Why has America abandoned Taiwan?
482233
Good question, but I think you should add "Why has the majority of the world abandoned Taiwan."\n\nApparently, even the Vatican is considering cutting off diplomatic relations with Taiwan and switching to the PRC. Has God changed his mind?\n\nIf people truly believe in Democracy and freedom, they will support Taiwan; others, especially most governments, are just hypocrites.
40413
taiwan is an idependant country however china refuses this and still believes taiwan is part of china
992615
Yes.  Taiwan is recognized by the United States as an independent nation.
125799
Absolutely. The US has already come to the aid of Taiwan when mainland China was threatening Taiwan. In the mid 1990s, China was test firing missiles over Taiwan. The US sent a large naval presence to the area to encourage China to stop firing the missiles over Taiwan ("The Taiwan Strait Crisis").\n\nTraditionally, the US has had a "hands off" policy toward Taiwan. While the US would supply Taiwan with defensive weapons, advisors and soldiers were barred by policy from visiting the country. Since Bush has take office, however, the US is stepping up its presence in Taiwan. Americans are lecturing the Taiwanese military in the classroom and training them in the field.\n\nLastly - and the most compelling reason the US would come to Taiwan's aid - the US is "required by law to provide for Taiwan's defense" under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. Part of the act requires the US to "provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character" and "maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan."\n\nSeveral factors make the Act more relevant today than when it was passed in 1979. In 1979, Taiwan was not the economic powerhouse it is today - neither was mainland China. In 1979, Taiwan had a relatively weak military - as did China. Today, they are relatively strong militarily - as is China. In 1979, Taiwan was not a democracy - it is now. And the US will defend a democratic government against any Communist invasion.\n\nWill the US come to Taiwan's aid in case of invasion by mainland China? Absolutely.
606676
The main reason given to the american people was the sinking oo the lousitania however that seems strange since that vessel was sunk two years prior to entering war.The usa was not happy with german naval activity in her area The loss of american lives at sea due to submarine attack.
671830
Interesting topic for discussion. Unfortunately, due to political issues dating back to Mao and the Nationalists, Taiwan and China just can't separate themselves from one another. The U.S. has a hard time choosing sides because while China helps the pocketbook, Taiwan supports the US ideal of democracy. It also helps to keep good ties to an up and coming military power such as China, wouldn't want to upset them too much considering we serve as Japan's military (although Japan is starting to acquire more defensive weaponry).
238081
The sovereinty of Taiwan belongs to its 23 million citizens, just as in any open, modern, demcratic society. China does not control any aspect of life for the people of Taiwan, except in the fantasies of its leaders.\n\nI participated in a large march through Taipei yesterday, along with 170,000 other Taiwanese protesting China's threat to invade Taiwan if the democratically-elected government of Taiwan refuses to voluntarily surrender to the one-party authoritarian PRC government of China. The demo yesterday was called to mark the first anniversary of the passgae of China's so-called "anti-secession" law, which "authorized" the use of military force against Taiwan if China doesn't get its way. \n\nI hope that China's leaders are paying attention, and taking notice of how much Taiwanese enjoy demonstrating and protesting, and how serious they are about making sure their liberties are never taken away from them.\n\nYesterday's demo was the so-called pan-greens (the ruling DPP and the even more pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Party). Last week, the KMT (the pro-China opposition party) held a big demo.\n\nCan you imagine what would happen if 170,000 people marched together through the streets of Beijing? I can. Communist party leaders would call in the army to massacre the people as in 1989. Yesterday in Taiepei, not one demonstrator was hurt or arrested. Is it really so hard to understand why Taiwanese are opposed to being annexed by the repressive regime of a foreign country? \n\nI think some of the Chinese who post anti-Taiwan comments are people who deep-down would dearly love to enjoy the same liberties enjoyed today by Taiwanese, and the fact that they don't makes them bitter and jealous. They would rather see Taiwanese society brought down to the same level of misery as in China, than to see the society of Taiwan continue to develop in the direction of a modern democracy and open civil society. Instead of feeling bitter and jealous, try to see Taiwan as an example to follow. I think Communism teaches people that it's more fair for everybody to be poor and miserable, than for only some people to be poor. Maybe that same sort of philosophy is at work here- Chinese won't be happy until social development in Taiwan is reversed to the state of things in China.\n\nAm I wrong?\n\nP.S.\nThe 170,000 people in the march WEREN'T misguided youth. The interesting thing about demonstrations in Taiwan is that the vast majority of the people are in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Very different from N. America and Europe. I also saw old people who were obviously a lot older than that.
689115
China does not have the power to annex Taiwan. T\n\nhey could drop a few nukes on them but the whole point of annexing Taiwan is to steal its wealth built by decades of capitalism. So destroying that wealth would be rather self defeating.\n\nChina's conventional forces are flatly incapable of doing the job without nuclear weapons.
127230
blorgo's posting made some good points, but I want to add a few things. \n\nFirst, it's going much too far to state the Taiwan is in any way "subordinate" to China. For one thing, there are still 20 or so nations that recognize the ROC and not the PRC. Only in the offical dis-information of PRC mythology does China control or administer anything having to do with Taiwan. In reality, Taiwan operates as a completely separate and sovereign nation, with all that that implies. The only real, concrete effect of China's insistence that "Taiwan is a part of China" is caused by the incredible economic and diplomatic resources devoted by China to try to restrict Taiwan's international and diplomatic "space", and China's spreading of misleading dis-information to the world and especially to its own citizens on the real issues involved. For example, all countries have an embassy in Taipei, only most of them can't CALL it an embassy. They have to call them "trade and culture offices".  \n\nDoes China have some sacred "right" to control every region where people speak Chinese and even identify themselves as ethically-Chinese? If so, then England can take "back" the USA, Canada, Austailia and New Zealand. Spain has a right to attack Mexico, Cuba, Texas, etc. Or?  \n\nThe Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has never at any time controlled Taiwan in any way or form. \n\nDuring the last decades of the last (Qing) imperial dynasty, the power of the central government was finally extended far enough to bring some degree of administrative control to some areas of Taiwan. That regime, however, was NOT the present PRC government, but rather the old, feudal regime that was overthrown in the 1911 revolution --a decade before the formation of the Chinese Communist party.\n\nSo, Taiwan may be said to have "belonged" in the past to the previous imperial Chinese regime, but to say that Taiwan today belongs to the PRC would be like saying Chechnya, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Lithuania and other (presently) independent nations "belong" to Russia, because the previous imperial Russian regime had at one time extended its control to those regions several generations ago.\n\nThe two major parties in the legislature are the DPP and the KMT. The KMT is the party of the late dictator Chiang Kai-Shek. They are trying to keep China happy, hoping it will give them advantages in the event that China gains control of Taiwan in the future. The DPP is by far the more patriotic and democratic of the two parties, and promotes the development of a Taiwan-centered national consciousness.\n\nTaiwan is now one of the most open societies in the world, and certainly in Asia. High standards of education, multi-party democracy, free press, freedom to protest. Taiwanese of all political stripes enjoy protesting. I have attended quite a few very large street demonstrations in the last few years. Some of them are celebratory and some of them are the rowdy and angry kind, but all are peaceful and no one gets hurt. The police are there, not to hinder the demonstrations but only in case a fight breaks out, just as in Europe or USA.\n\nIs it this kind of freedom that PRC leaders are afraid might spread to China?
904407
its because of the korean war. americans saved the koreans from being taken over by communists and of coarse if your countries about to get owned, your gonna think that the americans a right about thier "god". and now almost EVERY korean is christian and now its turned into a badwagon group. im korean so i would know.
880591
The tours given the Chinese (or any other FNs -- "Foreign Nationals" in military-speak) are carefully controlled-- they don't see anything we don't want them to see.  If they showed us obsolete equipment, the message they're sending is "we're weak"... but we know that it isn't true.  If we show them more modern equipment (but still not classified), then we're showing them "we're strong"... and they know it IS true.\n\nIn terms of equipment, weapons, etc., we are far ahead of the Chinese.  However, in a land war the Chinese are pretty much unbeatable... think about their population.  If we killed 1000 Chinese for every American lost, they'd still have a large Army after we were all dead and gone.  \n\nSo the Chinese know that we've got much stronger weaponry, and don't mess with us militarily (note that Taiwan is still 'independent'!), and we know that in a war of attrition the only way the Chinese will lose is we've already long since lost, and it's the end of the world... And so we don't fight each other militarily.\n\nRegarding trade, I suspect the Chinese say that if the Americans are dumb enough to keep lowering taxes and increasing their national debt, they'll keep buying up that debt... if they decided to call in their notes, just from the last six years since the balanced budget was turned into a massive deficit, the US would be officially bankrupted.  The Chinese don't want that, because we're a great market.\n\nSo peace is maintained, almost despite ourselves!
807487
i knew a company in Taiwan that sold some goods to a USA company for about 40k USD. the USA company did not pay. they traveled to north carolina and took that company to court in the USA. the judge threw the case out because he said the Taiwan company did not have a USA office and they had no rights in the USA. but that was that case. yours maybe different.
811353
China is a totalitarian communist dictatorship that doesn't care a whit about human rights or anything else except their imperialist claims. Taiwan is a thriving democracy. \n\nThe world is pretending that there is "one China" only to appease the Communists. I thik China is well aware that if it invades Taiwan the consequences will be dire.\n\nHOWEVER: China having become an indispensable provider of cheap, slave labor to the West, neither America nor anybody else can wage war on China. China is also America's #1 creditor thanks to George W. Bush's criminal wasting of the national patrimony with (1) a stupid war just to stoke his own ego and (2) tax reductions for the very rich, wiping out much of the middle class.\n\nWhere this will lead nobody can say. \n\nAlthough Taiwan was invaded and dominated by the Nationalists from the mainland, today it is on its own. It is a state in everything but recognition.
682941
The thing of being a super power after the second world war kinda got to americas head. Now japan rules it has the power and tech. to take on america but it dosent show off like america. America just pokes its nose in other poeples business they just wanna show that still are in power but reality check. they aint!   like for instance the time when tensions grew between india and pakistan.USA barged in and told they wont let a war take happen they just want a piece of the action, what happened then india told them to back off this is our issue and we will resolve it.
362964
Three reasons:  1) China filters out American content.  2) They don't want to admit they received American content.  3)  How come what doesn't get through?
1100231
The US was originally settled by fundamentalists who were so God crazy they were run out of England. It's been downhill ever since.
1012195
OMG NO!\n\nJust like that guy said in the movie Armageddon..."Russian components, American components, all made in Taiwan".