This thread's for all the Chinese out there. A collection of mainland Chinese nationalist websites have banded together to start an online petition around the theme of "Taiwan, My Brother". It's a call for Taiwan, for the Taiwanese, to return home. The petition is at: http://sign.1931-9-18.org/taiwan/sign.asp But the most significant thing is the song, which can be downloaded (with 3 different shockwave videos) from: http://www.1931-9-18.org/download/taiwan_l...xiaoyu40229.swf http://www.1931-9-18.org/download/taiwan_zengtu40228.swf http://flash.itdoor.net/pages/83,21940,1,1076936627.html Take a look. You don't have to agree with all parts of it... but I think most here will be touched by it. I hope you'll share it with others. Lyrics are below (translations are mine, so apologies if they're poor): ̨Í壬ÎÒµÄÐÖµÜ Taiwan, My Brother ´ÊÇú³ª ÁõÈý²Ø Lyrics/Song: Liu Sanzang ¶àÄêÒѲ»¼û Ç×°®µÄÐÖµÜ Many years we've been apart, dear brother; ÄãÊÇ·ñ»¹Ïó Сʱһ°ãÍçƤ Are you still playful like when you were young; ºìÆËÆ˵ÄÁ³ÉÏ ¶³×¡µÄ±ÇÌé Your breath frozen on your red nose; ·çÖд«À´ÊÇ Â躰ÎÒÃÇ»ØÈ¥ The wind carried to us the sound of our mother calling us home. ÎÒÃǶ¼Ï²»¶Ïï¿ÚµÄºù«´® We both liked the candied cranberries at the corner; ÊÖÀïµÄÇ®ÊÇ´Ó¼ÒÖйñ×Ó͵µÄ We snatched our money from the family cubboard; ÎÒÃǶãÔÚ½ÇÂä³éµÄµÚÒ»¿ÚÑÌ We hid in the corner smoking our first cigarette, ÔÚËêÔÂÖÐÉýÆð ÒÑԽƮԽԶ At the turning of the years we drifted further and further. ºóÀ´Äã×ßÁË Àë¹ÊÏçÔ¶ÁË Later you left, leaving your home far behind; µ½º£µÄÄÇ±ß Ò»»Î¾ÍÊǼ¸Ê®Äê Once you crossed to that side, decades passed in an instant; ÂýÂýÄ㳤´óÁË ÂýÂýÄãÓÐÁËÇ® Slowly you grew-up, slowly you became rich; ÎÒÔÚµçÊÓÉÏ¿´µ½Äã Äã˵ ÄãºÜÏë¼Ò But I saw you on TV, and you said you missed home. Ë_¿´¼ûÎÒµÄÐÖµÜËû½Ð̨Íå Who's seen my brother? He's called Taiwan. Ë_°ïÎÒÌîƽÄǵÀº£Íå Who can help me fill in this ocean strait? ÈÕÈÕµÄ˼Äî Ò¹Ò¹µÄÄÑÃß Every day's thoughts, every night's difficult sleep.. Ö»ÄÜÁôÏ µÆÒ»Õµ All that remains is a little bit of light. ΪʲôÐÖµÜÇé¸Ð×ÜÒª¾_¹ýÕâô¶àµÄÄ¥ÄÑ Why do the emotion of brothers always face such difficulties; ¿ÞºìµÄË«ÑÛ µÈÀ´È´È´È´ÊÇÒź¶ My tear-reddened eyes, my waiting has brought only regret; ²»ÈÝÒ× ÎÒÃǹØϵ×ÜËãÓÐЩ½øÕ¹ It wasn't easy, but our relations finally made progress; Æ«ÓÖ³ö¸öʲô°¢±ä£¨Ä㵷ʲôÂÒ£© But then A-Bian came out and made more change! (Why do you provoke?) ¶àÄêÒѲ»¼û Ë_¶¼ÄÑÃⲻϰ¹ß Long time apart, we of course are not used to each other; ³¤´óµÄÎÒÃÇ ×Ô¼ºÓÐÁË×Ô¼ºµÄ¹Ûµã The adult us have different views of the world; µ«¶àÉÙÇ® ÄÜÊÕÂò ÎÒÃǵÄÇé¸Ð But how much money can buy our emotions? ¶àÉÙȨ Äܲ»ÒªÎÒÃǵÄ×æÏÈ For how much money, will we discard our ancestors? ¿´°¡ ¹ÊÏçÕýÔÚÌìÌì±ä Look at your old home, it's changing every day. Àϳǻ¹ÔÚ ÏóÄãĨ²»È¥µÄͯÄê The old city's just like in your permanent childhood; ÄãÈ¥¹ýºÜ¶àµØ·½ You've been to a lot of places; ѧÁËÏȽø¹ÛÄî You've learned a lot of new thoughts; ¿ÉÄã·¢ÏÖ ×öÖйúÈË Äã×îÏ°¹ß But you've learned that you're most comfortable being Chinese. Ë_¿´¼ûÎÒµÄÐÖµÜËû½Ð̨Íå Who's seen my brother? He's called Taiwan. Ë_°ïÎÒÌîƽÄǵÀº£Íå Who can help me fill in this ocean strait? ÈÕÈÕµÄ˼Äî Ò¹Ò¹µÄÄÑÃß Every day's thoughts, every night's difficult sleep.. Ö»ÄÜÁôÏ µÆÒ»Õµ All that remains is a little bit of light. ±¾À´¾ÍÊÇѪÂöÏàÁ¬ ΪʲôҪ¶Ï³Éǹ¹Ü Our blood vessels were connected, why break it into gun barrels; ±¾À´¾ÍÊÇÍòÀïÇç¿Õ ΪʲôҪÂÓ¹ýÅÚµ¯ Our skies were always clear, why fill it with bombs and missiles; ±¾À´¾ÍÊÇÐֵܽãÃà ȴҪ¿à¿àÏà²Ð We were always brothers and sisters, why must we destroy each other; ±¾À´¾ÍÊÇÃÀºÃ¼Ò԰ΪʲôҪÑöÍû³¤°² It was always a wonderful home, why not admire peace. Å׿ªËùνÕþÖι۵ã ÒâʶºÍÐÎ̬ Let's throw away our political perspectives, knowledge, and attitude; ÈÃÎÒÃǺúÃ×øÏ ÈÏÈÏÕæÕæ̸һ̸ Let's sit down, and honestly have a chat; ΪÁËÎÒÃǵÄÀî°× ÎÒÃǵÄÌÒ»¨Ô´ For our Li Po (Tang Poet), and for our Peace Blossom Land; ÎÒÃÇͬһ¸ö×æÏÈ (And) our common ancestors.
Hey, not to pour cold water on your very noble sentiments, but for your information you might want to look at this event if you haven't already read about it in the international press. It's a Million-Man Human Chain formed to protest Chinese missiles pointed at Taiwan which took place last week on Feb. 28 all over Taiwan. You can see the live video link here: http://mactv.atlas.com.tw/main01.asp (go to Feb. 28 and select the 14:00 programme "228 Hands Protecting Taiwan Event"
Oh I follow the Taiwanese press all the time. 2 million, 2.5 million... they have their opinions, but they still represent only a minority of the Taiwanese population. I know for a fact that many Taiwanese also consider themselves Chinese. I know for a fact that many are frustrated by politics, by an international system that doesn't give them respect, by a general feeling that they're not empowered to make their decision... and of course they're scared by the prospect of having to live in the PRC system. All I can say to that is: I'm sorry, I don't know what magic switch to turn to make it all ok. But you're still Chinese. Don't let that go, don't betray your heritage and your families. Don't let go what has made China a unique civilization in all of recorded history. We're not like Rome/Europe, we're not like the Aztecs, we're not like India. For the past 2000 years, we've stayed more together, becoming more strong and prosperus, than any other civilization/nation. And as long as we focus on that aspect, on our shared roots, everything will work out.
Hey guys, Would it be controversial if the United States offered to make Taiwan the 51st state or something like that? It might clear up the confusion! Just trying to help.
Not sure if you're trying to be a smart-ass or serious... can't ever be sure on these forums.. But actually, the idea has been voiced, and on certain occasions you'll see Taiwanese activists rallying for that purpose. And a recent poll indicates a decent minority (in the ~10% range) would be interested. For mainland China, such a move would undoubtedly be tantamount to American colonialism. While I think there are some scenarios where Taiwanese independence may not lead to warfare... incorporation of Taiwan into the United States would 100%, without any question or doubt, be the start of total war. Not a theater conflict, not economic sanctions... but total war.
B-Bob, Your solution is very plausible. It complements my solution perfectly. For a long time, I believe that to peacefully solve the Taiwan issue in a all-win situation, a community of countries around world who favors Taiwan independent of China, led by Japan and US, fund the Operation Separation of Taiwan. It's simple. Those countries would contract a consortium to separate the Island of Taiwan from its root and drift it to the west coast of the US, and finally and permanently anchor Taiwan 100 miles west of San Francisco. Then according to your proposal, Taiwan will free to join the Union as the 51st state. Problem solved. Case closed Peace on earth.
I was kind of kidding... not because I don't like Taiwan. I assumed everyone would flame such an idea as the US taking over, and that such an act would provide fuel for those saying "oh those imperialist bastards, blah blah." Anyway, I hope a peaceful equilibrium can be found.
oh yeah, that worked so well with the Philippines...lets try not to be imperialists this century, ok?
Being an Asian-American who was born here in the US I've always been somewhat mystified by the stubborness of both the Taiwanese KMT and the PRC regarding that Taiwan either should be part of China or in the case of the KMT the rightful government of China. Taiwan and the PRC have been seperated now almost as long as Pakistan and India and you don't see much agitation for them to join back together. I don't understand why its necessarily in Chinese interest that Taiwan has to be part of China when it seems like the status quo is doing fine and could probably be even better if Taiwan were an outrightly recognized independent country. For example Singapore is a country with a large Chinese majority and in the last 15 years has been making itself culturally more like the PRC by adopting and encouraging Mandarin and jian ti tzi (the simplified characters used in the PRC for writing). Yet there's never been a call saying that Singapore should become part of China to unite all the Chinese together. Finally if the PRC really wants to win back the hearts and minds of Taiwanese bluster and aggressive military posture isn't going to do it. Why not just leave the Taiwanese alone and let them decide without coersion if they want to join the PRC.
To answer your questions, the persistence of the PRC comes from the belief that China was a victim of imperialists during the century of humiliation and that they will not be full again until it reclaims all the territory that it lost. That is the rhetoric and emotion. For the CCP, its to establish legitimacy, getting back taiwan means that they are the bestest leaders ever. Also, because taiwan is seen as property, the CCP does not really care about what the people on taiwan think. ten (sic? 20?) million so people are insignificant compared to the entire 1.2 bil on the mainland. from a utility standpoint, i agree with you, it has been too long and too much of a waste to really bother. China's obsessiveness with taiwan is holding them back a lot. however, as shown through the sappy and emotional video, this is one of those few situations where emotion trumps rationality.
