‘Look at Hong Kong and think of Taiwan,’ Tsai Ing-wen said. ‘We don’t want Hong Kong-style peace. We want dignified peace.’

  • redcalcium@lemmy.institute
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    11 months ago

    KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih said on Saturday that a vote for the DPP was equivalent to “sending everyone out to the battlefield” because supporting Taiwan independence would touch off a war.

    What’s happening in Taiwan? Why did a presidential candidate said something like this? In another country, a presidential candidate telling people to not supporting their own country’s sovereignty would be a political suicide.

    • Joncash2@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      11 months ago

      Because things aren’t black and white and reality is all sorts of shades of gray. Most Taiwanese don’t care one way or the other, they just want to live in peace. You constantly see this in the polls and the votes. If the Taiwanese people’s priority was independence, then the vote wouldn’t be so split. This is the reason the DPP hasn’t declared independence, it’s simply not what most Taiwanese people want.

      Surprisingly, most Taiwanese are interested in their own well being. This is why the KMT won so many seats last election. This is why Tsai is stepping down. When they threaten Taiwanese people’s well being, shockingly the Taiwanese vote against them. Again, they neither want independence nor submission to China.

      Thus, we see the votes EXACTLY AS WE WOULD EXPECT CONSIDERING THE SITUATION. They keep splitting the parties so neither side can make a declaration one way or the other.

      As an outside observer, I ask one simple question. Why is it so hard for you to realize that what I said is the truth and not what western media parrots. Why do you believe the black and white issues that your propaganda keeps claiming even in the face of irrefutable evidence.

      • redcalcium@lemmy.institute
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        11 months ago

        As an outside observer, I ask one simple question. Why is it so hard for you to realize that what I said is the truth and not what western media parrots. Why do you believe the black and white issues that your propaganda keeps claiming even in the face of irrefutable evidence.

        Hmm, did you reply to the wrong comment? Anyway, I’m not aware of current political situation in Taiwan and was really surprised by that presidential candidate’s statement. Are you telling me that this is considered a normal statement for political opposition on Taiwan?

        • Joncash2@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          edit-2
          11 months ago

          Yes, it is. It’s been like this for decades now. So the fact that it’s surprising and used in a way to shock western audiences tells you a lot does it not?

          *Edit: Mind you, I’m not for Taiwan being absorbed into China nor am I strong on Taiwan’s independence. I just want to point out the way western propaganda works to manipulate people.

          *Edit 2: Essentially, if the KMT has been talking like that for decades and the Taiwanese still vote for them in large enough numbers to win them most of the seats last election, what does that tell you about the Taiwanese people’s desire for independence? How does the media report on that? Why are these two pieces of information so conflicting.

    • ArthurParkerhouse@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      ·
      11 months ago

      Believe it or not, a lot of younger Taiwanese people want to rejoin the mainland. Not exactly a majority yet, but it’s getting pretty close.

      • ylph@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        14
        ·
        11 months ago

        What is your source for this ? Recent polls show reunification support is still <2%, with about 6% open to reunification eventually but not now.

        In 2018, before the crackdown in HK, the reunification support was 3%, with 13% open to it eventually - the events in HK have definitely significantly eroded support for reunification in Taiwan.

        I have family in Taiwan and literally don’t know a single Taiwanese person that wants reunification with the PRC.

          • blindsight@beehaw.org
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            6
            ·
            11 months ago

            I’m not parent poster, but I didn’t read that at all. International propaganda works, and has the potential to destroy democracy in America (and lots of other countries, too.)

            What am I missing?

            • Omega_Haxors@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              5
              ·
              edit-2
              11 months ago

              They’re implying that the people who live there can’t make a decision for themselves, in other words a white guy overseas with zero stake in the matters thinks they know more about the reality than the people who actually live there, which is a very disrespectful prospective.

              The racism comes from the long history of white people doing this to peoples who choose for themselves in ways that they don’t agree with. It’s never that they chose for themselves but always that someone else (usually malicious) came in and made the decision for them.

    • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      11 months ago

      Taiwan knows they will lose

      There are people who would rather just join CCP so they don’t die