Hundreds of Thousands of Taiwanese People Protest China 2014
Far too often when people discuss Taiwan there is a mindset that it is a tiny little place sitting uncomfortably close to China. After all, it has only 23 million people - smaller than the city of Shanghai with its 25 million people.
But while Taiwan's population is small in comparison to mega countries like China, India and the United States, it is much larger than many well-known, well-recognized countries including:
Sweden - 10M
Greece - 10M
Portugal - 10M
Israel - 9.5M
Austria - 9M
Chile - 19M
Netherlands - 17.7M
Cambodia - 15.5M
El Salvador - 6.8M
And it is nearly as big as Australia - 25.9M
In fact there are over 100 countries with less population than Taiwan.
Why is this important?
It is important because by every normal standard Taiwan is a thriving independent country that has the 21st largest GDP in the world. And its people, refugees from the brutality of Mao Tse Tong's murder of over 65 million people, have fought hard to overcome fascism and become a true Democracy. In fact, there is little doubt that the Taiwanese people value democracy and they achieved it themselves. And international observers describe Taiwanese elections as "free, fair, and highly competitive."
The U.S. State Department describes Taiwan as a "leading democracy and a technological powerhouse, Taiwan is a key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific." Further, Taiwan is the United States’ eighth-largest trading partner, and the United States is Taiwan’s second-largest trading partner.
China, on the other hand is one of the worst human right's abusers in the world, does not have free elections, does not have a free market, and considers the United States to be its enemy. China has been stealing over $300 billion in intellectual property annually from the United States year after year after year. China has been using predatory trade practices to destroy key U.S. industries, and China is responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic.
If China does conquer Taiwan it will mean the deaths of many hundreds of thousands and will make the world a less free and less safe place. It will vastly strengthen Taiwan and position China for further aggression.
Further, it is the trillions of dollars of U.S. trade deficits that have funded the massive build-up of the Chinese military that has put them into position to threaten Taiwan. (our trade policy with China has been both disastrous and in some cases downright traitorous)
Consequently, it is time for the United State to full recognize Taiwan as the independent, free democracy that it is and reject the "One China Policy."
And one of the first things we should do is help Taiwan acquire air independent propulsion submarines.