Hi everyone. I’m a Taiwanese American who’s been trying to seriously understand cross-strait politics, history, and why people come to such different conclusions about China, Taiwan, the KMT, and the DPP. I want to be upfront that I’m not well-informed, and I’m posting here in good faith because I genuinely want perspectives I don’t usually hear.

Growing up, my family (especially my mom) has been very distrustful of both China and the KMT. She strongly emphasizes KMT atrocities in Taiwan (228, White Terror, martial law) and believes that those crimes permanently disqualify the KMT from being trusted with power. From her perspective, supporting the KMT feels like ignoring real historical trauma.

At the same time, I’m seeing more people — including Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans — argue that supporting the KMT today is a pragmatic choice, mainly because of fear of war. The argument I hear is basically:

Even if the KMT committed crimes in the past, the immediate threat of conflict with China matters more, and accommodation reduces the risk of catastrophe (even nuclear escalation).

I honestly don’t know how to weigh these things. If the worst-case scenario is massive civilian death, it feels rational to prioritize avoiding war — but I also understand why people say that appeasement can make things worse in the long run.

Another topic that’s come up is history and propaganda. My mom believes events like the Nanjing Massacre are heavily politicized by the CCP and sometimes goes as far as questioning why Japan has not “fully admitted” to it in the same way Germany did with WWII crimes. I know this is extremely sensitive, and I’m not trying to deny history — I’m trying to understand why different societies remember and frame history so differently, and how that affects trust today.

More broadly, I struggle with political cynicism:

– the idea that all countries spy on their citizens

– that foreign money influences governments everywhere

– that corruption is inevitable

– that ordinary people have very limited power

Sometimes it feels like everyone is partially right and partially wrong, and that most people are just trying to protect their families and live decent lives under imperfect systems.

So my questions (asked sincerely):

• Why do you think supporting the KMT or closer ties with China is reasonable (or not)?

• How should historical crimes factor into present-day political choices?

• How do people in China or pro-China communities view the risk of war versus resistance?

• How should Taiwan navigate survival without becoming a pawn of any major power?

I’m not here to argue or “win.” I’m trying to learn how people who disagree with me reason about these issues. I appreciate thoughtful, respectful responses.

Thank you for reading.

The original was posted on /r/Taiwanese by /u/This-Education4450 at 2025-12-29 07:18:46+00:00.

  • GGG@lemmy.ur.mkOPB中文
    1·
    5 days ago

    Former_President6071

    1. It’s reasonable if you believe the KMT has the skills to keep China at bay through its negotiation and appeasements. It’s not reasonable if you believe otherwise and see the KMT mostly caring about their own personal fortune and can be easily bribed.
    2. Historical crime factors are very important to relationships between countries, but only to the extent of how government use these. Russia has committed tons of atrocities in China and the two countries were close to nuclear fallout in the 1960s. These days they are buddies. Japan was China’s best friend in the 1980s and 1990s when Japanese invested in China during its poorest time & post-Tiananmen isolation. Similarly in Taiwan, we experienced long periods of government-backed anti-Japan education and it’s much more laxed now. We understand what transpired in the past is important but not the only factor in current day-to-day life. Japanese people share more similar values to contemporary Taiwanese people for many reasons.
    3. You have to ask the Chinese and there’s no good way going about it. It’s a question heavily controlled by their government. You won’t get an objective answer nor a statistically significant picture. Reddit China subs are full of propaganda/self-selected people who can go through the firewall for whatever reason. But most people don’t understand the full gravity of wars until it becomes a reality.
    4. Define “pawn” first. This is such a weird framing of things. We live in a society that we are all “pawns” in the global economy. The best we can do is build our economy & education. Meanwhile, build strong relationships with people who care about us.
    • GGG@lemmy.ur.mkOPB中文
      1·
      5 days ago

      Former_President6071

      More broadly, I struggle with political cynicism:

      – the idea that all countries spy on their citizens

      – that foreign money influences governments everywhere

      – that corruption is inevitable

      – that ordinary people have very limited power

      Not to the same extent as China. Not even close.

      Sometimes it feels like everyone is partially right and partially wrong, and that most people are just trying to protect their families and live decent lives under imperfect systems.

      I applaud you for being open-minded and willing to accept a certain moral relativism regarding actions. However, the same can be said about many who lived under fascist countries. Yes, all human beings are driven by a certain common set of motivations, including self-preservation. We are not trying to judge the intrinsic moral validity of such a society like China, but rather decode it for our own survival.