There's no question about it. From Keelung to Kenting, the winds of change are blowing, and Taiwan in 2007 stands at a crossroads. Ide...
There's no question about it. From Keelung to Kenting, the winds of change are blowing, and Taiwan in 2007 stands at a crossroads. Ideas once unthinkable are now openly debated; changing the titular China of various state-owned entities to Taiwan; rewriting the constitution of the Republic of China itself to reflect a growing sense of Taiwanese identity; perhaps most revolutionary of all, removing many (some voices cry for all) traces of the once-sacrosanct former dictator Chiang Kei-shek-smiling statues, commemorative plaques, even the name Chiang it self - from military bases, city squares and just about all public spaces.
But Taiwan is no stranger to transformation (if anything, the island has long thrived on it): from pirates' nest to fortress for the Ming dynasty's last futile stand; from Qing dynasty backwater to full coveted Japanese possession; from former colony of a defeated empire to enforced 'loyal subjects' of an authoritarian regime; from one-party state to full-fledged democracy.
Economically, Taiwan has proven itself nothing if not eminently flexible. In a few short decades this one-time maker of textiles and cheap consumer goods transformed itself nothing if not eminently flexible. In a few short decades this one-time maker of textiles and cheap consumer goods transformed itself into the world's leading high-tech producer, fuelling the digital boom of the late 20th century, becoming in the process one of Asia's most durable and dynamic economy. But even this is subject to change. Across the straits, the economic power of once-impoverished and technologically backwards China is growing exponentially (in no small part thanks to Taiwanese investment), and many in Taiwan feel that the days of regarding China as the unsophisticated, muscular cousin wearing a cheap suit are over. Cross-Strait relations are a major issue in Taiwan, but it's far more complex than the question of independence versus unification.
However, the more important question is one of identity, of what it means to be Taiwanese. While many in Taiwan feel a strong connection to Chinese culture and history, not all feel the same pull. Many Taiwanese feel no more kinship with China than, say, a third generation Italian - American might feel towards Italy. Sure, they like Peking Duck and might have vague plans to visit the Great Wall one summer, but they aren't really interested in tying their entire identity to the nation that their ancestors left generations ago. Many Taiwanese, young and old, are instead increasingly defining their identities by the shared memories of Taiwan. It's a rich history indeed, one of colonisation and oppression, rags to riches, and the island's long journey from dictatorship to democracy.
While Taiwan's relationship with China is a major issue, perhaps even the defining one, it isn't the only issue being discussed. Not by a long shot. So what are Taiwanese office workers chatting about around the water cooler (or water boilers) in most offices? Politics, not surprisingly, is a big topic, with a variety of high-level scandals involving figures from labour-expensive Taiwan to labour-cheap China, Taiwan is increasingly manoeuvring itself to redefine its niche in the global economy.
Ecology and the environment are big issues as well. Whereas the Taiwanese were once flagrantly callous about pollution, the last 10 years have seen a veritable renaissance of environmental awareness. As decades of environmental neglect are reversed, many hope that Taiwan's international image (already changed from 'Asia's bargain-basement factory' to global high-tech powerhouse) might, through promotion of its unparalleled natural beauty, make yet another transformation: 'Switzerland of Asia' anybody?
Still, the question of Taiwan's future vis-à-vis China looms large. While political leaders from one side creep slowly towards codifying the island's de facto independence, those from the other camp have been making highly publicised pilgrimages to China in order to create a framework for eventual unification. In the middle stand those who'd prefer to keep the status quo, neither admitting nor denying either Taiwan's independence from or inclusion within the greater Chinese nation.
So is Taiwan at a crossroads, or a precipice? Only time will tell.Source: Lonely Planet Taiwan
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