[rndgermandude]

>Considering that Taiwan is already independent

Not according to the PRC, and a lot of countries and international institutions either. Some (usually with close ties to China, but now always, e.g. Spain[1], probably because they do not want to give their own separatist movements any political ammunition) consider the ROC part of the PRC, others are deliberately vague on whether they consider Taiwan independent or even a nation, like e.g. the US[0].

The WHO for example is very adept at avoiding any position on Taiwan[2].

And then of course, there is this guy... [3]. (Just if you like some cringe about a serious topic)

>China's goals of "peaceful reunification".

(PR) China doesn't really talk about peaceful reunification. They officially consider Taiwan part of the country already, a part that is just a little rebellious at the moment. They are more talking about a peaceful end of the conflict, but recently use the word "peaceful" a lot less.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policy_of_deliberate_ambiguity

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain%E2%80%93Taiwan_relations

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCYFh8U2xM

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z88zeQ25pjQ

[tasogare]

Taiwan is considered independent by the vast majority of countries, who are doing business with it and having totally normally diplomatic relationships with it. The only caveat is Taiwan embassies are called bullshit and those countries will pretend not having diplomatic with it. But this is theater only and for 99% of things that matter Taiwan is considered a country.

Let's take an example: passports. France is one of the country pretending Taiwan isn't independent while letting Taiwanese people enter its borders with a Taiwanese passport. Since when people can move around with passports from an not independent country? Other example: academic scholarships for foreigners in Japan. China and Taiwan are separated and treated vastly different things. Also money changing: I didn't had any issue changing from and to NTD the last I went to a change bureau in KIX airport. How all of this is this possible if Taiwan is not, in fact, recognized as a country?

[ekianjo]

> Not according to the PRC, and a lot of countries and international institutions either.

funny last time I remember going to Taiwan I was not subject to mainland China visa rules.

silly comment. you can deny facts all day long and pretend the sky is red instead of blue. Taiwan is in control of the territory and thats legitimacy enough.

[flurben]

I think you're conflating 'international recognition' with 'independence.'

Taiwan is functionally independent, currently, no matter what China, or John Cena or the Government of Djibouti says.

In fact there is no need for Taiwan to 'declare independence' because it has never been part of the PRC.

[petre]

Taiwan is independent enough to be formally recognized by the European Parliament as such.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0431...

What is China going to do? Put all the MEPs on the Taiwan supportes list? Good luck to them. The EU is most likely going to do the same with top Chinese officials.

[T-A]

That may actually be what triggered this latest fit:

https://www.reuters.com/world/you-are-not-alone-eu-parliamen...

[rndgermandude]

"functionally independent" does not buy you much if you don't have enough international recognition. And I mentioned it's not just Djibouti, it's the US, it's the EU (all of it), and so on.

>Nevertheless, 15 states recognise the ROC and have diplomatic relations with it.

Those 15 states... heavy-weights like the Holy Sea (aka the Vatican), Paraguay, Nicaragua and some tiny island nations mostly in the Caribbean and Micronesia. Basically all the nations China deemed too unimportant to pressure or buy off, and the Pope.

The only reason China didn't topple Taiwan yet is that the US (and the EU, but they do not really care that much about that) would get mad.

However, China is recently increasing the pressure more and more, this announcement only being the last one. It looks like China is preparing to see if the US is bluffing.

It might end up becoming another Hong Kong, with China pinky-swearing they will keep Taiwan "autonomous" for the time being to appease the international community, while not really doing that, knowing full well that the US is not very keen of risking an outright war with China over Taiwan.

[ekianjo]

you are just talking about pure politics. in the economic worls Taiwan does exist and applies different rules for exports and importa than China. thats recognition of it being an independent entity.

[rndgermandude]

Yeah, and Hong Kong has/had the same situation, officially part of China, unofficially treated rather differently especially in the economic dimension. And now look at what's happening there.

[ekianjo]

HK was not in the same situation since 1997. It was officially a part of China at that time. No comparison possible. HK does not have its own standing army.

[darkwater]

Remove the "probably" for Spain, it's totally for that reason. They also have the same stance on the Republic of Kosovo with some "hilarious" moment when there was the footbal World Cup qualification match between Kosovo and Spain, with TV in Spain forces to use lower case for Kosovo, commentarists avoiding to say the K-word etc.

[rndgermandude]

It's not officially officially the government-provided reason, but everybody knows what's up, sure.