About Taiwan
The summary info on China at the link above (on sinomania.com) has the following confusing paragraph:
ABOUT TAIWAN
It is often erroneously reported that China and Taiwan split amid a Civil War at the end of the Second World War. In truth, Taiwan is a creation of the USA. Up until the eve of the Korean War, the USA officially declared it would not defend the Nationalist or Guomindang (Kuomintang) government of Generallissimo Chiang Kai-shek, which had sought refuge on the island of Taiwan (Formosa) along with approximately two million people, the remains of his armies, and most of China's gold reserves and imperial art treasures.
However, the start of the Korean War in 1950 brought the mighty seventh fleet of the USA Navy into the Taiwan Strait and began a long-standing American policy of defending the Chinese government on Taiwan from its historical and ideological rival on mainland China.
I find the assertion in the paragraphs above confusing and indicative of a hidden bias. If the Nationalist forces fled in defeat to Taiwan and established a power center there, why does it require the U.S. to give legitimacy to the split. Regardless of the opinion of the U.S., the Kuomintang government of Taiwan existed then and continues to exist today. The K.M.T. may claim to be the legitimate government of all China (and the Communist government of the P.R.C. claims sovereignty over Taiwan) but those facts don't alter the reality of the situation: Taiwan as an entity was a result of the Civil war in China.
The sinomania website talks up the potential for business in China, and I think that is a positive thing. But I hope they aren't another example of persons who alter their political views to please the intractable positions of the mainland government, just to curry favor, or at least avoid the wrath and subsequent closure to access.
I've read that the mainland Chinese government exerts a strong influence even in the West over the perception of China by threatening to close off access to Western academics who want to study China. In other words, if a Western academic (whose career and life's work may depend on access) should refrain from publishing negative reports on China, or else be cut off from access. Of course, we have plenty of negative reporting against China in the United States, and that too may be illegitimately influenced by political agendas. It is a shame if we can't find good objective information.
2:12:40 AM
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