As China intensifies the pressure on Taipei and tries to isolate it from the world, many Taiwanese consider themselves to have their own national identity, a feeling shared by a majority of the young inhabitants of the island.
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“To me, calling myself Taiwanese means all the things I’m proud of,” said Ken Young, a black baseball cap with Taiwan embossed screwed onto his head.
AFP Photo
Kylie Wang and Ken Young co-host a daily news podcast.
“We support human rights, we support LGBT rights and we support freedom of expression,” said the 38-year-old host of a daily news podcast.
Mainland China and Taiwan have been ruled by rival regimes since 1949 and the nationalists of Tchang Kai-shek fled to the island after their defeat to the communist troops of Mao Tse Tung.
During the decades that followed, the inhabitants of this land considered themselves to be the true representatives of all of China.
But in the 1990s, when Taiwan became a democracy, people forged a distinct Taiwanese identity, with a destiny separate from that of the mainland.
A recent poll released by National Chengchi University of Taiwan shows that less than 3% of the island’s population identifies as Chinese, a record high, compared to nearly 26% in 1992.
More than 63% describe themselves as only Taiwanese, compared to 18% previously, while 31% describe themselves as “both Taiwanese and Chinese”, compared to 46% previously.
Protect democracy
“We want to protect the right to love our democracy, our freedom,” adds Kylie Wang, co-host of the podcast.
“The more people consider themselves Taiwanese and love our country, our land, the more it can protect us from an invasion.”
Beijing regards the island as its own territory and has vowed to capture it one day, by force if necessary.
President Xi Jinping has made taking Taiwan a key commitment as he begins a third term next year.
But most Taiwanese reject the idea of coming under the rule of authoritarian China, and less than 8% of them are in favor of unification.
Tensions have intensified since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016, who considers the island to be sovereign and not part of China.
Lin Yu-han, 22-year-old administrative assistant, is worried about these tensions.
“What happened in Hong Kong made me realize how terrible China is. I don’t want today’s Hong Kong to become tomorrow’s Taiwan, ”says the young woman, who says she no longer wants to set foot in China.
“Freedom to create”
Liljay Chen, 36, the head of a hip-hop group, has created a clothing brand to promote his independence beliefs.
“I am Taiwanese, I am not Chinese. Taiwan is a country and China is a country. We are equal, ”he claims.
Among the items on display in his store was a red baseball cap reminiscent of those worn by Trump supporters, which read: “Make China Lose Again”.
Other products feature slogans such as “Taiwan independence” and “Taiwan is not part of China”.
“For young people, the main difference between Taiwan and China is the freedom to create freely and free access to social networks,” said Chen.
For some older locals, however, it is possible to be both Taiwanese and Chinese.
“I identify as Chinese by blood and culture because my grandparents and parents came from China. I am also Taiwanese since I was born and raised in Taiwan, ”explains Hu Min-yueh, 56, pastor and grandson of a famous general who arrived in Taiwan in 1949.
“Of course, there are substantial differences in political systems between the two sides … but politics can change quickly.”
For those who grew up in the 1990s or later, being Taiwanese is unrelated to the island’s historical relationship with China.
“China keeps telling Taiwanese ‘your ancestors came from China, so you are Chinese and you have to listen to what the current Chinese government is saying’ …. This is totally absurd,” Young said.
“I am proud to be Taiwanese and that is why I tell people that I am from Taiwan and that I support democracy.”