For Taiwanese, the threat of being Chinese is part of life | Misunderstandings

Taiwanese people have a sense of humor, so you can always tell if someone is from Taiwan if they answer, “Are the Chinese army attacking us?”

It’s a joke that we Taiwanese make fun of ourselves when we have foreign friends, Chinese or not, but there is a truth.

In Taiwan, children ask this question every time they go outside or when Chinese military planes fly as fast as they can. It is a knee-jerk reaction to the ongoing attacks on newspapers, politics, and the general public.

The threat of Chinese invasion, which sees Taiwan as an isolated region while self-governing Taiwan considers itself independent, is part of everyday life in Taiwan.

For over 70 years, people have been “waiting” for the coming war.

In 1949, China and Taiwan came under the control of two separate parties after the Kuomintang (KMT) that ruled both fled the island. The Communist Party took over the country, becoming the modern Chinese government. Every Chinese leader since then has said he has a military plan to repatriate Taiwan.

But Taiwanese people do not seem to be at risk of conflict – alert, fearful or ready to flee. Very different. Over the years, Taiwanese people have developed a unique anti-aging philosophy. We go through our days with ideas that can be described as ordinary.

Boba tea or foam, a popular Taiwanese beverage, popular among people of all ages and social groups, reflects this view.

During the day, people often take a break to buy a cup of booze from the experts who sell it. It is a daily reward. People enjoy smoking, slurping and chewing on a ball-filled tapioca milk that comes in a variety of flavors and with a hint of sugar and ice water. Boba tea represents a carefree mindset because no matter what, we find time to be happy – to enjoy life. As we deal with the pressures of everyday life, we are confronted with the pressures of war and the uncertainty represented by a large cup of tea.

Of course, our reckless attitude can give many visitors the wrong impression – that we do not care about war. This is not the case.

Indeed, as the political tensions grow and the potential for revolt increases, people in Taiwan may become less cautious, while thinking, as the Taiwanese saying goes, “the wolf is coming”. But after the argument, they will think: “The wolf is sleeping. There will probably be no war. ”

In recent months, tensions over politics and politics have escalated between China and Taiwan and attacks on Chinese airlines in the air safety zone on the island – more than ever. 150 early October – and the US says it will defending Taiwan in the event of a conspiracy. Some experts say that the problem is worse than ever before Third Problem Taiwan Strait when China plunged into Taiwan waters in 1996.

This has made everyone nervous, although in different ways. The country is in the throes of a crisis, with newspaper headlines about increasing military service from months to years. Ordinary people talk about the situation with their family and friends. I have friends who dream of the dangers of the Chinese invasion. I think such nightmares are common.

Even so, many people feel that whether they are violent or not, life should go on. “What else can we do?” people ask. It’s a voice that is heard by Taiwanese people when they talk about an uprising like they do at dinner, coffee or a restaurant.

In recent years, the Japanese word, shōkakkō, meaning “little but certain happiness” – a term coined by Japanese author Haruki Murakami meaning simple pleasures of life – has become a popular way for adults to describe young Taiwanese.

Sometimes, it means that teens just care about the taste of boba tea, beautiful bags, artfully crafted Japanese or postcards, or spend time discussing whether taro should be added to hot pots. Older officials, many of whom fear China while others advocate “commitment”, see this as a way to survive and not to seek life.

What I see is very different. I admit that they were friends born in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and at times I am just as lazy and at ease with the situation as they are with many other youths in developed countries around the world. But it seems to me that this is a strange and unique way of self-improvement: it allows people to face the risks and uncertainties of choosing to live at this time.

Many people are trying to experience the “little but sure joy” when they know that in this life they may experience turmoil on the Taiwan Strait, the 180-mile[180 km]water separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent, and many of them unable to escape.

Focusing on life right now has prevented Tawain from falling into an extremist race – avoiding, for example, strict immigration laws with Taiwanese spouses from Chinese or anti-social policies run by right-wing politics to ban Chinese people living in Taiwan. so that he would not come. health care.

Earlier this year, I made a story where I asked 33 Taiwanese people of all ages, genders, ethnic groups and nationalities about war and national identity. Some of the questions were: “Do you think war will ever break out? And what will you do when the day of disaster comes? ”

Everyone who spoke up saw the possibility of war and was ready to go. Many said that in this case, they would not feel qualified to join the Taiwanese armed forces, but would be able to assist with transportation or transportation.

Some people told me that they had fled, either to the US or to Japan where most of Taiwan has relatives.

Then there was the chief executive of an international company who said that he would first send his wife and children away from Taiwan and keep fighting until the end. When she died, she said that she wanted her children to know the history of Taiwan.

Among the people interviewed was one of my closest friends whom I had known for many years. It belongs to the Paiwan Indigenous group. He told me that he did not have the courage to go to war, but he could not run away: “It is all because of my cat. My cat can’t go anywhere. I have to stay home and catch my cat to the end, no matter what the outcome. ” Her cat is old and sick. It made me feel that an animal can influence such choices.

A 20-year-old interrogator stated that once the war broke out, he would like to know how to provide the soldiers with delicious food. He thought it would be sad to eat bad rice before he died. The answer is very common in Taiwan: even in times of life and death, one thinks about food.

These answers are a legacy of living in a war that is being delayed forever – we are very stressed but unexpectedly free.

Most of us do not consider ourselves to be “war-torn warlords”, as most Taiwanese people view China. But everyone has a difficult plan of action if Taiwan is taken over.

I hope Taiwan will do more to explore its relations with China rather than deny it. But if there is a war, I will try to commit to the war.

The idea of ​​a conflict and what it could mean for Taiwan is frustrating. I am concerned about my relatives who will be called up for war, which will happen to our temples dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu and the houses in the center of Taipei, where I live, which are part of the city’s quiet culture. But these are also concerns about being Taiwanese and living in the shadow of a possible war.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Al Jazeera.