Legacy Debate as Republic of China Marks
100 Years
According to this piece of BBC news, we find out a problem when
discussing Taiwan’s independency. Our government recognizes the formal name of
our country as ROC (Republic of China), and in the Constitution of ROC, it
writes, “中華民國領土，依其固有之疆域”, but
it doesn’t specify the parts which belong to its inherent territory. Should
Taiwanese insist on the name of ROC? Or should we recognize Taiwan as just
Taiwan?
The article starts from the 100th anniversary of ROC in 2011.
While many people in Taiwan celebrate the national day, there are some people
who have different opinion.
"The ROC is a Chinese
government exiled in Taipei. It should be out of Taiwan," said Tsay
Ting-kuei, who is one of a group of people who believe that when Japan lost
WWII, Taiwan technically should not have been handed over to the ROC because that
was not specified in the treaties signed between Japan and the Western victors
in the war.(BBC News)
Another business woman, Yeh Tsai-chu,
said, “The ROC's 100th anniversary has nothing to do with Taiwan. Besides, what
is there to celebrate? The ROC is not even recognised as a country by the rest
of the world.” (BBC News)
There are still many people credit KMT government with making Taiwan a
democratic country and becoming prosperous in economy. Despite these facts, it seems
that we have to choose between the name of ROC and Taiwan. Most the countries
in the world recognize Taiwan instead of ROC. If we go abroad with the passport
writing ROC, the customs officers categorize us as Chinese. ROC has lost its
membership in United Nations in 1971, and it is only admitted officially by about
20 more countries.
Considering the Sun Flower Movement happened in March in 2014, which is
mainly the response of the students to Service Trade Agreement that is going to
be signed by our government with China, we can get a hint of the attitude of
both the government and the younger generation. There is concern among
Taiwanese that we are about to be integrated with China. Even the name of ROC
will become history. This is the reason of why the issue of whether Taiwan
should be independent is under severe debate recently.
Reference
Angle: The article of my annotations to is according to one of the BBC news…um, the title is “Legacy debate as Republic Of China marks one hundred years”. Um, this news reported in 2011, when it was the eleventh anniversary of Republic Of China, and so it…The news discussed the question, the name of R.O.C which…whether it is um…appropriate or legislate…(Tony: Legitimate.) for people in Taiwan. And so, in this news, the journalist interview some people in Taiwan to asked their opinion about R.O.C, yeah. Because, although most people think Republic Of China is democratic, is a democratic country and is a practical country, but there are still others think, um that the Republic Of China is like um…a government come from, um…being expel to Taiwan and, it should not claim that Taiwan is R.O.C and that we should uh…like not only own Taiwan this island but we should have power over China. So, some people will think that Republic Of China, the name is not proper. And some one will just think Taiwan is Taiwan, and so uh…that’s the situation in 2011. But this year, in 2014, there is a sunflower movement in March, and this movement reveals the current attitude of the government and the younger generation. Because the younger generation doubt that the government…uh, is going to let Taiwan be united with China. And…but the younger generation tends to be independent or at least will refuse to be part of China.
回覆刪除Tony: Okay, um…first of all, I like you quote the news from the BBC website, because this news make this statement in this article convincible. And you also mentioned about the sunflower movement happened in March, and that really make us more…be able to put more emphasize on this issue. And also, make us to know the view points from the new generation, which is our generation. Okay, but um…in the first paragraph you said that in our constitution doesn’t specified the parts which belongs to…Taiwanese territory. But I think that, my question is, is this allowed for us to revise the constitution of Taiwan? To specify the Taiwanese territory?
Angle: Uh…yeah, it’s possible that we can revise, but it should be involved in a very complicated procedure. Like, people should vote or someone should…uh…suppose a modify draft, something like that.
Tony: Okay, so that is a possible way for we to have a more specify territory to concrete our solitary of Taiwan. And, in the second part, I think you know there are four elements to consist a country, right? The people, the government, the authority, and the territory. Do you think Taiwan fit all these four elements?
Angle: Um…I think authority might be a question. Because among the international issues, sometimes we don’t have the authority to represent us as Taiwan, we will be, uh…we will be influenced or be…will face…uh…we will face against China. So, I think our authority is not very…uh, not very solid.
Tony: We still have our authority, but we…
Angle: Yeah, but among…only among Taiwan island, but not in the…(Tony: parts of the world)
回覆刪除Tony: Okay, but as for the other three elements, we definitely fit these elements…I think?
Angle: But according to the constitution of R.O.C, it seems that the territory is also very…um..(Tony: Blurry?)
Tony: So you think, for these four elements, Taiwan doesn’t fit all of them.(Angle: No) Okay, that is your opinion. Oh, and in the first part, I want to ask that and also hope your annotation will mention this part, which is “if we exclude the impact of the China, which means China won’t try to treat other countries to not to admit us, if we exclude this factor, do you think will the other countries begin to admit us?”
Angle: Actually, I had considered this question when I write this annotation. But, um…so far as I know, because I think this is the main or maybe the only reason why other country just won’t admit us as China is so big and it’s the world’s market and every other country rely on their economic, and they have trade with China and China’s industry there people to sell products around the world. So, I think except for this reason there may be no other reason that other country will refuse to admit us.
Tony: So, if there was no China…
Angle: Yeah, I think so, because there is no other…draw back.
Tony: Okay, and you also mentioned the title of Taiwan’s formal name is blurry, and is confused with the people of Republic of China. So what do you think what kind of majors should Taiwan take to…you know, to distinguish it from the people of China?
Angle: Okay, actually in my opinion, I prefer Taiwan instead of R.O.C, because…
Tony: Simply “Taiwan”?
Angle: Yeah, simply Taiwan as a country name. Because as we know, R,O,C is too similar to um…P.R.C and when we use R.O.C this title, most…because it contains China in R.O.C so most people will think, “Oh, you are China, Chinese people of China.”
Tony: But do you think the other Taiwanese will…um, advocate the revision of formal name?
Angle: Actually I didn’t know how many people will advocate for R.O.C or how many people will support Taiwan this name. I think maybe I can search for more information or maybe I can investigate…
Tony: But as for yourself, you support the Taiwan, okay. And in the last paragraph, you mentioned um…there is concerned about Taiwanese about to be integrated with China because of the EXFA? The EXFA service trade agreements. I want to ask concerns of being integrated is because we are afraid of being manipulating by China economic or other reasons?
Angle: I didn’t uh…I didn’t write clearly the concern why we are afraid because it is only from my personal experience, and not all the concern come from the service trade agreement. Um…I think it is the government’s attitude, though service trade agreement is one of the factor, and because people will think if we become too economic dependent on China, then, when China stop like…cooperate with us, our economic will decline very soon. Because we become the biggest cooperator in economic with China. So, that is why people…yeah, that is why some people refused or object this decision. And but the government, their attitude is very strong. They want to…um, they want this trade agreement to be signed. So, it seems like their attitude toward is…become more and more friendly and not um…not refuse to like…uh…it’s different from what they said before. Because in…uh…there is a…okay, 九二共識they said 一中各表, that means one China, only one China, but we say what China is and the China government say what China actually is. We say differently, but now they say…(laugh) The government, their attitude toward, like government inviting is more and more friendly, but I didn’t found many…uh, many facts or news to support this statement.
回覆刪除Tony: So, there’s also one claim that one country two systems and do you support this? (Angle: No) So, you want Taiwan to be a totally independent country?
Angle: Yeah, because when we look at Hong Kong, we know that it is almost impossible to be like one country two systems. They will, um, deprive their rights to vote, uh…just to vote fairly.
Tony: They still were intervene in our nation. I think that, too. So lastly, there is my comment for your future annotation, you can take it, but that is still my little comment for you, is that maybe you can try to…uh, try to make a comparison between China and Taiwan, to see what kind of features that China have but Taiwan doesn’t have to make us can not become a country but China can be a country. So the comparison between these two countries I think that is quite important, you can even, you know, make a chart to let us see clearly what kind of features Taiwan have but China doesn’t have.
Angle: You mean like the regiment in the economic or?
Tony: Yeah, you can compare these two country in different aspect like economic, political or even society or people’s, you know cultures or peoples’ opinion etc.