There is a lot to unpack in that podcast, but I think there is a lot that was also glossed over or basically missed. It felt very much like a Kissinger esq this is the world we live in type deal rather than a very realistic portrayal of lives in Taiwan or any sensitivity to the evolution of what formulated democracy in Taiwan broadly, and the US’s essential role in it.
There was a lot missing from the puzzle.
Take, for example, the Taiwan Relations Act and the portrayal of the US’s One China Policy as if it were an evolution that had in some way been misrepresented to the CCP — and they had been hoodwinked into believing that the US’s policy was One China under the CCP forever. That just doesn’t make any sense given they fought pitched battles against them in Korea.
The one China Policy is to deal with the One China Principle. The US has a policy to deal with the principle. The US acknowledges the claim but does not recognise it. That is the One China Policy verbatim.
The remainder is wishful thinking.
The rise of democracy on Taiwan certainly had a great deal to do with LTH but he could never have done it without the US’s backing. That backing for the democratisation of Asia saw the end of Marcos in the Phillipines and the Chiang Family in Taiwan. It wasn’t an accident of history, it was an active policy that your guest seemed to be either unaware of or deliberately obscure about. It was the fall and disgrace of Marcos that told the Chiangs the gig was up in Taiwan. The road to democracy started when LTH was seconded by Sung to be the leader of the KMT, which lead to the rise of the ROC on Taiwan being written into the constitution and two China’s on either side of the Strait. That constitutional change on Taiwan and the use of elections to vote for the government meant that under international law, Taiwan could claim sovereignty. It hasn’t claimed independence but under International law it has sovereignty. That is why China is trying to rewrite what constitutes sovereignty under international law.
You might think this is some new fangled ideas that have been wheelbarrowed out by the current US Administration but you will find these have always been US policy and have been as far back as I can remember.
They were certainly that in the 80s when Taiwan’s democracy was being formed. You guys lauded the results you see in Taiwan today but I can assure you, it didn’t fall from the sky.
Always interesting.
There is a lot to unpack in that podcast, but I think there is a lot that was also glossed over or basically missed. It felt very much like a Kissinger esq this is the world we live in type deal rather than a very realistic portrayal of lives in Taiwan or any sensitivity to the evolution of what formulated democracy in Taiwan broadly, and the US’s essential role in it.
There was a lot missing from the puzzle.
Take, for example, the Taiwan Relations Act and the portrayal of the US’s One China Policy as if it were an evolution that had in some way been misrepresented to the CCP — and they had been hoodwinked into believing that the US’s policy was One China under the CCP forever. That just doesn’t make any sense given they fought pitched battles against them in Korea.
The one China Policy is to deal with the One China Principle. The US has a policy to deal with the principle. The US acknowledges the claim but does not recognise it. That is the One China Policy verbatim.
The remainder is wishful thinking.
The rise of democracy on Taiwan certainly had a great deal to do with LTH but he could never have done it without the US’s backing. That backing for the democratisation of Asia saw the end of Marcos in the Phillipines and the Chiang Family in Taiwan. It wasn’t an accident of history, it was an active policy that your guest seemed to be either unaware of or deliberately obscure about. It was the fall and disgrace of Marcos that told the Chiangs the gig was up in Taiwan. The road to democracy started when LTH was seconded by Sung to be the leader of the KMT, which lead to the rise of the ROC on Taiwan being written into the constitution and two China’s on either side of the Strait. That constitutional change on Taiwan and the use of elections to vote for the government meant that under international law, Taiwan could claim sovereignty. It hasn’t claimed independence but under International law it has sovereignty. That is why China is trying to rewrite what constitutes sovereignty under international law.
You might think this is some new fangled ideas that have been wheelbarrowed out by the current US Administration but you will find these have always been US policy and have been as far back as I can remember.
They were certainly that in the 80s when Taiwan’s democracy was being formed. You guys lauded the results you see in Taiwan today but I can assure you, it didn’t fall from the sky.
Happy to pass this along to the author if you'd like! Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
Listen every week and really appreciate what you do.