelt, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill made the following statement

Quote :

"It is their purpose that Japan shall be stripped of all the islands in the Pacific which she has seized or occupied since the beginning of the First World War in 1914, and that all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Formosa, and the Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China. "

This was just a statement and is not recognized as an international treaty. there were no signing parties. However, China uses this as a basis for their claim on taiwan.

After Japan was defeated. In 1945 Chaing Kai-Shek was ordered to accept the surrender of Japan on Formosa. Which began the military occupation of Taiwan.

In 1949 Chaing Kai-Shek lost the war with the communist and feld the mainland to Taiwan, where he already had soldiers accepting the surrender of Japan. His goal was to build a strong army and conquer the mainland.

The San Francisco peace treaty(1951) was signed by all parties and specifically mentions

Quote :

"(b) Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores."

No receiving country is mentioned!

KMT(the nationalist) ruled Taiwan with an iron fist. See the February 28th Incident (1947), where they murdered thousands of Taiwanese. 1949 KMT declares martial law. The punish political dissidents and murder doctors and educated people. America, BTW, stood there and watched--even funded the KMT. USA, of course, didn't like the idea of communist China.

Eventually the USA switched official recognition to China to get help against the Russians.
Red China becomes part of UN. Before that the USA and world bodies recognized Taiwan and ruler of all of mainland China. (This of course is not want the Taiwanese wanted -- this was Chaing Kai-Shek's desire)


Slowly Taiwan has democratized (martial law lifted in 1987) holding the first presidential elections in 1996. In 2000 the opposition party DPP(Democratic progressive party) was elected and and again in 2004.

DPP is pro-independence minded while the KMT considers China the "mother land" that must eventually be "re-united" after China accepts democratic reform. The problem is that the "mainland Chinese only make up about 15% of the Taiwan population. Thus, most people in Taiwan want to be independent.
----------------------------------

So basically that's how we got to where we are today. Now you can see why Communist China won't give up on the Taiwan issue. Besides the fact that China is the biggest hegemony in the world today (though some would argue that US is close) It's a matter of national pride. They have to save face.



[Edited on May 2, 2006 at 1:06 PM. Reason : Fucking shit-- did I just type all that? ]
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To touch on the original point of the thread.
Taiwan is officially recognized by 27 (very small countries). And yes, China is on a massive campaign to get these countries to switch.

Also, have you noticed Taiwan in the Olympics? Probably not because they have to use the name "Chinese Taipei" and cannot fly the Taiwan(KMT) flag. Same thing with world baseball.

Also, they won't let Taiwan join WHO as an observer status. Saying that all communication must go through China. Even though during the SARS outbreak Taiwan was on the front line. They could not send samples of the virus directly to the health body. Medicine in Taiwan is very advanced and they could have helped stop the spread of SARS much more effectively if they were part of the WHO.

Any time anyone does anything for taiwan, china throws a hissy fit--like a three year old. It's time they move on.

Just to name a few of the things they do...


[Edited on May 2, 2006 at 1:25 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2006 1:05:04 PM