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19/10/2007: "Taipei's Leading English Daily Newspaper ....... NT$15"
www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/10/20/2003383918 (NEWS)
www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/10/20/2003383998 (WRY SIDE NEWS)
Taiwan came under cruel martial law (for 38 years) by the invading and fleeing from China, Nationalist army, who had the backing of USA, for their defeating the Japanese in China.
(Until 1947 Taiwan had been ruled by Japan for the previous fifty years).
An omission as to what was to become of the island, following the Japanese surrender, led to confusion of ownership that results today with China staking a claim.
The majority of Taiwanese want their island in the United Nations - a point not making China very happy, a tense situation requiring a peaceful solution. Taiwan has a population slightly greater than Australia and a land area half the size of Tasmania. The people are 70% Taiwanese, 30% Chinese. It has been democratic for the past 20 years.
The USA is currently criticizing Taiwan for leaning toward democracy (which is very weird for the USA to be doing). Taiwan says it is not China and does not wish to be told what to do by a communist country.
In China a constant build-up of missiles - 980 are already aimed at Taiwan.
A legislated law to invade should Taiwan declare itself to be "Taiwan" and drop the current official title, The Republic of China.
USA diplomats are banned from using the title "Taiwan" and must stick to the Republic of China title when discussing the situation - yet the USA drafted a law called Taiwan Relations Act 1979 where is pledges to defend Taiwan.
Why then wasn't this Act titled "Republic of China Relations Act" by the USA government? An error.
Taiwan has missiles that can reach Shanghai, sink ships and other things.
China has navigated a nuclear submarine underwater in very shallow waters between Taiwan and Okinawa - indicating it can position and wait should an aircraft carrier ever be their target.
China recently demonstrated it can destroy a satellite with a missile.
The world should be praying hostilities never eventuate. It is an accidental mistake that is the trigger we should fear.
Consider this: The high death count in extremely heavily populated cities on both sides would be great, simply burying the dead could not be fast enough to prevent disease outbreaks that, if these spread beyond borders another problem develops for the world.
The price of oil would of course skyrocket and stock markets throughout the world would crash.
All this over a name change and a desire to remain independant?
