Opposition sweep to victory in Taiwan - CNN.com

So what happens to the Destroyers and other US military equipment if Taiwan decides to reunite with China? I'll bet some people are pretty thankful of the move to exclude the Aegis radar system from the last Destroyers sold to the country. Still, I think most of their Military equipment is US made.

yes, but I don't see the reunification happening...when the rubber meets the road, the populace will look at Hong kong and say no thanks...

Taiwan has long been a faithful and cash customer for US military hardware. At one time they were also a major holder of US debt. Destroyers and other military equipment can be converted to other systems or scrapped. The real significance of Taiwan perhaps choosing a more viable economic future by alignment with China would be the lack of need or welcome for US fleets buzzing and swarming around Taiwan.

so, they trade self rule for economic alignment?

I don't know what China has offered Taiwan, but would think it similar to Hong Kong status which would be far superior to their current stand-alone circumstances. I haven't been there since the early '90s and even at that time, just as in Hong Kong, large production efforts were already migrating to mainland labor and operations due to the high standard of living and subsequent high wages in Taiwan. In contemporary society economics poise far greater potential gains dependent on economic alignment than military excess can ever hope to provide. US and EU companies who have relocated operations to China and other developing countries being a prime example of that advantage.

so in effect, they should go long to play along....as the advantages that the Chinese market offers, appear to be a greater gain for the overall good of the island, than maintaining their present stance?

Considering that self-rule is a self-serving device for some ruling elite and an emotional term for the populace, other than spending a lot of money on imported non-revenue or infrastructure producing military materials, what good is their current siege mentality status compared to either war or continued economic prosperity? China is in no hurry and if Taiwan waits too long Hong Kong and Shanghai will negate Taiwan's economic value.

so self rule and their current democratic proceesses are outwieghed by economic benefit....

Would you honestly be surprised?

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"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
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no, not at all, thats what I am getting at. I wanted to make sure I understood exactly what he intended....because thats a basketful of snakes...do we need to extrapolate?

IMO, yes. Seems like it would be a logical decision devoid of emotion. Emotion being useless at the citizenry level (for other than voluntary military recruitment when conscription provides the same end result) and the democratic process having long been determined by one's pocketbook with regard to counsel in both civil and criminal matters.

Please extrapolate. Hong Kong has adjusted well after initial resistance to change. Same billionaires, new ones, same markets, new ones and all the rest of capitalistic desires with a far larger base for self-defense.

And the fact that they no longer govern according to what the citizens perceive may be in their best interests, ala freedom of the press, self determination etc..Hong kong was doing just fine, before 99.

There are several other examples, one that comes readily to mind; Putin. The Russian masses are lured into what appears to be nothing more than a “benevolent” dictatorship at a cost that may not be apparent right now, but will in the end as it must out. The economic structure has provided a buttress for the loss of certain freedoms etc. in short they don’t care it appears. If that’s what they want, which they apparently do, for now, hey it’s their boat. But when this goes south, we will see.

Chavez has a hold on his state, using an economic dictatorship which for now appears to provide him with enough sppt. from the lower tier of the populace, who understand the least as they are bought off as it is everywhere, with baubles......great......I just don’t won’t to hear it when it goes bad.

Now, if you want to get into the whole Rollerball society in which corporations run the show, providing an umbrella of sustenance for one all, hey there’s a certain allure, to be sure. But as in all things its lack of balance usually betrays it.

Bread and circuses? Be careful what you wish for. If you allow economics solely, to determine ones direction, special interests are not going to go away, they will just morph. To err is human.

I don't understand what you are saying. The problem is that China would possess through proxy, American Destroyers. How messed up would that be?

The ships aren't exactly the latest and greatest in technology.

If they get them, we know every bit of technology used to build them, equip them, and arm them.

China having them is nowhere near as big a deal as you seem to make it out to be...

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