Taiwan has been long isolated diplomatically from most of the world and now faces an even more uncertain future.
From the site UN for Taiwan:
Taiwan is an independent and sovereign nation that happens to be one of the world's most vibrant democracies. The people of Taiwan enjoy full human rights, civil liberties, and press freedom and live in a modern society just like the United States and many first world nations.
Yet Taiwan is not allowed inside the United Nations due to China's bullying. China insists that Taiwan must be a part of China because ancestrally, many Taiwanese come from China. This would be like Britain demanding the annexation of the United States because many Americans and the descendants of the British. Although the current government of China has never owned or governed a single piece of Taiwan. China has historically has never even governed most of Taiwan and yet the Chinese government insists all of Taiwan belongs to them.
If the United Nations is supposed to stand for universal human rights, it should allow Taiwan membership. Taiwan is one of the bigger democracies in the world, and enjoys freedom unmatched by most of the world, yet the 23 million inhabitants of Taiwan are shunned for political convenience.
http://unfortaiwan.org/
Just after posting this item on my blog, I saw a news flash about the election results from Taiwan.
http://www.radicalcontrapositions.co...
The KMT victory over the Democratic Progressive Party (which has sought U.N. admission and recognition of Taiwanese independence) means a likely thaw in Chinese-Taiwanese relations and opens the strong possibility of unification within the next decade.
http://elainemeinelsupkis.typepad.co...
This election outcome is not good news for the U.S. or the people of Taiwan. I hope that Taiwan can continue as an independent nation although unification does look like a real possibility.
Taiwan is not only a free nation but also more of a true social democracy than China. http://www.guardian.co.uk/... Will the citizens of Taiwan want to give up their freedom of expression, social safety net and real trade unions for autocratic Chinese rule ?
Given the decline of U.S. economic and military power as well as lack of public international support, I can understand why many in Taiwan might conclude that there is no other alternative but to embrace China.
I think it is a decision that many in Taiwan will regret just as the average American will eventually recognize that their once great nation was destroyed by big business-controlled leaders.