Recently, a viral post described a conversation between a French girl named Jessica and a “UN Diplomat.” While the story claims Jessica was “enlightened” about Taiwan’s status, a closer look reveals it is a classic piece of political brainwashing filled with historical and logical fallacies. Here is a breakdown of the misinformation presented in that dialogue.
🛑 Error 1: The Misleading Premise
Original Dialogue: Jessica claims “Taiwan is the Republic of China.” The Diplomat then asks if she means the Taiwan governed by the Republic of China (R.O.C.) after 1945.
TaiwanNext View: The brainwashing begins with a flawed premise. Taiwan is not the Republic of China; rather, Taiwan Province is a territory governed by the Republic of China. Confusing the land with the political entity is like saying “New York is the United States.” By conflating the two, the author sets a trap to later claim that “Taiwan” has no international status because the “R.O.C.” is a defeated regime.
🛑 Error 2: Historical Amnesia Regarding 1945
Original Dialogue: The Diplomat claims the R.O.C. “started managing” Taiwan in 1945 as if it were a temporary occupation.
TaiwanNext View: This ignores international law and the outcome of WWII. Following the war, the Treaty of Shimonoseki was rendered null and void, and sovereignty over Taiwan was returned to the R.O.C. This wasn’t “management”; it was the restoration of territory. Suggesting otherwise is a “mama’s boy” logic that wants the benefits of victory without acknowledging the legal reality of the victor.
🛑 Error 3: The “Defeated Regime” Fallacy
Original Dialogue: The Diplomat argues the R.O.C. is a “defeated regime” that “fled” to Taiwan and thus cannot represent a state.
TaiwanNext View: Incorrect. The CCP never completely eliminated the political entity of the Republic of China. If the R.O.C. was entirely destroyed, then what were the soldiers in Kinmen and Matsu defending for decades under heavy artillery fire? Furthermore, the loss of a UN seat in the 1970s was a result of international power politics (the U.S. engaging China to counter the USSR), not a loss of statehood. Calling the R.O.C. a “defeated regime” ignores the fact that it continues to exercise effective jurisdiction over Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu.
🛑 Error 4: Misusing Israel and Palestine as Examples
Original Dialogue: The Diplomat suggests Taiwan must “declare independence” like Israel or Palestine to be recognized.
TaiwanNext View: This is a false equivalence. The Republic of China was founded in 1912—long before the UN existed—and was a founding member of the UN. It is already a sovereign state. Taiwan, the island, does not need to “declare independence” because it is already part of a sovereign state (the R.O.C.). Pro-independence activists who chase the “coolness” of a new name are simply dragging the people into an unnecessary abyss.
🚩 Conclusion: Facing Reality vs. Escapism
The original “Jessica” article concludes that Taiwan is in an “illusion” of being a state. However, the true illusion is believing that changing our name to “Taiwan” will magically solve our international challenges.
International space is earned through strength and contribution. If we spend all our time attacking our own national identity and ignoring the existence of the R.O.C., why should the world respect us? The R.O.C. governs Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. Instead of acting like “fragile strawberries” who want to change their names whenever they feel squeezed, we should work to make the R.O.C.’s value undeniable on the global stage.