This interview is one of the very best things I have read on the current Taiwan situation. Thank you and your wonderful guest historian.
My wife is Taiwanese--not a “veteran” (ie scion of the refugees from the mainland in the 40s) but rather a Han Chinese descended from the wave of settlers from Fujian province starting in the 17th century. Her native tongue is Tai-yu, or the Taiwanese dialect so commonly heard in Central and Southern Taiwan. As a child the KMT required schools to severely punish children heard speaking it. That tells you something about current attitudes among the “native” Han Taiwanese (as opposed to the Shan-ren or 13 indigenous tribes. Among her people, Taiwanese identity is very strong and DPP is reflective of her people.
But among the youth generally, there is little identification with China. Beijing has lost the war on a hearts and minds level. Only the older veterans take the concept of one China seriously and they are disappearing. To the extent there was a thought of integration one day, recent events in Hong Kong put that idea to rest.
Many Taiwanese look down on “mainlanders” as uncouth. As tourists in Taiwan they are easy to pick out.
I am terrified for Taiwan because an invasion is the only way unification can occur now. Oddly, most Taiwanese I know think I’m paranoid. They are remarkably complacent. But then again, so were the Ukrainians before the invasion.
Really enjoyed that interview! Its not a topic I would normally spend time on with any depth, but because of your track record I have a sense I will find it worthwhile in the end, and this certainly was one of those episodes.
This interview is one of the very best things I have read on the current Taiwan situation. Thank you and your wonderful guest historian.
My wife is Taiwanese--not a “veteran” (ie scion of the refugees from the mainland in the 40s) but rather a Han Chinese descended from the wave of settlers from Fujian province starting in the 17th century. Her native tongue is Tai-yu, or the Taiwanese dialect so commonly heard in Central and Southern Taiwan. As a child the KMT required schools to severely punish children heard speaking it. That tells you something about current attitudes among the “native” Han Taiwanese (as opposed to the Shan-ren or 13 indigenous tribes. Among her people, Taiwanese identity is very strong and DPP is reflective of her people.
But among the youth generally, there is little identification with China. Beijing has lost the war on a hearts and minds level. Only the older veterans take the concept of one China seriously and they are disappearing. To the extent there was a thought of integration one day, recent events in Hong Kong put that idea to rest.
Many Taiwanese look down on “mainlanders” as uncouth. As tourists in Taiwan they are easy to pick out.
I am terrified for Taiwan because an invasion is the only way unification can occur now. Oddly, most Taiwanese I know think I’m paranoid. They are remarkably complacent. But then again, so were the Ukrainians before the invasion.
Taiwan is woefully unprepared.
Really enjoyed that interview! Its not a topic I would normally spend time on with any depth, but because of your track record I have a sense I will find it worthwhile in the end, and this certainly was one of those episodes.