Visits from the other side

I guess that the visit to Taiwan this week of the chinese official of the department that deals with Taiwan affairs must have been somehow on the news all over Europe. From what I gathered from the news, there are a series of agreements on communications that will surely lead to better relationship and trade between the two countries. And maybe reduce the tensions.

I am not so sure about what people think, though. I guess there are all kinds of opinions. There were quite a few demonstrations against the visit and several clashes with the police. That probably was on TV. A little bit of that is part of the confrontation between the government party and the opposition, as everywhere else. But it is not all.

It is curious to talk with the people around me. I know several who are in favor of independence, others feel ok with the current situation, but nobody has clearly told me that they want the unification. Personally, I think that it is very difficult, probably impossible, that they ever do it, voluntarily. From what I have seen from both sides of the strait, I do not think that a majority of taiwanese want it, as some have already told me, and I understand them perfectly, for obvious reasons. I think it can be said that there are also substantial differences, economical and even cultural, between both countries.

What surprised me were the comments of some of the, generally very reserved, students, when they asked me about my point of view. Talking with them, they can see that the agreements will bring good things, but I noticed that they are worrying about what can happen in the long run. No wonder. As somebody said, you, meaning foreigners, can always go somewhere else.