Of course you’re more than entitled to your opinions, but I’m just curious as to how a foreigner would turn out to be such a ferociously militant supporter of Taiwan independence. Personally, I support re-unification, but I’m not Taiwanese/Chinese, so it’s not really my business and I usually stay out of the debate … so just curious why you take it so seriously … unless of course I’m wrong and you’re not a foreigner at all, then I’ll just try to yank my big foot out of my mouth … 
To me it seems pretty normal to be the way I am. May I ask why someone like you living in Taiwan would wish something upon your neighbors here that you wouldn’t wish upon yourself, i.e., unification of your home country with the Communist PRC.
I’ve often wondered about this myself. It seems to me most foreigners tend to be pro-independence. I could be wrong; this is just based on personal experience. As for why this is, I think, besides the obvious China acting like a spoiled brat all the time, one reason may be that many foreigners who are American or who identify with the US admire the romanticism of the whole ‘underdog fighting against the establishment’ element, people who have been raised on the praises of the American Revolution, etc. Many people feel they need to identify with a ‘cause’ to feel more a part of this place, and perhaps some foreigners, particularly males who feel a need to play the role of the protector in their relationship with a Taiwanese female, latch onto the idea to compensate for other areas of their daily lives where they must follow said female’s lead due to unfamiliarity with certain aspects of Taiwan. I’m just guessing here, though, really. I’m sure there are other reasons that haven’t occured to me.
How did this thread get detached from “Taiwan is Part of China”?
I made it so because the original thread was based upon a troll. This new thread is the non-troll version. For those who want to play with the troll, go to the original. For those who want to discuss the issue more seriously, the current thread is the place to be.
What if you’re an “at risk” troll trying to interact with non-trolls as part of your counseling/therapy? Which thread do you post on? They say the performance of low income kids improves the most when there’s a critical mass of middle class kids 
As much as I want to respond to Paogao’s post, I will wait for Little Buddha to reply to mine, or if someone else who is pro-unification could answer why they believe this way. I will state why I feel the way I do.
Like I said, it’s just the way I feel … maybe part of the reason is that my grandfather (even though he’s ethnically Russian) was born and raised in mainland China, so I have an affinity to the mainland. I don’t have any complicated legal rationale, just my feelings … and again, like I said, I usually try to stay out of the debate … I’m not a militant re-unificationist, that’s just my personal preference. And just because I passively support re-unification doesn’t mean I wish any harm or war on Taiwan … nor do I support the Communist Chinese government. I’m not looking for an argument or debate, Hobart, just wanted to hear why you felt sooooo strongly about this particular issue.
I’m pro-independence. Apart from what should be an automatic preference for democracy over a totalitarian regime, I would say personal experiences have a lot to do with people’s feelings. Basically, I like Taiwan and Taiwanese and have had mostly good experiences here. On the other hand, I came away from my visits to China with a deep loathing for the country and a large number of its people.
My reasons for being pro Independance stem from the fact that i see taiwan as being a functionaly independant country everyday. A government, a currency, an army, even a sh1tty garbage collection system. Taiwan has it all. There may be economic benefits from unification, i wouldnt know…but to join with the mainland just for the sake of it would be a step back for taiwan, i feel.
When people ask me where I live, I tell them that I live in the Taiwan provence of China. As I have stated in earlier posts, I support reunification as long as it is with Japan. I believe the SARS scare has yet proven another point that these “wonderful people with over 5000 years of culture and history” just don’t seem to have what it takes to run a country or lead a people.
For some odd reason people think that Japan was forced to hand over Taiwan at the end of WWII. If you think this way, you are greatly mistaken. The Japanese were more than happy to turn the babysitting over to the USA.
Thank Buddah they are the way they are. We will always have jobs as long as they continue doing what they are doing. I will give them some credit as the Taiwanese did invent the digital clock pen.
On May 26th Mr. K.A. of the UN gave the middle finger to Taiwan again. Taiwan is Taiwan to the Taiwanese. To the rest of the world it is part of China. If you don’t believe me, call up and ask your local embassy… oh wait, I forgot, its a trade office.
[quote=“Juba”]How did this thread get detached from “Taiwan is Part of China”?[/quote]It declared indepedence, forumosa does not support the ‘One Thread’ policy
I look forward to the day when the totalitarian regime in Beijing collapses and Taiwan leads the mainland’s transition to democracy. I guess that makes me pro-reunification?
What would be the benefit for Taiwan to unify with China?
-Give me some good arguments, and I will take them into consideration. Until then, I am pro independence.
pro-unification or pro-independence … what about pro-choice? Isn’t that the most rational position for a foreigner here?
If Taiwan really wants independence, then it should be given as much support as possible to ensure it doesn’t get invaded by China. Alternatively, if the Taiwanese all really want to reunite with the mainland, then that’s their decision.
It seems pretty clear to me that even the strongly pro-independence Taiwanese still feel culturally/ethnically Chinese - and if it was possible to reunite while still keeping their effective autonomy, they would all jump at it like a shot. It also seems pretty clear that, with the current regime on the mainland, any ‘Special Autonomous Region’ agreement (a la Hong Kong) wouldn’t be worth the paper it was written on.
So, while I personally think that independence is the only sensible option in the future, it isn’t my choice to make.
Maybe the odd reason is that the us had to drop two atom bombs on them before they would. odd I don’t recall Japan turning this headache over to the us until hundreds of thousands of their and our people were, dead. that is odd, isn’t it?
since coming here i’ve always been anti-reunification, but not gung-ho about independence either, it’s sad but i can’t see anything better than the status quo. it’s a shame because here you have people with a sense of what good government is while in china you have a bunch of self-righteous scumbag gangsters. in no sense do a majority want independence here but when you look at the pathetic scrap who support reunification you get a good idea of the situation. i have nothing against reunification if the people here want it and there is actually something to reunify with that is not like moving into a slum.
I made it so because the original thread was based upon a troll.[/quote]
That is an unreasonable assumption. If you keep cutting threads they will end up scattered all over Forumosa and people won’t be able to follow the arguments.
[quote=“X3M”]What would be the benefit for Taiwan to unify with China?
-Give me some good arguments, and I will take them into consideration. Until then, I am pro independence.[/quote]
[quote=“Xinhua News Agency/The China Daily”]
Mainland scholar discovers ten major benefits of peaceful reunification
05/30/2000
The “People’s Daily” in Beijing publishes a signed article Tuesday deliberating on 10 major benefits of a peaceful reunification of China.
Chen Kongli, the author of the article, wrote the 10 major benefits as follows:
First, Chinese compatriots living on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits will enjoy emotional harmony. If a war breaks out between the two sides, the people of the two sides will be the mostly affected, the article says.
Second, the people of the two sides will enjoy safety, stability and peace. The people living in Taiwan will no longer worry about wars and instability.
Without peaceful reunification, the status of Taiwan is not stable and any separatist words and activities might lead to wars, the article warns.
Third, after peaceful reunification, Taiwan compatriots will enjoy, together with their compatriots living on the mainland, the reputation and dignity of China as a big power in the world.
While enjoying a high degree of autonomy, Taiwan people will also take seat in the National People’s Congress, the parliament, and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body, and enter the central government as leading members, the article says.
Fourth, the two sides will enjoy economic cooperation beneficial and complementary to each other, while the two sides of the Straits as well as Hong Kong and Macao could be turned into a mammoth economic entity in East Asia, the article says.
Fifth, the legal rights of the Chinese people across the Straits will be better protected in personnel exchanges, working, investment, trade, schooling and marriage.
After reunification, China will make laws that can better protect the interests of compatriots from the two sides.
Sixth, a unified China will become an unprecedented power with an increasingly enhanced international status. When China achieves reunification, it will establish diplomatic ties with almost all countries and regions and participate with almost all international organizations in the world, the article says.
Taiwan people will have an even larger space in the international arena. And Taiwan people can, with suitable status, join international organizations and the Chinese delegation to the United Nations.
Taiwan has suffered from a so-called issue of “international space,” but it is not a result of the pressure from the mainland but a result of the worldwide recognition on the One-China principle, the article says.
Seventh, a peaceful reunification will save a huge amount of money being used for defense purposes for the both sides. The article further suggests that the military forces of the two sides can be mutually complementary and join hands in defending the motherland.
It will be beneficial to the welfare of the Taiwan people if the island could save part of its annual defense expenditure by more than 10 billion US dollars, the articles says.
Eighth, the two sides are mutually complementary in the field of science and technology. A unified China could help the mainland implement its strategy of developing science and technology and Taiwan could launch its “science island” program.
Ninth, after peaceful reunification, there will be no longer any block for exchanges between the two sides, which will be of great importance in rejuvenating the Chinese nation, the article says.
Finally, the article believes that a unified China will greatly contribute to peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific Region.
The article emphasizes the huge financial benefits brought about by the peaceful reunification of China as well as the unlimited potential for future cooperation between the two sides in politics, international relations, and culture and education.
It quotes late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping as once saying, “We should jointly strive for the reunification of the motherland and the rejuvenation of the Nation.”
Taiwan people should make their proposals on the benefits they want from the peaceful reunification of the motherland. Any rational proposal will be negotiable under the One-China principle, the article says, echoing the Chinese government’s stance on the issue.
i[/i][/quote]Souce: China Daily
Juba:
…and I can walk on water…
Why, it all makes a strange kind of sense now…slaps self out of trance