The subject of our words should not be nations or authoritative organizations. −Changing the biased perception of Taiwan that prevails in the Japanese peace movement community.−
The Taiwan issue is China's internal problem Both sides should resolve the issue through dialogue. Taiwan should not stir up China. The Japanese government recognizes “one China.” This discourse is intended to deter China from using force against Taiwan. While this sounds like a legitimate logic to deter war, these statements have disappointed many Taiwanese. For nearly 400 years, Taiwan has been oppressed and ruled by forces from outside the island, including Europe, the Qing Dynasty, Japan, and the Republic of China. The overwhelming majority of Taiwanese people do not want to move from the democratic society they sacrificed so much to win in the 1990s to the current one-party dictatorship of the People's Republic of China. The Taiwanese people I meet often say that Taiwan can not engage in dialogue with China. In fact, the elected government of Taiwan wants dialogue, but China refuses, and continues to pressure it with military threats and economic and diplomatic pressure. T...