Thread: Ask a Taiwanese anything

Originally Posted by riza

That is the first time I've heard Taiwan referred to as `TI`.

Hang out at chinese chat at asiafinest.com and you'll pick up a variety of terms.

I thought you lived in Canada. You're going back to Taiwan or to China aren't you after you complete your studies?

Originally Posted by Albert Di Salvo

Hang out at chinese chat at asiafinest.com and you'll pick up a variety of terms.

I thought you lived in Canada. You're going back to Taiwan or to China aren't you after you complete your studies?

Whoa, Canada? How did you get that impression?

Depends really. I plan to get married here.

Originally Posted by riza

Whoa, Canada? How did you get that impression?

Depends really. I plan to get married here.

I mistakenly thought you said you lived in Canada. I don't remember why.

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding. Best wishes for both of you.

Originally Posted by Albert Di Salvo

I mistakenly thought you said you lived in Canada. I don't remember why.

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding. Best wishes for both of you.

No no, I mean I plan in the future. Sorry for all the misunderstanding and any future misunderstanding.

I mean I plan to marry in United States, not China. I'm with somebody at the moment but hopefully that becomes fruitful.

Originally Posted by pay_check

hello,

I don't want to insult anyone, however the responses riza has given so far are not the dominant opinions of people living in Taiwan, especially among the young.

I think perhaps this is because riza lives in America, and is not in touch with Taiwan.

Ask a young person (under 30) what their nationality is and whether they live in Taipei, Changhua or Kenting, and the response will normally be 'I am Taiwanese'.

You only have to see Mainland Chinese students talking with Taiwanese students outside of Asia, such as the UK where i live, to understand how sensitive this is for Taiwan born Taiwanese.

Often the Chinese students will assert that Taiwanese people are 'actually' Chinese in nationality, leaving the Taiwanese person pretty angry and hurt. You will find, most Chinese and Taiwanese students who hangout together in will purposely avoid this subject because it is so touchy.

About the KMT. Taiwanese people were ruled by the KMT since 1950, many viewed the KMT as Chinese outsiders just as the Japanese administration had also been viewed as outsiders.

Taiwan became 'chineseified' because 2 million chinese assumed the top politcal positions after they fled the mainland.

Taiwanese nationalism is also a strong political current within Taiwan these days, with Taiwanese people actively trying to bring back the Taiwanese language as it was in the past suppressed by the KMT. There is a erratic process of Taiwanization.

In general Taiwanese people living in Taiwan do not view themselves as part of the "big chinese family".

More correspond to the fact ,I think~

Originally Posted by Ivy

More correspond to the fact ,I think~

What's with the new accounts??

“It's actually split 50-50. It depends on who you ask. The younger generations born and raised in Taiwan I've met consider themselves Chinese.” – riza
This is a good article to understand the differences
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiw.../12/2003296948
Its suggests that the “only Chinese” in identity is marginal, “only Taiwanese” about 45% and “both Chinese and Taiwanese” about 40 to 50 %.

To dual identity is not surprising since mandarin is the main language on the island.
However, a further study finds that it is more complex. Taiwan residents further subdivide themselves in Han (han Chinese) at about 13%, aborigine at about 2%, and the Hakka and Hoklo ethnicities as the rest.
I think the relationship with mandarin as being the dominant language in Taiwan, (while really good for Taiwan in terms of business) has a dampening and confusing effect on national identity. A shadow that will eventually be lifted as more Taiwanese become aware of Taiwanese languages from an earlier age. As is the current trend.

“Oh I live in US but I am also still in touch with Taiwan, I still have my citizenship / passport for Taiwan.” – riza

I respect that, but it’s probably not helping anyone to present what you said as Taiwanese only, rather it’s a Taiwanese/American perspective. I know a doctor from Taiwan, who practiced in the USA for 40 years. Culturally, he holds few of the values and ideas that most Taiwanese his age do (he is about 70 I think). His entire outlook is Americanised, it’s not a bad thing, but it is relevant to you also in my opinion.

“That's extremely vague. Ask any American where they're from, they'll say "I'm New Yorker" or "Cali" or "Jersey". It's a very similar context and the kind of question that can be twisted around to support either positions.

Think Frank Luntz. “ – Riza

Except, it would be impossible for a New Yorker to respond to the question, what’s your nationality as “im a New Yorker”, to the same extent, a shanghainese person would also not response with “ I am shanghainese” when asked what nationality they have. Taiwan people do, just have to look at President Ma, when he gets asked his nationality by the DPP all the time to score political points. He has to answer “ I’m a citizen of the ROC”, because if he said “Chinese” he would get slaughtered in the polls. The DPP know it, so does he.
I think the top article I linked also relates to this point.

“Depends. I've never had anybody that I talk to avoid this.” – Riza

Fair enough, one of my best friends was challenged by a Chinese friend, when he said, why don’t you want to be part of china, you are just getting used by America (words to that effect). My friend replied, better to be the guard dog of American than the slave of china. She didn’t even got annoyed because of the use of Da Lu or mainland, rather than china.

“To clarify, do you mean indigenous Taiwanese people?” – Riza
Yes, the Hoklo, Hakka and aborigine people.


Also, as a Taiwanese person, you are really lucky because you can get a really good job in China Taiwan Hong Kong because you are bilingual haha. I really hope you do go to Taiwan to stay there for a while. I literally love Taiwan, I have never felt to welcomed in such a different culture.

Originally Posted by riza

What's with the new accounts??

HAHA I would place money Ivy is from Taiwan. using ~~~~ alot in my experience indicates that.

I've seen that source from my debates / argument with others in the past about Taiwan.

Here is the problem with that source. The writer and the newspaper both admit bias for Taiwanese independence: "Part of the Liberty Times group, the Taipei Times strongly supports the protection of Taiwan’s democracy in an increasingly complex and unpredictable region."

In fact, that is on their website, in wiki and other sources as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Times

"It is one of the four major newspapers in Taiwan, the other three being the Apple Daily, the China Times, and the United Daily News. While the United Daily News is regarded as taking an editorial line that supports unification, the Liberty Times is thought to take a Pan Green pro-independence political stance."

I've grown tired of this kind of debate. We'll see how it plays out and that's it.

All I can say is I am for reunification and I can gather sources and link to you just the same.

Mainland Affairs Council has many detailed polls which confer the same opinions expressed in that Taipei Times article. The ROC gov is technically pro-unification too.

LOL @ "The writer and the newspaper both admit bias for Taiwanese independence" - Riza

that's because Taiwan is already independent, which most of the population support. the writer holds the mainstream opinion.

They are in touch with Taiwanese opinion. You are out of touch with Taiwanese opinion.

Taiwan is very likely to be a legitimate legally independent country once China becomes a democracy.