Your experience with racism in Taiwan

[crusher]

@Widi

@crusher

There are more and more western looking people with Taiwanese passports.

Just curious, but how do you know? I don’t think there are statistics about western looking people having a Taiwanese passport. Unless you have some hard proof it is only an assumption just as my statement before. Based on what I am reading here, not many people are willing to give up their original citizenship for a Taiwanese one as you may become stateless in worst case scenario. So I don’t expect a substantial increase in this regard.

ok you are right

[Aikaili]

You’ll know Taiwan isn’t racist when you walk into a bank, a 7-11, MOS burger, a grocer and see a fluent foreigner behind the counter ready to assist! So give it 30 years or so… Racism is ignorance, fear, and the need to make sense or order of a situation.

[Brianjones]

@tando

because structures of society and history are different.

Eh yeah. So is every country.
Why are you going on about 'Western ways of perception ’ I don’t understand what that means. Sounds like gobbledygook.
Racism is racism.

[DCardinal]

I give 10 years only.

[Whatevah]

@crusher

There [quote=“Widi, post:774, topic:200853, full:true”]
I agree. Maybe it is rude to assume that someone not looking like a Han-Chinese is a foreigner, but to be honest what is the chance of meeting a western looking person who is actually a Taiwanese citizen or feeling like a Taiwanese? There is probably only a slim share of such people in Taiwan, so most of the time you would actually be correct to call someone like this a foreigner. For me this is not racism, it is a mistake that many people would make based on their expectations and experiences.

Just to add, I have experienced something similar. I’m half German half Taiwanese born and raised in Germany. Obviously I don’t really look 100% full-blood German (if there is something like that), I would say I look rather asian than western. However this makes me not less German. I remember one occurence on a German train, where two older ladies politely asked me in English if the seats next to me were vacant. I answered in English and let them sit next to me just to hear them talking in German minutes later. Hence, they obviously thought I was a foreigner who could not speak German (although Germany has a lot of people with foreign backgrounds). Yes, I was somehow irritated by it, but I would never call it racist because there was simply no ill intent. But everyone has a different opinion I guess.

There are more and more western looking people with Taiwanese passports.
[/quote]
That’s not even why I think its necessary to stop calling non Han people waiguoren. Those people obviously lived in Taiwan long enough to know what they are getting into.

I care about the economic health of Taiwan. The best way is to attract immigrants and the best way to attract immigrants is to treat them as locals. In other words, don’t change because of the people already here, change to attract more rich and/or talented people that would benefit the country.

[BHL4life]

That’s good that it doesn’t bother you. But for me, when i have a kid i know that even if i teach them the ways of my own culture, at the end of the day they are going to be living in taiwan, speaking chinese, educated here, with 99% taiwanese friends and family. That’s just the reality. i know that from my own experience, i’m not even quarter english by blood but by everything else i am as english as the next person.

And yes i will have a problem with anyone trying to label them as an outsider for their looks, i don’t care if it’s intentionally positive. I’ve been here long enough to know plenty of its underhanded.

[frank_hnd]

@Southernboy

as foreigners, and guests here in Taiwan, that we have an obligation to wear a mask where it’s required.

We are NOT guests here!

Everyone in Taiwan has an obligation to wear a mask independently of their citizenship or race.

[bluejasn]

@Aikaili

You’ll know Taiwan isn’t racist when you walk into a bank, a 7-11, MOS burger, a grocer and see a fluent foreigner behind the counter ready to assist! So give it 30 years or so… Racism is ignorance, fear, and the need to make sense or order of a situation.

Or when you see a half Taiwanese/Vietnamnese in Federal and local government with a prominent position. Or any SE Asian Taiwanese in Government, Police Dept, etc

[tando]

@Widi

There are more and more western looking people with Taiwanese passports.

Just curious, but how do you know? I don’t think there are statistics about western looking people having a Taiwanese passport. Unless you have some hard proof it is only an assumption just as my statement before.

I don’t know the stats, but think it is a reasonable assumption. Kids between Taiwanese mother and foreign father now can have passport. I think there are stats on international marriages and their kids, and it may be reasonable to assume they are increasing since ROC in Taiwan was established.
And cumulative number of western-looking people who naturalized must be increasing. Slowly. Many of them may be still alive, I’m assuming.

[Southernboy]

@frank_hnd

We are NOT guests here!

I use the word “guest” for people like myself, on work-based ARC that’s conditional on being employed.

I wasn’t born here, I don’t have the right to vote, and I can be sent home to my country of origin at the whim of the state. I’m a guest who’s been given the privilege to work here.

What word would you use? I just used google and the term used to describe people that work in a country other than the one they’re a citizen of is foreign workers or guest workers.

Instead of guest I should say guest worker?

Hell, the meaning of migrant worker also applies to many of us here: workers that often leave their home country without having a specific job in prospect. A backpacker who arrives and…etc.

[Brianjones]

Guest is a shit way to describe even for workers traditionally labelled as such . Is somebody a guest caregiver or industrial worker for six or twelve years ? Guests don’t work hard , study , have families or do stuff long term.

Many of us here have deep ties we are the opposite of guests.

[frank_hnd]

@Southernboy

I use the word “guest” for people like myself, on work-based ARC that’s conditional on being employed.

Guests don’t pay rent, tenants do. You pay taxes and are part of society, economy etc.
The fact that your immigration status is conditioned to your work doesn’t mean you are a guest. Are only APRC holders and citizens not considered guests?

@Southernboy

What word would you use?

Resident

[tando]

@Southernboy

What word would you use?

residents

---

@frank_hnd

Resident

you beet me.

[Brianjones]

@Southernboy

wasn’t born here, I don’t have the right to vote, and I can be sent home to my country of origin at the whim of the state. I’m a guest who’s been given the privilege to work here

You took on the language of faceless bureaucrats and anti immigrant types .

Congratulations .

[Gmu]

Anyway, to think that by having people working in 7-11 etc there would no longer look the cases of racism and physical attacks in Uk, France, USA, etc.

[frank_hnd]

@tando

you beet me.

by a fraction of a second… that was close!

[Brianjones]

That’s probably not what they mean…But you have a good point.

[Brianjones]

They took a faster root.

[BiggusDickus]

I always pour my guests drinks and offer them the spare room. And I don’t charge them for it.

[Brianjones]

Yep if you think about it ‘guest worker’ is really fecking dumb concept.