[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.