Taiwanrocks! Tâi-ôan-chio♿h!

Posted Nov.7th 2008

http://taiwanrox.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-am-taiwanese-not-chinese.html

After many political arguments on the independence of Taiwan, it has usually come down to this:

Chinese guy: 'You are of Chinese blood! 98% of the Taiwanese population are "Han" Chinese from the Fujian province. You speak Chinese. You look Chinese. You are Chinese. Therefore I will come to the hasty conclusion that Taiwan is a part of China, Taiwanese people are Chinese people'

There is nothing more wrong than this.

We as Taiwanese decide who we are, not Chinese people.

Yes, most of us Taiwanese are descendants of the Han Chinese from the Fujian Pгovince, only 2% of the Taiwanese population is pure Aboriginal (Aboriginals are the original inhabitants of Taiwan), but the immigration from the Fujian Province was many many years ago, in a great drought. Eventually, the people of China and Japan that had come to inhabit this new island called Taiwan (Though it was called many names at the time), without any help from their governments, began to think of themselves as Taiwanese. This was much like the American colonies, which Britain had left alone for over three centuries. The colonists began to develope an alienation of Britain and thought of themselves as "Americans" after a while.

A poll showed that 90% of all Taiwanese think of themselves as Taiwanese.

In truth, it is not the physical difference that makes a Taiwanese, but the mental difference.

And let no one else tell you who you are, you are what you choose to be.

2 COMMENTS:

Kazeari said...

I vastly agree, This is as if calling people of the US...English people and not Americans. People from US originate from England too.

NOVEMBER 9, 2008 12:12 AM

tasha said...

i agree. i think china wants to claim ownership of the island, so they can't wake up to see that we are so different from them.

NOVEMBER 29, 2008 8:04 PM