Why complicate Pinyin?
When I started studying Chinese 11 years ago, Taiwan did not use Hanyu Pinyin. Taiwan still does not use Hanyu.
Regardless of whatever system of romanization for Chinese characters Taiwan uses, foreign Sinologists and students of Chinese throughout the world will continue to use the international standard, namely, Hanyu Pinyin.
What, therefore, has the Taiwanese government achieved -- other than to increase its isolation in the world and to irritate foreign students of Chinese who must now have yet another system foisted upon them?
I doubt we will hear an answer to this one!
Warren Hamilton
United Kingdom
Don't bet on China's demise
I agree with Thomas Fergo's point that if the Chinese Communist Party would fall from power, this would change the whole situation -- and under these circumstances keeping the status quo would pose a promising strategy (Letters, Oct. 1, page 8).
But I have to ask: how likely is that?
Dear Fergo, I would not suggest you to challenge my article ("Procrastinating won't help Taiwan," Sept. 27, page 8) with "China Collapse" arguments, because it would be foolish to regard them as mainstream and personally they do not convince me.
Please let me help you challenge my article in a much smoother way: You could for example have argued that under the WTO, China's economy will become very dependent and linked to the economies of Europe and the US.
This would mean that imports of western products such as high-quality steel or high-tech supplements would become vital to China's economic growth and -- because of this interdependence -- China would lose its "Missiles Trump Card" against Taiwan. Under such circumstances, it is very unlikely that China would provoke an economic embargo from the US and/or Europe because of a showdown with Taiwan.
In this scenario, the bargaining power of Taiwan would increase, rather than decline.
In general, my article did not aim to advise the Taiwanese people to start negotiations aimed at unification or declaring independence.
I'm not in the position to give such advice and I'm totally aware that my article is open to being challenged. The main purpose of the article was to remind people that maintaining the status quo has its own risks and these risks need to be addressed.
In conclusion, please remember this: opinion-page articles are intended to start discussions -- and intellectual discussion are based on concepts, not on personal attacks.
Thomas Schneider
Taipei
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