Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be discussed in Taiwan long after it ends because success or failure in war is not only about lives, but also about how Taiwanese interpret history, educate the next generation and shape their cultural identities.
The shadow of empire is everywhere, and it looms over Taiwan like small dark clouds in a sunny sky.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to make his mark in history by restoring the glory of the Russian Empire as it stood for three centuries. Media such as the Liberty Times [the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper] have discussed how dictators inevitably gravitate toward imperial aggression, and how capitulationism might still exist today.
On the other hand, the dreams of great-power glory that some people cling to, plus the preponderance of Chinese-made palace dramas and cultural programs on Taiwanese television, make it easy for them to be lured into identifying with empire.
The Ming and Qing dynasties — or even going as far back as the Han and Tang — were all empires. The education that some Taiwanese received aimed to instill in them the ideas of these empires, including their territories and culture, as if all Taiwanese belonged to the same country — China — only with a different dynastic title.
Over the past four centuries, Taiwan’s indigenous people and immigrants from continental China alike have been exploited and treated unequally by successive empires.
If Taiwanese continue to unconsciously praise the emperors of a supposed golden age and the glorious military achievements of their generals, the population would forget the ordinary people who lost their lives and property to war.
One thing that has changed for the better is that high-school history textbooks no longer feed students such illusions.
I am optimistic that 20 years from now Taiwan’s identity could reflect who its people really are. Until that day comes, Taiwan must walk the straight and narrow path and think about how to make its history known to the world, including the citizens of China.
The war between Ukrainian and Russia could also affect the illusory notion of” Greater China.” It could shape and identify who Taiwanese are, what they choose to do with their lives, and confirm that Taiwan is a small, yet beautiful and glorious island nation.
Huang Chin-lun is an oncologist.
Translated by Julian Clegg
Speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on May 13, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that democracies must remain united and that “Taiwan’s security is essential to regional stability and to defending democratic values amid mounting authoritarianism.” Earlier that day, Tsai had met with a group of Danish parliamentarians led by Danish Parliament Speaker Pia Kjaersgaard, who has visited Taiwan many times, most recently in November last year, when she met with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office. Kjaersgaard had told Lai: “I can assure you that ... you can count on us. You can count on our support
Denmark has consistently defended Greenland in light of US President Donald Trump’s interests and has provided unwavering support to Ukraine during its war with Russia. Denmark can be proud of its clear support for peoples’ democratic right to determine their own future. However, this democratic ideal completely falls apart when it comes to Taiwan — and it raises important questions about Denmark’s commitment to supporting democracies. Taiwan lives under daily military threats from China, which seeks to take over Taiwan, by force if necessary — an annexation that only a very small minority in Taiwan supports. Denmark has given China a
Many local news media over the past week have reported on Internet personality Holger Chen’s (陳之漢) first visit to China between Tuesday last week and yesterday, as remarks he made during a live stream have sparked wide discussions and strong criticism across the Taiwan Strait. Chen, better known as Kuan Chang (館長), is a former gang member turned fitness celebrity and businessman. He is known for his live streams, which are full of foul-mouthed and hypermasculine commentary. He had previously spoken out against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and criticized Taiwanese who “enjoy the freedom in Taiwan, but want China’s money”
A high-school student surnamed Yang (楊) gained admissions to several prestigious medical schools recently. However, when Yang shared his “learning portfolio” on social media, he was caught exaggerating and even falsifying content, and his admissions were revoked. Now he has to take the “advanced subjects test” scheduled for next month. With his outstanding performance in the general scholastic ability test (GSAT), Yang successfully gained admissions to five prestigious medical schools. However, his university dreams have now been frustrated by the “flaws” in his learning portfolio. This is a wake-up call not only for students, but also teachers. Yang did make a big
RSS