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submitted 2 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

Summary

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated in his New Year’s speech that Taiwan’s “reunification” with China is inevitable.

China has escalated military activity around Taiwan, including frequent incursions near the island and sanctions on U.S.-linked companies over arms sales to Taipei.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te rejected Beijing's claims, stating Taiwan’s future can only be decided by its people.

Lai also criticized China’s restrictions on travel and education exchanges with Taiwan, calling for dignified, reciprocal relations based on goodwill and equality.

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[-] comfy@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Why isn't that an appropriate term? It was part of China's (Qing) territory from 1684 until the Japanese occupations, and is only disunified because of an unresolved civil war. Taiwan (officially the "Republic of China") considers themself to be China. So why wouldn't their combination be the reunification of China?

[-] kshade@lemmy.world 38 points 2 months ago

Taiwan was never part of current China though and does not want to be absorbed into that state. Reunification doesn't sound right for what China would have to do to make it happen.

[-] Mikrochip@feddit.org 5 points 2 months ago

Taiwan was never part of current China though

The same was true for East and West Germany and that, err, merger is generally considered to be a reunification.

But I agree with the rest you wrote, so I guess it's a moot point anway.

[-] Nonbinary_Sahrah 5 points 2 months ago

But west germany did not invade east germany...

[-] Mikrochip@feddit.org 2 points 2 months ago

I mean, true, but that doesn't contradict what I wrote, does it? I objected to that particular part of kshades argument, not their argument as a whole.

[-] kshade@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

It's a fair argument, I wouldn't call South or North Korea forcefully annexing the other reunification either though. One state would be annihilated, both in terms of its institutions and its culture. There's no unity in that, it's conquest.

But maybe my view of the word is colored by German history. I don't know, it's just that calling what would be a horrible, grueling war "reunification" doesn't seem right, like an attempt at white-washing what would actually happen. Reminds me a bit too much of Putin's claims about Ukraine.

[-] comfy@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago

Reunification doesn’t sound right

It's an objective term for when states join into a single state, like the unification of Italy for example. It's not about approval or disapproval, I'm not taking a side by calling it reunification.

[-] kshade@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

The re- prefix does have implications that go beyond any two states becoming one. Germany's case is a bit different anyway because it was external forces splitting the country.

[-] Rhoeri@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago

If you want something that doesn’t want you- what do YOU call it?

[-] comfy@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

What's that got to do with anything? It's still called a reunification even if both sides didn't want it. There was a whole entity, it split, and if it joins back together then that's called reunifying it.

[-] hungryphrog 11 points 2 months ago

I think "invasion" would be the correct term here.

[-] comfy@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago

You can use both terms, there's no contradiction.

Consider the US civil war. The Confederates were (rightfully) invaded and plenty of them still aren't happy about it, the result was still the unification of the 'northern' and the 'southern' states.

[-] Nonbinary_Sahrah 6 points 2 months ago

Instance checks out

[-] AlexisFR@jlai.lu 5 points 2 months ago

Got it, let's help continental China adopt modern and true democracy then!

[-] NuclearDolphin@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

Work on your own imperialist fucking country first. Jesus fucking Christ you libs are insufferable.

[-] amon@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

Bro please move to .ml there are dozens of you there

this post was submitted on 01 Jan 2025
443 points (100.0% liked)

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