I think you underrate the importance of international law. After all, independence is a legal concept. I might have worded it inapropriately, but by no means I underrate the int'l law: above I quoted its very definitions asserting Taiwan's factual independence.
And I would add that while no doubt public opinion in Taiwan is divided, the political situation itself must be a factor.
Current developments contribute especially to the large (e.g. 10%) fluctuations in "Taiwanese/Chinese identity" as measured in the polls within months, which is scale not found in the more "stabilized" societies (stabilized w/regard to the sense of identity, not economically or politically. In the latter regards Taiwanese are v. stable). More finely constructed questionnaires reveal quite a brad spectrum of opinions, from hard-core unioninst, through "possibly in the future, if China changes enough", "maybe yes, maybe not", "indepedence only if there is no war because of it" to hardcore independists. There are even more attitudes listed and present.
The last presidential elections almost-a-draw was by large caused by the fear of Chinese attack in case of Chen Shubian's reelection and him taking more active steps towards so-called. "indepedence".
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Date: 2006-01-14 09:55 pm (UTC)I might have worded it inapropriately, but by no means I underrate the int'l law: above I quoted its very definitions asserting Taiwan's factual independence.
And I would add that while no doubt public opinion in Taiwan is divided, the political situation itself must be a factor.
Current developments contribute especially to the large (e.g. 10%) fluctuations in "Taiwanese/Chinese identity" as measured in the polls within months, which is scale not found in the more "stabilized" societies (stabilized w/regard to the sense of identity, not economically or politically. In the latter regards Taiwanese are v. stable). More finely constructed questionnaires reveal quite a brad spectrum of opinions, from hard-core unioninst, through "possibly in the future, if China changes enough", "maybe yes, maybe not", "indepedence only if there is no war because of it" to hardcore independists. There are even more attitudes listed and present.
The last presidential elections almost-a-draw was by large caused by the fear of Chinese attack in case of Chen Shubian's reelection and him taking more active steps towards so-called. "indepedence".