cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/705089
Chinese authorities have recently announced legal changes that could impose harsh sanctions, including the death penalty, on individuals working “at separating Taiwan from China.” Beijing sees the self-ruled island as part of its own territory and has hinted at the possibility of using violence to subdue any attempts at pursuing indepedence.
Former Taiwanese legislator Chen Jiau-hua, already blacklisted by Beijing as one of the “stubborn separatists,” told DW she was not intimidated by the new measures. Instead, the set of guidelines revealed last month simply made her grow “even more resentful” towards China.
“I think Taiwanese people shouldn’t be afraid and threatened by these guidelines. Nor should they surrender to an authoritarian regime,” Chen said.
Some of the legal changes, however, are not easily dismissed. Beijing courts can now pass sentences, including life imprisonment or the death penalty, to “Taiwan independence” supporters who are convicted of conducting or inciting secession.
China says its new guidelines are targeting a “very small number of diehard ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists.”
Yeah if you make stuff up you can apply it to anyone.
As usual, none of this is news.
Peoples Republic of China claims Taiwan, just like Republic of China claims China (well, not exactly like it. ROC also claims Mongolia). And has gone for 70 years now? They don’t consider it separate, neither does Taiwan, legally. Neither does the USA, legally. Do you expect them to say the law doesn’t apply? Anything separatist movement is usually treated as treason.
Most likely in your country too. But it’s fun to write out things about the scary country maybe doing imaginary scary things. Hey, they’re definitely taking Taiwan this year right? We were told so in January. Must be coming soon.
Strong opening for someone who tries to present one of the most complicated geopolitical issues of the present day in a couple of sentences, half of which is factually wrong. I admire your confidence.
Firstly it is news, because it’s a new law that didn’t exist before and it could have dangerous implications for any Taiwanese person travelling to China, causing Taiwan to issue an orange travel alert. That’s news.
Just in case you’re genuinely interested in learning more about this issue though I’ll do my best to summarise why your point is misguided at best.
Firstly, you did more or less accurately describe the status quo between the CCP and the RoC, so points for that. Unfortunately you left out a couple of things. Firstly, the CCP passed a law some time ago that means if Taiwan tries to change the status quo and stop claiming China, the CCP will invade. So this argument doesn’t work as a ‘both sides’ kind of deal because one side has a gun to it’s head.
The modern position of Taiwan and how they skirt around this issue is by saying that there is no need to declare independence, because Taiwan is already independent. Which is true by any meaningful definition of the word.
The next part of your comment is kind of out there to be honest. Even the CCP acknowledges that Taiwan is seperate by virtue of spending all this effort on ‘reunification’. Countries maintain seperate diplomatic channels with China and Taiwan, the USA sends military aid and the Taiwanese passport has a higher mobility rating than a Chinese one! So to say they are not separate is frankly wrong.
I live in Taiwan so yeah, to me China is a scary country. It must be nice to sit in safety and proclaim how alarmist people are to villify the nasty CCP but I don’t have that luxury because they threaten the safety and freedom of my family.
These are not new laws. They are “guidelines” to the old ones. DemocracyWatch and one activist are the ones panicking. The article itself is at least balanced enough to have a voice that pretty explicitly says nothing has changed and this is just the usual theatre.
That’s the crux of it. This repeated desire to make scary headlines out of political theatre when both sides play political pretend - that one of these days the Mongolian representatives will show up to Taiwan’s parliament; that China doesn’t recognise Taiwan when as you said they literally do every day. All to be forgotten in 6 months when none of it comes true but by then there’ll be another story to replace it. Not only that but you’re not even the target audience - it’s for American readers, who need to be reminded that intervening in a civil war on the other side of the planet is Good and Freedom and Worthy.
Your suggestion that that is the “modern position of Taiwan” fails to mention that that is the position of one political party that’s had power for less than a decade and whose leader got 6.5% more than a party with a different view back in January.
I am sure you worry about your safety - I would suggest that being told you are a pawn in a geopolitical game for a dying empire should be pretty scary.
You mean the leader who when elected, the CCP fired ballistic missiles all around Taiwan? Yes I didn’t mention that because it’s not relevant, maybe you’ve forgotten but that’s kind of how democracies work. It’s the position of Taiwan and has been for a while now.
And I would suggest being a CCP apologist is pretty pathetic, it seems for you being the pawn of a dying empire is just a way to pass the time online. Good for you I guess.