Taiwan 'integrated'? I am not convinced Jay. The USA likes aircraft carrier groups and they have a very large one at sea surrounding Hu Jintao, with one berthed at the wharf [South Korea]. Japan, Taiwan, South Korea [they had to abandon ship in South Vietnam].
While Taiwanese have a will to remain separate, I think that's how it will be. However, as the economic development of China races ahead, and the cash goes flowing out of Taiwan into China and more and more Taiwan is economically dependent on and integrated with China, the difference will be obscure and if there is independence, it will be similar to the independence of New Zealand from Australia and Australia from the USA, greater in patriotic fervour than reality [and just as well too].
Taiwanese have more in common with China, if it is civilized, than they do with the USA. So, the next 20 years will decide how well China develops and whether they take the path of peace, light, harmony and development as they did [compared with the rest of the world] a couple of thousand years ago.
But there's a lot of stuff going on which could paradigm shift everyone's attention in a big way.
Then there are the surprises.
Mqurice |
