Taiwan Is a Civilization | Hacker News Reader

Taiwan Is a Civilization

noahpinion.substack.com

30 pointsncw9610 comments

Actually... the 'Mainland-China' isn't 'China' at all -- they got rid of their own legacy during the Cultural Revolution. The traditions, artworks, even the people were lost for a lost cause (idolization of Mao)

Taiwan is 'what remains of the real China -- the Han dynasty and others'. Though the mainland 'Chinese' has deteriorated the branding 'china' so much that Taiwanese no longer wants to do anything with the word 'china'

This is interestingly quite true, it seems that many of the original traditions, ceremonies as well as written Chinese language are kept alive by Taiwan.

What really stops China from invading Taiwan? It just seems like the proximity is such an advantage.

And what is the plan for resolving the cultural/philosophical difference between East and West?

It seems to me that there must be some active resolution. And if we aren't careful it could default to warfare.

If you ask mainland Chinese they would tell you that already the Taiwan is part of China, one country two systems deal.

What stops them invading any country generally? Depends how hard the response is and what is gained

How will invading Taiwan benefit China?

I've understood it like this : Taiwan is a successful, politically stable liberal democracy. It's existence contradicts the CCP stance that democracy is inherently Western and inconsistent with Chinese culture. [* I have no citation for this, I feel I've read it multiple times ] The CCP stance delegitimises Taiwan and the example of Chinese democracy it represents. Military pressure adds to this, because it creates uncertainty that Taiwan will be able to maintain control over its territory in the future, and pushes Taiwan to need support from the US, which feeds the argument that it is not a true free standing Asian country, but an artefact of foreign incursion.

China is a big powerful country. But that shouldn't be surprising. I think you can argue that China has been the most important centre of human civilisation and scientific progress for most of human history.

I wonder whether the CCP are concerned that mainland Chinese would otherwise look across the Taiwan Strait, and rather than thank the CCP for the success of recent decades, would instead wonder how much better life might be if China was more like Taiwan.

They would control the most critical high tech manufacturing hub and significantly extend their base of operations.

That's the benefit. But what's the cost, and is the cost outweighed by the benefit?

Invading someone, particularly if you haven't practised, is expensive, difficult and prone to failure. And if you fail, you've shown impotence in public.

So maybe investing in your own high tech manufacturing is has a better chance of succeeding for the same level of effort, if you see what I mean.

The desire to not get nuked?

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