Is Taiwan Really a Beacon of Freedom?

“Also, I wish to comment on media rhetoric. Suddenly, everyone is an
expert on Taiwan, despite little knowledge about its place in the world
and how it got there. Conservatives praise it as “the only democracy on
Chinese soil”—despite the fact that saying “Chinese soil” implies that
Taiwan is part of China, which it hasn’t been since the Treaty of
Shimonoseki in 1895, which only panders to China; the correct term would
be ‘ethnically Chinese.’

Liberals point out Trump’s lack of expertise—despite the fact that Taipei Times,
a Taiwanese newspaper, announced the day before that the call was
occurring, and communication between both sides occurred before the call
happened. This is especially of note since the current Taiwanese
president, Tsai Ing-wen, ran on a stance of maintaining the status quo
by not provoking China through moves towards independence, meaning it
makes no sense for her to agree to an “on-the-whim” call that would
change the state of Taiwan-U.S. relations.”