So if Taiwan isn't China, how come you teach Chinese language and culture to your children in school, but not Taiwanese language and culture?
Taiwan is a multicultural society. We teach not only one Chinese language and culture but also other cultures like aboriginal and immigration culture at school. We are taught to respect all races and cultures in Taiwan. Your so-called Taiwanese language and culture can be explained in terms of mutual respect among different people and cultures.
Besides Mandarin, Taiwanese also speak several Chinese dialects and aboriginal languages. However, Taiwanese received classical Chinese writing training before 1895 , Japanese education during Japanese colonial era, and Mandarin education after WWII. So Taiwanese never have a chance to develop a mother tongue policy until now. But it will be a tough mission to reverse the current situation when the usage of any mother tongue is below average in Taiwan. Due to the past wrong language policy, Mandarin has become the most popular language in our society.
As I know, there is no Asian country can use English fluently except India and Singapore. The popularization of full English education could be seen as a revival of colonialism and exclude the usage of local languages.
There could be a assimilation process from China. However, it couldn't be a cultural assimilation but economic or military one. Even we speak the same language, we have a more different culture. It's already a common opinion in Taiwan that we should protect our speech freedom. And we have done it for several times by rejecting the influence from companies with Chinese background. I think that international support is more important. People have to know the the existence of Taiwan is precious. When other leaders in the Chinese world acclaim that democracy is not suitable to China, Taiwan, as one of the freest countries in Asia, is just a perfect demonstration for "Asian Democracy".
But China is not perfect either. Is the "China dream" deserved to pursue? No one is better or worse. Both sides just offer different options for people. You offer "Chinese Democracy", and we offer "Taiwanese Democracy". We just choose what we believe. That's all. 😀
I agree with you. Our "perfection demonstration" is not perfect at all. But I think being imperfect is not a shame but a motivation for further improvement. I wish both of our countries can improve ourselves together and cease the fire of war across the strait.
Yes, I forgot Hong Kong. But Hong Kong is a very special case. As a Asian economic center of that time, Hong Kong was established as a city with laws and transparent politics. However, it's a pity that the British government didn't give Hong Kong people the right to decide their future, the right that everyone deserve to have.
Maybe we can ask another fundamental question: will the international society tolerate or ignore the rise of a new dictatorship? Is it moral to allow the existence of a dictatorship? According the history and present reality, a dictatorship is definitely allowed. Is it moral? I beg that UN has never thought about it when we consider the current situation of Taiwan.
Yes, the future of Taiwan is somehow disappointing and frustrating. But what happened in China right now is also irreversible when they open their market and step onto the world stage. As a new rising power, China will face more challenges than your country and mine because it's them to adapt to the world, not the world to adapt to them. I guess.
【反省】雖說真理越辨越明，但兩岸政治的討論，卻有可能導出不願接受的真理。