From: joe@athena.mit.edu (Joseph C Wang)
Subject: Re: DATA: largest world economies
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 19:09:56 GMT

In article <TYS=LzA@engin.umich.edu> echang@engin.umich.edu writes:
>By your cost and benefit analysis, if in the
>future Taiwan become a very important member in the international
>society, other country will
>be willing to help the Taiwan people based on their on interest.

My point is

Changing name -> No change in cost/benefit to other governments ->
   No change in how other governments treat you

You haven't said anything to counter this argument.  What you are
saying is that ROC is to confusing for other places to adopt.  I have
presented documents that suggest that dual PRC/ROC recognition is
acceptable to both the United States and to Japan.

>	1) The situation is quite different:
>	Taiwan has her own sovereignty; does any part of any country 
>	you mentioned above have sovereignty?

North Cyprus has had de facto administrative control of a third of
Cyprus since 1974.  Polasario retains effective control of most of the
Western Sahara.  Indonesia has de facto control over East Timor even
though the U.N. recognizes Portugese sovereignty.

>	2) The term "separate" in my opionion is misleading.  Taiwan
>	(in your term: ROC) is already an independent country; 

You are looking at things from the view of a Taiwanese.  Try to look
at things from the point of view of a member of the government of
Zaire.  If Zaire recognizes the existence of either an ROC or ROT over
the objections of the PRC, then it will set a precedent that someday
someone will recognize Katanga over the objections of a government of
Zaire.  That's the cost.  What's the benefit to Zaire?

If you give Zaire a lot of money in development aid, then sure Zaire
might decide that the money is more important than the principle, and
declare "Taiwan is not part of PRC" but then Zaire won't care if the
$$$$ is coming from ROC or ROT, and if the PRC gives more $$$$$$, then
Zaire may suddenly change its mind and declare that "Taiwan is an
inalienable part of PRC."

The same hold true for just about every other government in the world.
In order to figure out what a government will do, you have to stop
thinking like a Taiwanese, and start thinking like an American, a
Russian, or an Indian.

Even IF Taiwanese 100% want ROT (which they don't), why should that
change what a Libyan government thinks about Taiwan?  The Libyan
government cares about the Libyan government, why should it care about
Taiwan?

>	I am not proposing that.  I am proposing that admitting Taiwan is only
>a part of China is a dead end for Taiwan.   

Not if PRC agrees to it, and if PRC doesn't agree then all paths are
dead ends.  U.S. and Japan are more than willing to recognize both PRC
and ROC.  Remember that PRC has a Security Council veto.  It can
prevent the admission of any state it doesn't like.  It can also stop
UN action to help Taiwan fight off an invasion.

Also, PRC can live with ROC.  No one know how it will react to ROT.
 
>	Really, only very few people are aware of there is a country
>called ROC, but many people know Taiwan.   

If that's the problem, then publicize ROC more.

>> The interpretation is that ROC is the de facto government of part of
>> China just like the ROK is the de facto government of part of Korea.
>> 
>	That's an interpretation most people come from Taiwan won't accept.

How do you know?  The polls that I have seen posted and the election
results suggest that most Taiwanese either like the name ROC or else
don't care about ROC/ROT so long as the government (whatever it is
called) acts in Taiwan's interests and doesn't use the name as an
excuse to prevent democracy.

>We want people to know we represent Taiwan, not China, let alone a part of
>China.

Who is "we"?




Xref: sparky soc.culture.taiwan:16175 soc.culture.china:32643