Asian history for Musk

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【Summary】Elon Musk is criticized for his ignorant remark about cross-strait relations, comparing Taiwan to Hawaii as an integral part of China. The article highlights the historical context, emphasizing that Taiwan cut all ties with China when it was ceded to Japan in 1895. It also points out the inappropriateness of Musk's comparison to Hawaii's annexation by the US. The article concludes by stating that Taiwan is not part of China and cannot be arbitrarily treated as such.

FutureCar Staff Sep 25, 2023 11:26 PM PT

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, as well as the owner of social media platform X, has faced criticism for his recent remark about cross-strait relations. Musk stated that Beijing's policy is to reunite Taiwan with China and compared it to Hawaii being an integral part of the United States. However, his comment reveals a lack of understanding of Asian history, particularly the historical ties between Taiwan and China.

It is important to note that Taiwan's legal and kinship ties with China ceased when the Manchu Qing Dynasty ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895 through the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Furthermore, the Constitution of the Republic of China, promulgated in 1946, does not explicitly mention Taiwan or any specific geographical area. Therefore, since its founding in 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has never had control or sovereignty over Taiwan.

Taiwan has consistently maintained that it is a separate entity from China, with both being "one country on each side" and neither being subordinate to the other. Musk's comparison of Taiwan's relationship with China to Hawaii and the United States is inappropriate, as the historical contexts and conditions of these two situations are completely different.

It is worth noting that the US officially annexed Hawaii in 1898, whereas Taiwan's connection with China ended in 1895 when it was ceded to Japan. Therefore, Musk's assertion that Taiwan is an "integral part of China that is arbitrarily not part of China" is simply untrue.

If Musk's remark is allowed to stand, it opens the door for similar false statements such as "Tesla is a non-US company, but is arbitrarily so" or "Space X is a subordinate organization under NASA, but is arbitrarily not so." Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu responded to Musk's comment by stating that Taiwan is not part of the PRC and is not for sale.

Perhaps Musk should be reminded of the biblical proverb that "Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall." It is important to approach cross-strait relations and historical matters with accurate knowledge and respect for the complexities involved.

Hung Yu-jui is a Japanese-language teacher and translator.

Translated by Rita Wang