Research by the National Museum of Natural Science confirmed that Denisovans — a species of archaic humans — inhabited Penghu 100,000 years ago, revealing for the first time their presence outside areas near present-day Mongolia. The finding not only revealed the complexity of the evolutionary and migratory history of ancient hominids in Asia, but also showed the diversity of the people who comprise Taiwan’s population.
As my mother is from Penghu, I am excited about this news, because I myself might also have a one-in-a-million blood relationship with the Denisovans.
The identity of a nation is not restricted to blood relationships. As another ancient group in Penghu has been added to Taiwan’s diverse origins, this proves that Taiwan should not be locked into a “one China” framework.
I still remember that when former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was in office, he emphasized the need to sign the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in 2010. Luckily, the 2014 Sunflower movement blocked the passage of a trade in services agreement, otherwise Taiwanese businesspeople would have been thrown into chaos when the COVID-19 pandemic began or amid US President Donald Trump’s tariff war.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍) is proposing to turn Taiwan’s outlying Kinmen County into a so-called “Kinmen autonomous region.”
However, Trump’s tariff policies put the proposal in a bad light, as it gives rise to suspicions of “origin laundering” of Chinese goods, as well as opening the door to fake Chinese doctors.
If Chen has such great vision, why does she not propose building an international port in Penghu? Everyone would applaud that idea.
Jane Ywe-hwan is an associate professor at National Pingtung University.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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