I thought this was the best forum to ask this, so apologies if it's the wrong place. I saw on Wiki that China has never owned Taiwan or any of the area it currently occupies. Can anyone confirm for me if this is true? Thanks!

From the Guardian excellent world fact files:

 

Aboriginal peoples first settled here, followed by the Chinese. The Dutch and later a Ming dynasty loyalist ruled Taiwan until the Qing dynasty annexed it in 1683. It ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895. In 1945, China's Nationalists gained control, fleeing there in 1949 after losing the civil war to the Communists. China still sees the self-ruled democracy as its province, opposing formal independence.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/country-profile/taiwan

Oh, has our Matt converted from The Sun to The Guardian? :cheer:

Oh, has our Matt converted from The Sun to The Guardian? :cheer:

Indeed I have, excellent newspaper.

Well, veritable WOO of the day! :cheer: Without wishing to go off topic, what converted you? ;o

Well, veritable WOO of the day! :cheer: Without wishing to go off topic, what converted you? ;o

I have been reading The Times for a while, but discovered over the couple of months that The Guardian is the best paper bar none.

 

The Sun is the scum of the earth <_>

Oh LOL, so my prediction back in 2007 that you were a Times reader turned out to be sorta-kinda-true then :heehee: What made you a Sun reader in the first place anyway? :o

 

Oh, and The Independent is so obv better than The Guardian :heehee: But only just :teresa:

Oh LOL, so my prediction back in 2007 that you were a Times reader turned out to be sorta-kinda-true then :heehee: What made you a Sun reader in the first place anyway? :o

 

Oh, and The Independent is so obv better than The Guardian :heehee: But only just :teresa:

My dad likes the Sun, and I guess I copied him.

 

The Independent is pretty good, but I prefer the Guardians angle and features.

 

I despise the Mail as well, btw <_>

I like those country profiles! I hate trying to battle through Wikipedia, but these are small and compact. :magic:

 

Kosovo's unemployment rate is at 44.9%... :mellow: And less than one square mile of Kosovo is covered with water. :heehee: Bless.

 

Anyhoo. I'd like to go to Taiwan. I wouldn't touch China with a barge pole, tbh.

My dad likes the Sun, and I guess I copied him.

 

The Independent is pretty good, but I prefer the Guardians angle and features.

 

I despise the Mail as well, btw <_<

I'm guessing the switch came at about the same time The Sun sold out to Cameron? :P

 

And I have yet to meet a sane person who likes the Mail :heehee: Even the women only read the Femail part...Melanie Phillips *shudders*

 

I think Johann Hari swings The Independent for me :wub:

What? Taiwan? No such country exists... :)

 

The China-Taiwan debate is one of the most interesting, though it has really been out of the news for a while since China has simmered down a bit. There are even quite a few direct flights now to Taipei and there is quite a bit of economic cooperation. Still, I believe China still sends a missile right over Taiwan once a year or so just to show its continued claim of propriety over the island.

 

The US has actually passed a bill that states "There is only one China." But it deliberately doesn't state whether that China is the PRC People Republic of China (mainland China) or the ROP Republic of China (Taiwan).

 

For more info, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-China_policy

 

FYI - Taiwan is not a member of UN but they do have a seat somewhere to participate as some kind of non-member-state actor.

What? Taiwan? No such country exists... :)

 

The China-Taiwan debate is one of the most interesting, though it has really been out of the news for a while since China has simmered down a bit. There are even quite a few direct flights now to Taipei and there is quite a bit of economic cooperation. Still, I believe China still sends a missile right over Taiwan once a year or so just to show its continued claim of propriety over the island.

 

The US has actually passed a bill that states "There is only one China." But it deliberately doesn't state whether that China is the PRC People Republic of China (mainland China) or the ROP Republic of China (Taiwan).

 

For more info, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-China_policy

 

FYI - Taiwan is not a member of UN but they do have a seat somewhere to participate as some kind of non-member-state actor.

The UK Government recognises Taiwan as an independent country, and that is good enough for me.

Great, thanks for the help everyone :)

From the Guardian excellent world fact files:

 

Aboriginal peoples first settled here, followed by the Chinese. The Dutch and later a Ming dynasty loyalist ruled Taiwan until the Qing dynasty annexed it in 1683. It ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895. In 1945, China's Nationalists gained control, fleeing there in 1949 after losing the civil war to the Communists. China still sees the self-ruled democracy as its province, opposing formal independence.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/country-profile/taiwan

The Aboriginals get about a fair bit!

 

It seems they ruled the oceans long before the Europeans

The Aboriginals get about a fair bit!

 

Dont think they're referring to the Australian "blackfella" Aboriginals mate..... ;)