mysterious taiwan

                              

・The area is about the size of Kyushu, Japan.

・There are many Chinese speakers in the north. It has a large population centered around Taipei.

・There are many Taiwanese speakers in the south and the population is small.

・Mountain ranges run from north to south and in the center (the highest peak is Yushan, approximately 4000 m).

・There are many Han people on the west side, and there are many large cities.

・The eastern side is rich in nature with many areas where indigenous people live.

・In Taiwan, there is a mausoleum dedicated to Japanese soldiers and warships from the Japanese colonial period.

・Two days after the 2024 presidential election, Nauru announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan and announced the restoration of diplomatic relations with China. The remaining 12 countries have diplomatic relations.

・Taiwan and Japan are each other's favorite countries. Shy 5-6 year old who says his future dream is to become Japanese. Says "I want to be Japanese!

・In 2020, the voting rate among people in their 20s was 76%. In Japan, it was only 34%.

・The world's second largest vegetarian nation.

・What are the intentions of the natives?

・China is by far the stronger power in the Taiwan-China relationship. Economic, military, and diplomatic relations.

・Taiwan's weapon is a high-quality democratic society. Taiwan is a model of democracy, and the world must not allow a tyrannical China to overrun Taiwan.

Taiwan is a model of democracy, and it must not let China, a tyrannical nation, overrun Taiwan. And semiconductors !

 

 

[One Month in Taitung]

 

From December 14 to January 17, 2023, I stayed in Lijia Village, Peinan Township, Taitung City, Taitung County, Taiwan, for about one month. The purpose of my stay in Taiwan was to learn Chinese, so I did not pay much attention to other things. However, January 13th was the once-every-four-years election of the Taiwanese president and legislators (members of the Japanese Diet), so there was a lot of drama in this month for Taiwanese people.

However, my Chinese language skills were not good enough to understand the daily conversation and news, and since I was in Lijia Village, a small village of the Puyuma tribe of Taiwanese aborigines, I was somewhat distant from the excitement of the elections.

 

I stayed for a month at a guest house called "YuRenZaiJia.” (有人在家)

There were always people staying there. They were friends of the owners, Guan Guan and Shan Zhu, and many came from Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and other large cities to enjoy the natural beauty of Taitung and to relax at the inn.

I found it interesting that Taiwan also has a tea culture, and there are many kinds of tea, especially oolong tea.

It seemed to have a certain popularity among the younger generation who wanted to spend time leisurely and enjoy the aroma and silence.

During my stay in Taiwan, I enjoyed tea time several times and once met a group of people in their 20s and 30s who were studying and practicing Buddhism. They seemed to be struggling with their current method of practice and were impressed by me, a Japanese monk, and we talked together.

 

One of them was saddened by the wars happening around the world and various problems in society, but when he asked the monk he was studying what he thought, he answered, "Don't get caught up in such problems. Don't judge things in terms of right and wrong. Let go of the wandering mind of self and let your mind be at peace." (I vaguely remember. but I think it was something like this.) They said that Buddhism is a very wonderful teaching but they questioned the Buddhists unwillingness to get involved in the real problems of the world.

 

They asked me, "What kind of practice are you doing?"  I told them how I came to Buddhism and Gandhi's philosophy, and that I was currently involved in sit-ins in front of U.S. military base and peace walk in Okinawa.

 

Taiwanese Buddhism is an ordained religion, and its secluded nature allows for a certain distance from secular society and a life of ascetic practice in a quiet environment. (I think most Buddhists are similar to this stance.)

 

Later they sent me the following message.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude and thanks to you for taking the time to talk with us today. You have helped me resolve a very big conflict that I have had for a long time. It doesn't have to be either or both. Thank you."

 

At first, when he asked to speak with me, I was nervous because I thought, "I don't want to do didactic questions and answers," but once we started talking, it turned out to be a mutually beneficial time.

 

Taitung is a place where people who are fed up with city life move to or come for a short trip.

Also, Taitung is a place where aborigines (not called "natives" because the word "aborigine" does not already have a meaning) come to live. The reason for this is that the word "aborigines" means people who are no longer here.) The Han Chinese people in Taiwan seem to respect their way of living in harmony with nature. I also imagined that they might have a sense of atonement for their past. （I wondered if this was a similar feeling to mine as a Tokyo native living in Okinawa (there was a struggle between the Han Chinese and the aborigines in the past).

 

 

[Why does Taiwan continue to elect the DPP ?]

 

In Japan and other foreign media, I hear alarming voices saying, 'If the DPP wins the presidential election, the possibility of war will increase!'

That is how it appears to me when I get information originating from the Westen media (including Japan).

 

Certainly, newspapers and news reports in Taiwan often report on Chinese military exercises, and emergency alarms go off on cell phones when Chinese satellite rockets are launched, and everyone has a certain sense of urgency.

 

However, there is a gap in perception between overseas and Taiwan.

 

The state of war with China has continued for some time since 1947, when the Kuomintang was defeated in Taiwan from mainland China.

Everyone is used to this kind of situation. I think the majority of Taiwanese public opinion believes that this is nothing new and that China will not invade Taiwan at this time.

 

However, one important point is that it is China, not Taiwan, that will launch an armed invasion now. In this regard, Taiwanese people may think that we should not tell Taiwan not to provoke China. They should tell China to do so.

 

 

"Taiwan should deepen relations with the U.S., strengthen its defenses, and talk with China and solve problems through diplomacy, not by increasing tensions with China."

 

 People outside of Taiwan think this way because they do not want a "Taiwan emergency. I used to think this way before I came to Taiwan.

However, when I talked about this with Taiwanese people, many of them looked at me with disgust and complained that they could not have a serious talk with the Chinese government.

 

In fact, the Chinese government continues to refuse to engage in dialogue with the DPP government.

China's position is that it will only talk with the previous KMT government, which is considered pro-China, rather than with the current government, which was elected by the Taiwanese people.

 

In response to the Taiwanese election results, the Chinese government issued the following statement.

The results of the two elections show that the DPP cannot represent the mainstream will of the people on the island. Taiwan is China's Taiwan. The elections will not change the basic framework and direction of development of cross-strait relations, nor will they change the common desire of compatriots on both sides of the Strait to come closer and closer together the closer they get. Nor can it prevent the prevailing view that the motherland will surely and inevitably be reunified.

Our position on resolving the Taiwan issue and achieving national reunification is consistent and our will is firm. We adhere to the "92 Consensus," which embodies the principle of "one China," and firmly oppose the divisive actions of "Taiwan independence" and the interference of outside forces. Together with relevant Taiwanese political parties and organizations and people from all walks of life, we will promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, deepen cross-strait integration and development, uplift Chinese culture, promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and advance the great task of reunifying the motherland."

 

Taiwan has been continuously subjected to military provocation, dialogue has been rejected, economic sanctions have been imposed, and China's diplomatic pressure has reduced the few remaining diplomatic relations with foreign countries. Taiwan is seen as a pawn in the Sino-American conflict, and it is dangerous to be too much on either side.

 

I thought to myself, "Even if we can't have a good relationship with the Chinese government, wouldn't it be better to have a good relationship with the people?"

I thought so, and I still think so.

 

But it is easier said than done.

 

From the May 23, 2023 Yomiuri Shimbun article.

Majority in Mainland China Support All-Out War for Taiwan-China Reunification...National University of Singapore and Others Conducted Public Opinion Survey The South China Morning Post reported on May 22 that a public opinion survey conducted in mainland China by the National University of Singapore and others showed that a majority of respondents support all-out war for Taiwan-China reunification. The survey was conducted from the end of 2020 to the beginning of 2009.

The survey was conducted from late 2020 to early 2009 and included 1,824 respondents. Fifty-five percent supported war for unification, with only about 30% opposed. As for other options besides war to get Taiwan to agree to reunification, 57% said "economic sanctions," while 22% said they were fine with Taiwan maintaining a different political system.

 

To begin with, being a resident of China and critical of Chinese government policies carries great risk. Criticism of Taiwan, Xinjiang Uyghur, Tibet, and other issues is even more deadly and risky than criticism of corona measures or economic policies. It is impossible to mention these issues inside China. Even if you are abroad, if your comments are heard somewhere and you are tipped off, you may face various difficulties after returning to your home country, and your family may also be affected.

 

We human beings often think to others, "Why don't they do this?”  “They should do that.”

But if we think in this way, we can deepen our understanding of others and eliminate our distrust of them.

 

[“Why did they make that choice?"]

 

We need to put ourselves in the other party's shoes. In order to do so, it is necessary to know the various circumstances that led up to that point, and in the case of Taiwan-China relations, it is necessary to understand modern history as well as the atmosphere and sensibilities of the local Taiwanese people.

Also, we should consider that the people involved (voters) are making their decisions based on various considerations, the influence of their families and relatives, and the influence of the Chinese-speaking media, which many Japanese are not exposed to.

If you judge the people of the other country by the standards of your own country, you will never be able to understand them.

In particular, prematurely evaluating the choices of the Taiwanese people without knowing Taiwan in depth will not lead to a better understanding of the Taiwanese people and may eventually lead to differences in mutual understanding and perception.

I believe that this could be a major negative for both sides, now and in the future.

 

[Facing Taiwan]

 

Recently, Okinawa has been making efforts to deepen its relationship with China.

This should not be opposed by many Okinawans. As tensions between the governments of Japan, the U.S., and China remain high, Okinawa Prefecture, which hosts many U.S. military and J.P. Self-Defense Forces bases, is making efforts to build trust in order to avoid regional conflicts in East Asia.

As an Okinawan and a Japanese citizen, I believe that this kind of prefectural diplomacy and citizen diplomacy is important and should be continued.

 

However, we Okinawans should be aware that our public interactions with the Chinese side can only be in line with the policies of the Chinese government.

 

How does that look in the eyes of many Taiwanese?

How do those involved in the democracy movement in Hong Kong (and Tibet and Uyghur?) see it? What do those involved in the democracy movement in Hong Kong (and Tibet and Uyghur?) think?

 

Taiwan has been threatened by the Chinese government with unification by force, and Hong Kong has been deprived of a democratic society by the Chinese government, and more than 100,000 people have left the country. Now, even in Hong Kong, it is no longer possible to voice criticism of the government. Taiwanese people have witnessed a series of crackdowns by the Chinese government on Hong Kong (some of whom fled to Taiwan from Hong Kong), and the phrase "today's Hong Kong, tomorrow's Taiwan" has become a popular expression in Taiwan.

 

It is important for Okinawa to build good relations with China, but it is also necessary to understand the feelings of Taiwanese people toward China and to have deeper exchanges with Taiwan.

Otherwise, Taiwanese people will not understand the meaning of Okinawa's emphasis on diplomacy with China, and they will have a false perception of the importance of Okinawa's diplomacy with China.

Okinawa is a victim of U.S. and Japanese imperialism and colonialism.

Taiwan is a victim of Chinese imperialism and hegemony.

 

With this composition in mind, we need to connect deeper and stronger.

 

The supporters of the current government (DPP) in Taiwan are more middle-aged to young people than older generations. Many of their policies are also innovative rather than conservative.

 

The DPP, the current government in Taiwan, is more innovative and democratic than the KMT, the other of the two major political parties, although the division of a country's politics into conservative and innovative groups causes confusion.

However, in terms of security policy, the DPP is likely to increase military spending, extend the period of military conscription, and strengthen relations with the U.S. military. (However, in terms of security policy, the KMT and the Taiwan People's Party are not very different from each other. This is because the public as a whole recognizes the military threat posed by China.)

 

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's popularity in Taiwan is due to his message that Japan will never abandon Taiwan, as evidenced by his statement that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japan emergency.

 

I believe that the right to self-determination and the theory of Ryukyuan independence are one of the ways out of the current situation in Okinawa, which is a Japanese colony. However, isn't it strange to think that if Taiwan asserts its right to self-determination or independence, it will lead to war with China and should therefore be stopped?

 

Taiwan has its own territory, its own passport, and its own elected government.

What Taiwan lacks as a nation is recognition from other countries, namely diplomatic relations.

 

 

[Who got Taiwan into the situation it is in now? ]

 

Did you know that Japan, the United States, and other countries had diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan), not the People's Republic of China (PRC), after World War II?

The Republic of China (Taiwan), not the People's Republic of China (China), was a permanent member of the United Nations. However, on September 25, 1971, at the 26th UN General Assembly, the Albanian resolution "Restoration of Representation of the Government of the People's Republic of China and Expulsion of the Government of the Republic of China" made the current China a permanent member of the UN, and Taiwan as the Republic of China withdrew from the UN in protest.

 

We worry that strengthening Taiwan's defense capability is the road to war, but what is the cause?

We should not judge Taiwan's choice to defend itself against an overwhelmingly powerful China solely from where we stand (Okinawa does not want to be drawn into a war). If the point is made that this is a non-military argument from a safe zone, how can we argue against it?

 

Could we, the non-war advocates of Article 9 of Japan's Constitution, actually advocate non-militarism only because we are protected by the world's strongest military?

Such a thought is "swollen" in my mind.

 

If we in Okinawa want to convey a non-war or non-military argument to Taiwan, we should understand the current situation in Taiwan and develop a non-war argument that is convincing from the perspective of the Taiwanese people.

 

 

[Overview of the recent Taiwanese election]

 

The DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) has been in power for two terms and eight years and has vested interests and corruption. However, in terms of relations with China, the DPP has been successful in forging alliances with the U.S. and other democratic countries, and has been credited with creating a certain deterrent effect on China.

 

The Kuomintang, once a one-party dictatorship. Ties to big business. Vested interests, pro-China leanings, and insecurity. Every year, Taiwanese public opinion is becoming more and more aware of its Taiwanese identity, which is to say that it perceives itself as Taiwanese, not Chinese. Even the KMT, which is known as pro-China, can no longer claim to be pro-China. (Originally, the KMT fought a civil war against the Chinese Communist Party.)

 

The DPP "Our (economically) hard life will not change unless a new party emerges," "The DPP and KMT are constantly cursing each other," and "Long-term government by one party is not good. However, less than 10% of those in their 60s and older said the same. Since Taiwan's democratization, when the DPP was recognized as a political party, it has been a two-party political system with the KMT, but to the younger generation, both parties are seen as elitist and divorced from the citizens. In addition, Taiwanese society, which has experienced a long period of one-party dictatorship, seems to have a sense that it is not good for a party, even the DPP, to hold power for a long time. The charismatic and popular Ko Wen-je, the party's leader, is also a factor in the DPP's popularity.

 

The DPP again won the presidential election, but lost its majority in the Legislative Yuan, leaving the KMT as the leading party. However, the KMT also fell short of a majority, and the third party, the People's Party, gained significant power.

 

 

[End of story]

 

When human society perceives a threat, even if it is uncertain, we tend to overreact. This is detailed in the words of Goering, one of the highest officials of Nazi Germany: "All we have to do is explain that we are being attacked by a foreign power. And as for the pacifists, all they have to do is openly denounce them as people who are not patriotic and who endanger the nation. This approach works equally well in every country."

 

According to Buddhist thinking, there are “causes'' that lead to a result, and “effects'' are produced by “conditions.''

Based on this idea, we cannot be sure at this point, but it could be either way, depending on the cause and the fate.

We must make every effort to prevent this from happening.

 

We humans see the world the way we want to see it.

When we encounter something we don't understand or don't want to see, we tend to deny it or pretend we didn't see it.

I want to be careful not to let this happen to me.

 

In my mind, I imagine what Taiwan wants.

"To establish diplomatic relations with other countries. Reinstatement membership in the UN?"

But this is something that China would never allow, even if Taiwan wanted it.

 

I want a world where the wishes of the people I have met and will meet, not the wishes of organizations and people with enormous power, are realized.

I want the world to be a place where the wishes of the people I have met and the people I will meet can be realized, not the wishes of organizations and people with immense power.

 

 

Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo

Yuichi Kamoshita