What about Taiwan giving back all of the artwork from the GuGong (Palace Museum) back to the PRC, as well as Jinmen and Matsu Islands in exchange for a treaty with the PRC to end the Cold War.
Surely the artwork alone is priceless!
Perhaps the DPP controlled Taiwan could also handover and all KMT war criminals that might have killed innocent PRC citizens or commited atrocities during the Chinese civil war.
Does anyone think this is plausible. I think the PRC is too greedy and they want all of Taiwan. Damn imperialistic Communist Pigs!
Seems like an interesting proposition… but in all honesty I doubt the PRC would be foolish enough to let that happen. Why wouldn’t they just take the rest of Taiwan with the treasures, now that there is a possibility?
I’m sure anyone reasonable would be able to come up with a compromise, but the PRC would accept nothing less than the complete and unconditional surrender of Taiwan to PRC authority. They won’t even talk to Taiwan unless Taiwan surrenders and says it’s part of the PRC.
[quote=“Hobart”]What about Taiwan giving back all of the artwork from the GuGong (Palace Museum) back to the PRC, as well as Jinmen and Matsu (Mazu) Islands in exchange for a treaty with the PRC to end the Cold War.
Surely the artwork alone is priceless![/quote]
Anyone remotely sane would agree with you. However, keep in mind that the PRC’s treatment of priceless artwork leaves something ot be desired, with the cultural revolution being a low point. Therefore, they will not attach too much value to it.
Jinmen and Mazu? China would see and offer of handing them over as a sign of weakness and press for the rest - I don’t see that the inhabitants of the said islands would be particularly happy about the suggestion as well.
[quote=“Hobart”]What about Taiwan giving back all of the artwork from the GuGong (Palace Museum) back to the PRC, as well as Jinmen and Matsu (Mazu) Islands in exchange for a treaty with the PRC to end the Cold War.
Surely the artwork alone is priceless!
Perhaps the DPP controlled Taiwan could also handover and all KMT war criminals that might have killed innocent PRC citizens or commited atrocities during the Chinese civil war.
Does anyone think this is plausible. I think the PRC is too greedy and they want all of Taiwan. Damn imperialistic Communist Pigs![/quote]
Anyone that really believes that this would be possible is either incredibly naive or lives in a world of their own making.
It aint gonna happen ever.
Traveller: I am only dreaming and shit, if they knew that they might never get Taiwan back because of US military aid to Taiwan, perhaps this sort of compromise would work no? Right now they think they will get the whole thing, if they ever slightly doubt things, this might be a good peace treaty offer no?
What about seizing all of the KMT assets and selling them off and giving the proceeds to the CCP members at Zhongnanhai. You know they are all corrupt anyway. Taiwan could take the US$18 billion for weapons and instead use it and the Gugong artwork and Jinmen and Matsu to buyoff all of those in power. Remember the PRC is not a democracy but a corrupt band of communist thugs that can easily be bought with US$18 billion split between those in power no?
[quote=“Hobart”]Remember the PRC is not a democracy but a corrupt band of communist thugs that can easily be bought with US$18 billion split between those in power no?
[/quote]
This is a nice idea and all, but if it was this easy HK could have leveraged a buyout in 1997 and would be a publicly traded corporation now instead of a fading captive
Beijing cannot let Taiwan go for fear of encouraging the separatists in other parts of the empire, it’s as simple as that.
Oh, and non-agression treaties? We all know how much contracts mean in the PRC…
It’s surprising how little enthusiasm there is in the TI camp for giving back the Palace Museum stuff. I usually write an editorial about it once a year when I am really stuck for a topic and it never fails to get derided from people who should, given their green credentials, be sympathetic. Its a pretty obvious argument that if these are the treasures of China and you claim not to be a part of China than giving China back its treasures would be a pretty expressive gesture. It would be a very interesting move in de-Sinicization and it would really out Beijing on the spot since they would really like this stuff but would choke on the idea of Taiwan renouncing yet another part of its Chinese identity.
BTW, Kinmen and Matsu are the only parts of the ROC which actually really belong to the ROC. Interesting, eh?
Sure right after ROC agrees to the “One China” policy I can see us handing back the palace treasures and a few remaining Japanese Quisling for WWII war crimes.
Or we could keep them to promote the tourism trade in ROC. PRC citizens are now the biggest tourist group in Asia. We just need to get the 3 connects in place.
I’m not above selling a few statue of liberty souvenirs and taro crackers to PRC citizens coming to see the palace treasuers.
let’s not confuse china vs. taiwan for CCP vs. KMT. the difference is merely huge. the difference needs to be pounded into all sides.
yes, the KMT and the CCP need to come to peace terms. they already work in close co-ordination in several issues. however, the KMT does not possess the legal authority to surrender taiwan.
all china has to do is list taiwan as a special economic zone(sez)with a high degree of autonomy, leave it alone and consider the deal done.
I don’t think a peace treaty will end the cold war between Taiwan and the PRC. Peace treaties and summits helped Soviet-American relations, but ultimately, peace was only possible with the collapse of the SOviet Union. SImilarly, Taiwan’s peace can only come about when the regime in Beijing is gone. (Although the manner in which it collapses certainly carries its own dangers.)
There a quite a few Japanese sympathizers in Taiwan. But if you want to single one out. He’s a good example.
I once referred to it as the 3 links, and we correct by someone to call it the 3 connects. I assume becuase the English news media rarely covers this topic about Taiwan either one is acceptable since it is not a standard concept in English.
That could happen or ROC could collapse on itself. What is clear is ROC is not in a position to influence PRC nor USA on the matter at this time.
Jinmen and Matzu are not part of Taiwan province, but rather they are part of Fujian province. The original poster wasn’t exactly too articulate. What he meant was that Jinmen and Matzu are the only parts of China (besides Taiwan province) which is actually under the direct control of the RoC.
Dictaturship? no takers here, apart from the fringe.
Cheap labor? Naah, the Taiwanese businessmen already have access to that.
Better access to teh Chinese market? A small prize, as Taiwanese manufacturers of high-tech are already well represented there.
A handsome payoff to the Taiwanese leaders? Hmm, some might want to take advantage of that, but they are in the opposition now.
Additional international clout? Find it hard to believe that the foreign policy of China will even in small parts be decided in Taipei.
Cultural pride? Well, 85% of the population seems to see the cultural link with the PRC as somewhat distant, so you only get 15% of the electorate in on that one.
In other words, China does not have all that much to offer to the current ROC government or the people of Taiwan for that matter.
They could offer the stability of not being at the whim of USA foriegn policy depending on who is president in the US and whether or not PRC is a strategic competitor or allie against terrorism every other week.
The longer lines in US foreign policy have been consistent over time - therefore, the US foreign policy is more stable that it would appear.
The only reason to that Taiwan needs US security guarantees is that they have a global bully on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.
One thing China could offer Taiwan was a guarantee that an armed atack on Taiwan would never take place, and unilateral disarmament of the 500+ terrorist missiles pointed toward the place we - not you - call home.
Tell me about it “Axis of Evil,” Steel Tariff against the EU, and the War in Iraq. It’s not easy being a citizen of USA and trying to explain our foriegn policy abroad.
Unless ROC can somehow come up with the cash USA has been asking for in the past 4 years to the consulting and purchase of ROC advance military equipment against those 700+ missles and 5 nukes…I suggest you call home as well.
