Not part of Greater China

[ScubaSam]

I know my opinion means nothing here but I'll throw it out there....give them their own forum.

I'm not Taiwanese but have many friends who are and they feel the exact same way as the OP does about Taiwan's relationship with China.

Decision is ultimately up to Pete as it is his forum.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Jim, Taiwan is not recognized as complete independent by US either. And vast majority of countries around the globe.

By your arguments Texas could get its own forum outside of US?

I think was matters is that Taiwan considers themselves independent from China, not what China thinks of Taiwan.

Its not all the hard to give them a little respect, they have worked hard and long for it.

 

[iztok]

I think was matters is that Taiwan considers themselves independent from China, not what China thinks of Taiwan.

This is based on what international standards?

 

[iztok]

BTW: Greater China is not equal to PRC. You have the terms mixed.

PRC and ROC also are not the same thing.

 

[The Chairman]

Decision is ultimately up to Pete as it is his forum.

Actually, I gave the matter over to the Advisors to consider. ScubaBoard is better run by consensus rather than me being a benign dictator.

My mother was born in Peking and was detained by the Japanese there during WWII (European Detention Camp). I called her to get her perspective, and it was interesting to say the least.

 

[Rhone Man]

Greater China is a pretty well accepted, if slightly vague, concept: Greater China - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

But there is nothing that says a forum has to relate to a single country. God forbid that the Texas Swamp Divers be forced to share a forum with the PNW Orca Bait and Dive NY just because nobody has managed to kick Texas out of the union yet...

Conversely, large chunks of Caribbean and European countries are swept into broad categories for their forums.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

This is based on what international standards?

You don't need international standards to understand what a group of people think about themselves. They have formed a government, laws and defend their borders for decades. I have spent many months working there and also in China and have at least a basic understanding of their beliefs although I am far from an expert.

 

[vladimir]

Actually, I gave the matter over to the Advisors to consider. ScubaBoard is better run by consensus rather than me being a benign dictator.

Drop the "benign" and you'd be perfect for deciding China-related questions.

Greater China is a pretty well accepted, if slightly vague, concept: Greater China - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Unfortunately for this question, what is vague is whether Taiwan is part of it or not. I'd vote to give the Taiwanese self-determination--on Scubaboard and in the real world. The fact that China has successfully bullied most of the world (including the United States, sadly) into second-class recognition of Taiwan, at best, is no reason we have to add to the appeasement.

 

[ambertiger]

I fully support Taiwan having its own page on this board for a number of reasons. First of all Taiwan and the Taiwanese people are completely different in character and personality from people in China. Taiwan is a democracy and unlike communist China has a democratically elected national and local government, it's own flag, currency, branches of the military, coastguard, postal system, telecom service, free press, TV services, film board etc etc please see the Taiwan government website http://www.gio.gov.tw/
How do you define a country? I think Taiwan easily qualifies in every aspect and condition, unlike Texas The only problem is is that communist China has bullied the United Nations and almost every other country in the world into denying the fact that Taiwan is a country. Why? Because they fear democracy and freedom of speech. Why do certain members here wish to deny Taiwan?

Lets get real here divers, when it comes to scuba diving there is none or hardly any scuba diving in the whole of China apart from Hainan Island (where I have been told 1st hand that the diving aweful) and almost no scuba divers in the whole country. Taiwan on the other hand has a huge number of dives sites scattered all the way around the island, and outlying islands and diving is a very popular pastime here in Taiwan with a large number of divers, approximately 50,000 certified divers live here. It is an insult to the majority of Taiwanese to list Taiwan under the heading greater China. Please change this policy. Thanks.

 

[Wantonmien]

To add a little - and a few additonal "pro's" and thoughts for a "Taiwan" only forum -

- Recognition of Taiwan independence is for the politicians, UN and whomever else to sort out (if infact they want to) or keep bitching about, but without doubt the normal Taiwanese person will be resolute in that they are not part of China.

- Taiwanese divers are culturally very proud of being 'Taiwanese' to the extent they would very rarely (if ever) contribute to a forum that has them showing as part of "Greater China", and if we had a "Taiwan only" forum, maybe just maybe we could start to get some local Taiwanese contributing.

- Taiwan does have regular business ventures & visitors from the States, Europe and so on - and for divers visiting Taiwan a "Taiwan" only forum would be much easier to pick through than current scenario where Taiwan related threads and info are split between "General Asia" and "Greater China".

I'll also add that from my own experience -

- In Taiwan (as against China) there is a significantly higher % of people who care about the environment, care about reducing pollution, care about the oceans, care about stopping shark finning, care about preserving wildlife and very importantly care about protecting the dive sites - having our own dedicated "Taiwan" forum I feel would give an additional window to promote all of the above.

Lastly, I've donated several times to the Scubaboard legal defence fund as I see it as a place divers globally need, and having a little old place for "Taiwan only" I think would be of benefit to Taiwan diving - and would result in another little donation from me to the defence fund for the website owned/operated from America ... (which of course broke away from the British empire in the same way Taiwan broke away from China some years ago !)

Cheers