It is January 16, 2016, and 56-year-old Liu Tao-shan is sitting quietly in his living room in Taichung, Taiwan. The television in front of him is showing the results of Taiwan’s 14th presidential election. The Democratic Progressive Party candidate Tsai Ing-wen has beaten the Kuomintang’s Eric Chu and the People First Party’s James Soong with 6.89 million votes, marking the third time power has changed hands on the island since democratic elections were introduced in 1996.
“I feel very confused,” Liu confesses.
Liu’s father was a supporter of Chiang Kai-shek and retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after Chiang lost out to Mao Zedong’s Communist forces in the Chinese civil war. Growing up receiving a patriotic education, Liu has always believed that he is a Chinese national living temporarily on the island of Taiwan.
“I believe the Republic of China is the legitimate regime that represents China, and some day we will recover the mainland,” Liu says.
With the passage of time, however, the political and social gap widened across the Taiwan Strait. Liu admits he has been constantly forced to reconsider who he is.
“Nowadays when people speak of ‘China’, they meant the People’s Republic of China instead of the Republic of China,” Liu says. “I grew up seeing them take away the right to represent China one step at a time. I’ve been constantly thinking about this question. Now I see myself as both Chinese and Taiwanese.”
Under the military rule of Chiang’s Kuomintang, reinforcing Chinese identity was essential to its “one China” vision.
To promote Chinese nationalism, education and propaganda were used to stifle local culture and erase 50 years of Japanese colonial rule on the island. Local languages were banned in mass media or during school lessons.
“The emergence of a separate Taiwanese identity was restricted for a long time by the island’s authoritarian political system,” says Tsai Chang-yen, an Assistant Professor at National Taiwan Normal University’s Graduate Institute of Political Science.
Martial law was declared in Taiwan in 1949. Emergency powers were placed in the hands of the president and the formation of new political parties was banned. Constitutional rights relating to freedom of speech, press and assembly were denied.
Criticizing the government, discussing the notion of Taiwanese independence, or showing interest in China’s Communist party might lead to charges of sedition.
These years were known as Taiwan’s “White Terror.” Thousands were arrested, imprisoned, “disappeared,” or executed for their real or perceived opposition to the government.
Read: Thirty years on, memories of martial rule in Taiwan
Martial law was lifted in 1987 and political reforms have opened doors to more nuanced examinations of Taiwan’s modern history. Today, Taiwan is a vibrant example of a full-fledged Asian democracy, but the legacy of that authoritarian period lingers in certain aspects.
Li Wen-chi was born in 1986. He grew up in a transitional period when Taiwan was experimenting with democracy and moving out of the shadows of its authoritarian past.
“We rarely talk about politics back at home, just like every other normal Taiwanese family,” he says. “Back in the days, people avoid asking questions and giving opinions – to protect themselves. The rule still stays in my family. My political education all came from textbooks.”
Li remembers that, in elementary school, his third grade geography teacher asked him to draw “a map of our country.” “The answer includes the whole of mainland China,” Li laughs. “In textbooks, mainland China is still where we lost to the Communist Party and [the place we] will someday reclaim.”
Students only started to learn more about Taiwan’s history under the presidencies of pro-Taiwan KMT leader Lee Teng-hui (1988-2000) and DPP president Chen Shui-bian (2000-2008), and when Taiwanese history was separated from China-centered ideology and became required reading, from 1997, in the curricula of primary and secondary schools.
Against this backdrop, Li admits he grew up with rather a vague understanding of his identity.
In 2012, he went to pursue a Masters Degree in comparative literature at the University of Edinburgh. It was the first time in his life he had the opportunity to meet people from China – and also the first time he was called Chinese.
“I think meeting someone from China made me draw a line between what’s ‘us’ and what’s ’them,’” Li says. “People’s false recognition will also quickly make you understand who you really are. My Romanian room-mate presumed I’m a Chinese the first day we met. I told him no, I’m a Taiwanese.”
According to polls conducted by the Election Study Center at National Chengchi University, in recent years there has been a growth in the number of people who identify themselves as Taiwanese.
Back in 1992, only 17.6% of respondents identified themselves as Taiwanese. This figure rose to 58.2% in 2016. The number of respondents identifying themselves as exclusively Chinese was 25.5% in 1992, but fell to 3.4% in 2016.
Syaru Shirley Lin, a professor at the University of Virginia and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, has long studied the links between Taiwan’s identity and policy making. She says the shifting of identity might be due to several factors.
In the republic’s early days, identity was largely defined in terms of ethnicity, she says. “Those who had been in Taiwan before 1949 were the Taiwanese, and those who came after 1949 were the Chinese,” Lin explains. “But in the past 30 years, the term Taiwanese has gradually diminished its ethnic tone, and expanded into discussions based on values and way of life.”
For younger generations, the questions of “whether I am a Chinese or a Taiwanese” is “simply not applicable anymore.” “They just naturally consider themselves as Taiwanese,” Lin says.
In a 2013 study by Academia Sinica, more than 90% of people aged under 34 identified themselves as exclusively Taiwanese.
Events have provided a further stimulus. People who identify as Taiwanese increased, from 2008, under the administration of the pro-China Ma Ying-jeou. “People think Ma didn’t prioritize Taiwan’s interests,” Lin says. “That posed a threat to Taiwan’s values, thus giving rise to the Taiwan identity.”
Lien Chen-jie was born in 1996, the year Taiwan held its first direct presidential election. He has considered himself Taiwanese ever since he can remember, he says.
But Lien’s exploration of his identity doesn’t stop there and he has been active in expressing it via politics.
In 2014, students and civic groups occupied Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan and, later, its Executive Yuan to protest against a trade pact with China. Later known as the Sunflower Movement, protestors believe that the economic benefits offered by closer ties with China pose a serious threat to Taiwan’s political future.
“I started to read comments and debates on the Internet, some of which were very local centric,” Lien said. “It was a turning point for me. I became convinced that the Republic of China is also a foreign regime. It doesn’t equal to and should not represent Taiwan. I hope that Taiwan can decolonize from the Republic of China and be independent as soon as possible.”
Born in 1990, Jay Lin has a similar background to Lien’s. While identifying himself as a Taiwanese, however, he considers the debate over independence a false one, branding it an “impossible” aim.
“If we are to completely remove ties with China, we still need to depend on other powerful nations, like Japan or the United States,” he says. “This isn’t true independence.”
Lin says Taiwan has always been a multicultural society and has always accommodated people from different places. To discuss “who are the Taiwanese?” means abandoning that tradition, he believes.
“Can we be an inclusive society that welcomes everyone and respects every culture and history? This is my imagination of the future.“
Haha, this is the most funny idea. The moon is the territory of Taiwan. Reasons? No, it’s not important because I say so.
Zheng He Tibetan and Uighur minorities? Look that, although Beijing is forcing migrations of Hans in such regions, the locals still have the majority! Where do you read news? Mickey Mouse comics? Ignorant!
There’s always no stupid questions. If you’ve stayed in western countries, this is what your teach would tell you. Obviously this Chinese have been brainwashed by their government because they are not allowed to challenge the belief of They hold Taiwan. The truth is that Taiwan or ROC is an independent country. PRC want to occupy this island, but they can’t.
Peter Sheng Yao Hsu Very stupid question indeed.
Zheng He ok, give me a reason. Why you think Taiwan is a part of PRC.
Peter Sheng Yao Hsu , A very dumb question and twisted logic.
Agree, a knodel in Ostereich ist the same knodel in Deutschland.
John Chou, from your statement you made yourself clear that you are not a Chinese that is fine and it’s your perogative. Just wonder when will you change you name Chou which sounds very Chinese to me. I think it’s time you change to Takahashi or Kobayashi.
Btw, you can yell and scream till you go blue that Taiwan is not part of China. But 1.3 billion Chinese across the strait says it’s part of China and it’s a fait accompli.
What on earth my speaking mentions Japan? Tell me. Has PRC invaded and occupied Taiwan ever?
Those who believe that Taiwan is a part of (People’s Republic of) China. I have few questions to ask. Did this China ever invade and occupy Taiwan? Did they destroy Republic of China (Taiwan) during the civil war? If not? How could you say ‘oh, I have the authority of Taiwan’? Could I say ‘UK is a part of Taiwan’? No reason, just because I like it.
OK now, here is the history. 1949, ROC who was held by KMT and Chang lost the civil war and retreat to Taiwan. The same year later, Mo announced that PRC has been established. Since this moment, there’re two countries which are both called something China. And there’s no longer been cal civil war but the war between two countries. But PRC has never crossed the defense in Kimman, the island near XiaMan. Till now, we are still an independent country, which has an official name called Republic of China, and I also believe that PRC is another independent country. But for me, if you want to be only China. OK, that’s fine. I’m willing to give up our official name. So let call us Taiwan! But we will never ever give our land our authority away. I’m Taiwanese.
Aurthors should stop presuming that how the Chinese in Taiwan think of themselves is critical.
Ultimately, pershaps in less than 25 years, Taiwan will be compelled to choose between starting a war or to negotiate. Taiwan will choose negotiation.
There will be non-lethel ways for the Chinese mainland to pressure Taiwan.
Before the Chinese mainland feels like having to do much more, another 10-20 years the current economic impact on Taiwan might well suffice to drive Taiwan to negotiate.
Then comes 2040, the Chinese mainland could target Taiwan extremely vulnerable energy isolation. Very little force will need to be used to gravely affect Taiwan.
Then the Chinese mainland could breach Taiwan’s immigration defense with massive Chinese humanity. What could Taiwan do in 2045 when unarmed human beings start to breach the island?
What could the USA do? Nothing.
Look at NK in 2017. A small two-bit country could give the US so much trouble because the US now has the decency to not kill millions of south Koreans, to say the least.
Imagine China comes 2045, when Asia is still at peace. The US then will not kill millions of Chinese on Taiwan, to say the least.
The taiwanese are as chinese as the austrians are germans!
John Chou i respect anyone who is willing to die for his beliefs. But don’t expect others to die for your beliefs..though most are willing to see you die to server their interests..
The mainland is next to change…
Taiwan is not part of China. Not now, not in the past, or even in the future. Those people in Taiwan still think they are chinese, although in minority, can stay in taiwan as Taiwan is a country with freedom of speech.
Ken Nguyen , You are right, The Tibetan and the Uighur minority has been getting a lot of help not only from the central government but also from other provinces to uplift their development and living standards.
There are a lot of uninformed outsiders in the West that thinks the Tibetans and Uighurs are being bullied due to western propaganda, which isn’t true on the contrary getting a lot of assistance.
There are big numbers, in tens of thousands of active Tibetans and Uighurs communist party members and their leaders are the main players in their respective local government that are responsible and running the show in concert with the central government in building up regions. Last year Lhasa was polled as the happiest city in China and for obvious reason, the region’s gdp has been in double digit for the past few years, people are earning more and having better and better life day by day.
Huge investment is now being poured into Xinjiang for the OBOR initiative connecting Xinjiang with central asia, pakistan and Afghanistan that is going to attract more and more businesess that will boost the economy and more wealth will be created for the locals.
In China’s meritocracy, all the top leaders have had long experience in running provinces with huge population successfully. The leadership quality of junior Bush, Obama or Trump will not cut it in China.
Taiwan is part China, those who can’t stomach it, should do themselves a favour, liquidate their assets and leave.. (Beijing ought to provide assistance, both political and financial)to wherever they choose to ponder further their identity.
Zheng He Hence the need for propaganda like this article!
The curent ruling Green Party is been in the government for just 14 months and the popularity has drop to just under 30%.The current president can’t go to any place without protesters following her. The people call this party the useless party that can’t do anything right. They made a mess of labour reform law that didn’t please the workers or the employers, cutting pension fund from retired police and military, destroyed the lucrative tourist industries that saw tour buses lying idle with no buyers, hotels and restaurants shut down that once used to be a big money spinners – making money hand over fist from tourist coming from Mainland China in large numbers who share the same culture language and taste. Airliner gone bankrupt due falling tourist numbers, a once booming trade relations formerly established during the time of ex-president Ma Ing Jieu had gone to ruined because the current goverment of Chai Ing Wen refused to recognised the one China1992 consensus and has been a problem maker like it’s predecessor ex-president Chen Shui-bian of the same Green Party who was convicted and jailed for massive corruption.
The green party is a fraud-party that took power through fraud by misleading the public – through false promises they never intended to keep i.e. they will maintain the 1992 one China sonsensus, etc…
Taiwan democracy is a big joke – becoming the laughing stock to the world, the political parties cannot debate a bill without exchange of verbal abuses and violence – like a street brawl by thugs in an English football match where everything goes vandalism included.
The Taiwan indepedent proponents is a also a joke which consist of the current green party members filled with draft dodgers and never served a day in the military. Even with their majority in the parliament and can declare independence if they choose to, but afraid to do so for fear of triggering a law in mainland China that will see the PLA marching into Taiwan to liberate the island.
USA fear the unification of Taiwan with China. Direct flights between Taiwan and China were only permitted a decade or so ago. Nevertheless ties between the two have grown rapidly since then. Over a million people travelled to and fro every year. This is seldom reported by western media but the Chinese people themselves can see and experience the closer ties on a daily basis.