SCRIPT – TAIWAN
SCRIPT
VISION |
AUDIO |
DATELINE STING |
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VO – PTT SUPER: Jennifer Wong, reporter |
Tonight, on Dateline... In this final episode of our two-part special on the China Dream, we’ll
explore what China’s rise in power means for Taiwan. Why it's the feared flashpoint for World War three... AYA - We are
at the frontline. Where we live is the frontline. And find out how the Taiwanese feel about
their identity and future. KOLAS: we know we are not China. /// People have no confusion of being
Taiwanese at all. |
PROGRAM TITLES: |
THE CHINA DREAM Jennifer Wong, Colin Cosier, Simon Phegan Change
title PART 2: TENSIONS OVER TAIWAN |
ENOCH WU
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DAY – TAIPEI – EXT |
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LOCATION
TITLE: |
TAIPEI |
CARDS FX3_3007 (IV) TW_JW_0808 (GV) TW_JW_0208 (GV) |
FX3_3007 [00:00:38:02] ENOCH: So, we’re in one of
the busier sections of Taipei [00:00:58:22] it’s normally more
crowded if it weren’t for COVID |
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VO: Enoch Wu is a
former special forces soldier, and now a rising star politician. And he’s concerned the
Taiwanese aren’t prepared for the growing threat coming from China. |
SUPER: Enoch Wu, Democratic Progressive Party |
[00:04:28:00] So kids in Taiwan, y’know in elementary school, folks go through earthquake
training |
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VO: This year, China upped its military intimidation
of Taiwan And whether it’s bluff or not - there’s global
concern about the threat of invasion. China’s missiles could reach every part of the
island in minutes. |
Enoch
shows a map on his phone |
[00:03:45:01] The government has a
list of all the qualified air raid shelters in the city
and they’ve put it on a map and it looks like this
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Car Park |
VO: Enoch says Taiwan’s 20,000-plus air raid shelters
are expected to accommodate more than 20 million people. [00:08:57:06] if you look around us you’ll see it’s a nice parking lot but there aren’t a
lot of facilities, a lot of items that you might need in an air raid shelter. [00:09:38:16] for example you can
feel how hot it is right now. Ventilation is important, power generation’s
important, medical supplies are important, food supplies. [05:01] And so if we believe that a
missile strike on Taiwan is a possibility, |
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VO: It’s one thing to
have air raid shelters- even if they are just car parks. But how can the people
be better prepared? And do they even need
to be? |
INTERVIEW |
JEN (00:43:12): How
serious is the threat from China? ENOCH: (43:17) So, in short, it's quite serious in my view.
China spent the better part of the last couple of decades investing in its military
ENOCH: (44:21) So, I think the only way that Taiwan can
avoid a military conflict is to really be prepared for conflict. They always
say the best way to prevent war is to prepare to fight. |
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VO: Taiwan’s defences
are reportedly plagued by ageing military hardware, supply issues, and
motivation problems. Taiwan has mandatory
conscription, but it’s been reduced from two years to just four months, and is ridiculed as a summer camp. ENOCH: (52:03) So, there's no way of getting around the
fact that conscription is unpopular in Taiwan. But it's unpopular for one
main reason, which is for most of us, the time we spend in the military is
too often spent on chores like ENOCH: (52:49) and almost too little, or no time on combat
training, then no one leaves the military better prepared for a crisis. |
ENOCH’S
TRAINING VIDEO Courtesy: Forward Alliance |
[01:56] Enoch – Everyone, right hand up. Enoch is drawing on his special forces
background - and some fancy simulations - to train up civilians to deal with
disaster. |
ENOCH’S
TRAINING VIDEO CARD: TW_JW_ENOCH |
ENOCH: (56:15) So we're
holding workshops for folks like us, and we're saying, "Hey, this is how
you deescalate a conflict. This is how you treat a wound. This is how to
recognize when someone is bleeding profusely, and this is how you stop the
bleed. ENOCH:
And that takes preparation on our part, right. Our
goal needs to be so that every morning when the Beijing leadership wakes up,
from their China dream and they need to realize, "Hey, today is not the
day to take military action. |
EXPLAINER: THREAT OF WAR
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GFX Map 1: instructions doc |
VO: Located off the Chinese coast, Taiwan is
about half the size of Tasmania. |
GVs Taiwan |
And it’s like nowhere else on earth. Only a
handful of nations recognise Taiwan as a country. For most of
the world, including Australia and the US, its status is an ambiguity. |
Archive: Xi Jinping SUPER: Xi Jinping, Chinese President GFX MAP 5:
instructions doc |
But not for China - it claims Taiwan as its
own... a renegade province to be reunified. XI
JINPING: We have a resolute determination, strong
confidence, and sufficient power to defeat any form of Taiwan independence
conspiracy. The Chinese Communist Party has never actually
ruled over Taiwan. But in Xi Jinping’s China Dream to rejuvenate the
nation, taking control of Taiwan is high on the to do list It's also part of China’s ambitions to control
the South China Sea... giving it an advantage over trade routes and resources,
and the strategic high-ground |
STRAP: Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Office |
This year, a record number of Chinese military
planes have flown provocatively close to Taiwan. |
Archive: US military hardware |
Now while the US doesn’t recognise
Taiwan as a country, it does sell them military hardware. And it’s widely assumed the US would come to
Taiwan’s aid if needed. That could rope Australia into a conflict …
between the world’s two nuclear armed superpowers. |
KOLAS - THREATS
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Presidential Office
Building FX3_0408 [14:32] EXT building |
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FX3_0308 [21:34] Kolas walkies or office |
VO: I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT MAKES OF THE GROWING
THREATS. |
0308_FS7 - KOLAS |
JEN: (35:18) Hello, Kolas. KOLAS: (35:19) Hi, Jennifer. KOLAS YOTAKA IS THE PRESIDENTAL SPOKESPERSON |
0308_FS7 - KOLAS SUPER: Kolas Yotaka, Taiwan Presidential Office Spokesperson |
JEN: (04:44) Let's start with the big picture. JEN: (04:47) What's Taiwan's greatest concern today? KOLAS: (04:52) Hmm. Actually, the
main obstacle for us today is our standing as an independent country has been
undermined by China KOLAS: (05:27) We have been telling people ROC Taiwan is an
independent country. We are a sovereign country that has our own military, we
have elections, a President. So, Taiwan’s, ROC Taiwan's independence is a
fact. VO: ROC Taiwan is the abbreviation of Republic
of China, Taiwan. Weee'll get to that later. JEN: (05:56) At the same time as Taiwan has this stance,
China in the meantime says repeatedly that they will want to one day take
Taiwan by force. KOLAS: (06:26) Actually, the threaten has been there for decades,
but all we want to say is the Taiwanese want peace. We don't want a war at
all. But to send war planes flying over JEN: (08:43) Are there ways that China seeks to undermine
the proper running of Taiwan? KOLAS: (09:08) So misinformation and fake news have been
attacking us for years KOLAS: (11:13) This kind of attacks is try to help to
create the conflicts between our governments and the people. So I think this cognitive warfare has been initiated by
China and not just this year. It has started a long time ago |
EXPLAINER: Grey zone / Vaccines
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GFX TEXT: 1. disinformation 2. cyber-attacks 3. economic coercion |
These non-military threats are called grey
zone tactics. They’re designed to disrupt the status quo and
wear down the target. They include barrages of disinformation, cyber-attacks
and economic coercion. One recent example involves a stoush over COVID vaccines. |
STRAP: Reuters |
ABC News [0.00] - Taiwan is stepping up its pandemic measures
after a huge surge in COVID 19 cases RTI [0.00] a vaccine
shortage during Taiwan’s biggest outbreak has led to a public outcry for
vaccines. DW News [0.00] Taiwan has for the first time directly accused
China of blocking a deal with Germany’s BioNTech vaccine developer for
COVID-19 jabs. CNA [1.04] But Beijing rejected the accusation. U.S. triples vaccine doses for Taiwan – Reuters Reuters [0.38] China has offered to send doses to the
island, which it considers its territory, but Taipei has expressed concern
about the safety of Chinese shots. VO - By refusing vaccines from China, the Taiwanese
government was accused of putting politics above health But when Japan and the United States donated
vaccines to Taiwan - China objected and warned them to stop meddling in its
internal affairs |
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The shenanigans are just one example of grey zone conflict. There are
many more, even right on China’s doorstep. |
MATSU ISLAND
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GFX MAP 2: instructions doc |
VO: Only nine kilometres off China’s coast are Taiwan’s Matsu Islands.
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CARD: 1208 |
TOUR GUIDE: To the north is all mainland China, the
entire area. Can you see it? /// This one little island is our nearest
island. Matsu used to be a frontline when the two sides were at war. They’re so physically close, this billboard was once used to taunt
China. TOUR GUIDE: This sign reads "Pillowing the
dagger-axe and waiting for dawn." Tour guide
Chen Sai-hua explains the message: TOUR GUIDE: Put your weapon next to your pillow. Treat
it like your pillow. Get ready to
fight as dawn comes. |
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She remembers when the island was attacked in the late 1950s. |
CARD: 1208 SUPER: Chen Sai-hua, tour guide |
TOUR GUIDE: If the shelling was close to our village,
the sound was a "shhh", then a loud boom.
We were just kids, just listening to that sound. As
soon as we heard that horrible noise, we rushed to the bomb shelter and hid.
/// We were living a very frightening existence. |
FISHERMEN
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CARD: 1308 [00:01] Boat GVs [03:07] Fishermen scene starts |
Today there’s a different kind of battle going on – A fight over what’s at the bottom of the sea. |
CARD: 1308 |
Ku Chih-Ming – I’ve been fishing for over 20 years Chu Kuang-Huan – All the natives here do fishing. |
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Chinese sand
dredgers have been illegally plundering these waters - ruining both the
environment and livelihoods |
SUPER: Ku Chih-Ming (sunnies), Matsu local SUPER: Chu Kuang-Huan (Adidas), Matsu local |
Chu Kuang-Huan – The dredging ships have changed the ecology
at the Matsu Islands. Chu Kuang-Huan – In the past, we could fish at any time, and
they were always available. Ku Chih-Ming – There were always fish to catch in the past.
Not any more. Chu Kuang-Huan – There’s none, wherever you try. |
LII WEN |
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Impounded
dredger CARDS 1208_WEN 1208 [0.00 -
24.15] 1308_DRONE |
1208_WEN WEN: (13:26) this illegal dredger has been here since October
last year VO: Wen Lii is a local politician. WEN: (00:23) |
SUPER: Wen Lii, Democratic Progressive Party |
WEN: (18:19) you can see shards
of broken seashells, including sand and gravel and other parts of what used
to be marine life. And it's just a sad sight to see. WEN: (03:01) it just affects the people's livelihoods on so
many levels, from fishing to tourism, WEN: (02:42) it even
affects our local infrastructure, as underwater cables between the different
islands of Matsu get destroyed or damaged Taiwan’s coast guard is outnumbered, and outsized by the hulking dredgers WEN: (20:51) the dredgers come in
and out and trespass into the restricted waters and then run away, and it
makes law enforcement extremely difficult for our own coast guard. WEN: (03:58) and last year in
2020, sometimes you would see a large amount of dredgers around the waters of
Matsu, up to 100 or 200 illegal dredgers surrounding Matsu VO: Wen Lii suspects the dredgers are part
intimidation tactics, part opportunism. WEN: (06:26) Of course we cannot
deny there's an economic component. China is the largest consumer of sand in
the world, sand and gravel. /// WEN: (07:00) and they are willing
to use illegal means to obtain the sand, and destroy the environment WEN: (07:13) But then again, we
do not rule out the possibility of this being part of a grey zone strategy or
grey zone tactic, with the goal of harassment and intimidation. WEN: (07:35) If we just allow
this to happen, then we just allow the destruction of our property and our
environment, however, if we respond with military force on these civilian
dredgers, then it gives China a further pretext to further escalate tensions. |
HOSTEL OWNER
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CARD: 1308 |
VO: The far
south-western tip of the island is the closest point to where the dredgers
usually work. Aya Liu's
hostel has an uninterrupted view. |
OUTSIDE ROOF TOP CARD: 1308 |
Aya Liu: You
can see them now. /// Not too many today. Look at that
ship on the left. It has a pointy bow. ///
These would
be in Taiwan’s waters. |
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VO: Last year, Aya didn’t have to look far An impounded
dredger was made to discharge its sand on the beach next to his hostel. |
AT COMPUTER CARD: 1308 SUPER: Aya
Liu, no. 55 Hostel |
AYA You can see
the photos are taken
from just here. /// The dredging
ships pass by our entrance. This hostel
was converted from a barrack,
it’s at a strategic location. /// In the past,
the soldiers had to
observe the enemy, the Chinese
Communist Army. Now, in some
ways it’s quite similar. Now we are
observing these sand
dredgers. Residents
feel scared. It feels like
a war is around the corner and we are
besieged. AYA We are at
the frontline. Where we live
is the frontline. And not only
on the sea. In recent
years, there have also been many military
aircraft about. That means they’ve
been putting pressure on
us both on the
sea and in the air. |
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The fishermen believe China wants more than sand... more than even
Taiwan itself. They think China is playing a bigger game. |
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Ku Chih-Ming – They are fighting for the sea. Chu Kuang-Huan – So they can enter and exit conveniently. Chu Kuang-Huan - The coastline of Taiwan is a springboard
that blocks the mainland. It’s like a checkpoint for their import and export.
That’s why it’s so important. |
EXPLAINER: HISTORY
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GFX Map 3: instructions doc |
VO: To understand Taiwan, it helps to understand its history. Austronesian Indigenous peoples have long called the island home. The Dutch and Spanish tried to colonize it. |
Map colour: yellow Text: Qing dynasty Date: 1683 - 1895 |
And China’s Qing Dynasty held it for a little over 200 years... which
is why today China claims historical ownership[1]. |
Colour: Japanese flag Text: Japanese rule Date:1895 – 1945 |
They lost it to the Japanese, who colonised the place for 50 years
until the end of World War Two |
Colour: blue (like in map 4) Text: Republic of China Date: 1945 |
It then became part of the Republic of China |
Archive: Chinese Civil War |
This was also the time of the Chinese Civil War... when Mao’s Red Army
was pushing out China’s nationalist rulers: the K-M-T. |
MAP 4 instructions doc |
Mao won... and about 2 million K-M-T soldiers and refugees fled to
Taiwan, their last remaining part of the Republic of China. Mao’s communist land became: The People's Republic of China. And the world found itself with two Chinas. |
Archive: Chiang Kai-Shek |
At first, Taiwan was seen as the real China But that
changed in the 70s when the US and the UN recognised
Beijing as the official China. Taiwan’s Republic of China became… well, that’s where we are today: a
largely unrecognised non-state. |
KOLAS – WHAT IS TAIWAN?
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SUPER: Kolas Yotaka, Taiwan Presidential Office Spokesperson |
JEN: (17:04) What's stopping other countries from
recognizing ROC Taiwan as a country? KOLAS: I cannot speak for other countries, but
ROC Taiwan is an independent and sovereign country. JEN: I wonder if you could help me understand
Taiwanese identity and the different ways that people identify? KOLAS: People who consider themselves
Taiwanese JEN: Why do you think that is? KOLAS: We are living here. People are born
here. |
Ad bumper |
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AD BREAK
Ad bumper |
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FAMILY
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Being Taiwanese means different things to different people. While nearly everyone agrees Taiwan is not today’s Communist China, there’s
a divide between those who say Taiwan is the Republic of China, which is the
status quo, and others who say Taiwan is just, well, Taiwan. |
LOCATION TITLE: |
TAINAN |
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Dong Zhijie is in the Republic of China camp. This is common for families like his who arrived from China after the
civil war seventy years ago. |
COOKING SUPER: Dong Zhijie |
Zhijie: I
learned to make scallion pancakes from my father. /// My father came to Taiwan from Hebei. So he mainly eats wheaten food. My mother is an authentic
Taiwanese. She likes eating rice. Therefore, we had a
mix of wheaten food and rice when we grew up. Sorry, it’s a little burnt (laughs) |
LIVING ROOM |
Dong Zhijie lives with his wife, two kids
and his elderly father. Huang Lijia - Do
you want some kelp, Grandpa Dong Yuzhu – No
thanks |
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- Grandpa.
(think we need to see a pic of the kid looking at a photo first or we don’t
know what he’s talking about) - That’s him.
Grandpa is
making scallion pancakes. - Cakes. - Yes, cakes. (laughs) |
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Grandpa was a KMT soldier who
fought against Mao’s Red Army Like many, he fled to Taiwan in
1949 |
SUPER: Dong Yuzhu |
34:42 Dong Yuzhu: When I first came to Taiwan, life here was really hard. /// The roads were covered with stone. /// No
one wore shoes. They either wore wooden slippers or went barefoot. /// I was
shocked. But the new arrivals from
mainland China weren’t always welcome. |
SUPER: Dong Zhijie |
Dong Zhijie – Being a so-called “taro sweet
potato”, meaning a mix of Chinese and Taiwanese, meant Dong Zhijie’s school life wasn’t easy. /// In the
past, we called it mocking. Now, we call it bullying. |
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16:45 Dong Zhijie - How did you meet Mum? (16:49) How did you know Mum, then fall in love
and get married? 16:53 Dong Yuzhu – I knew your mum through a distant uncle. Aunty
Gu. 17:19 Dong Yuzhu On hearing that I was from the
mainland, her uncle and all her relatives told her not to marry me. (17:31)
Everyone /// said, ‘Your daughter can’t marry a mainlander. Your daughter will be
ruined when the mainlander goes back.’ (17:42) (19:10)
After we got married, (20:07) So this was how we met, got married and had the two of
you. (20:14) |
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This family is typical of many Taiwanese families who arrived 70 years
ago. They identify as Taiwanese. But are clear about their Chinese
heritage. And the name they like to give the place they live |
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23:17 Interviewer – Regarding nationality, does grandpa feel that he is
Chinese, Taiwanese, or Taiwanese of the Republic of
China? 23:27 Dong Zhijie – He probably
thinks he belongs to the Republic of China. (23:55) He was
a soldier, so he swore lifelong allegiance to the country. This idea of
belonging to the Republic of China is deeply rooted in his heart. (24:08) I
think China and Taiwan is one family and there
should be no distinctions. |
GLOJ (rapper)
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FYI: Language
is a mix of Chinese and Taiwanese
Hokkien (in red) |
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But the idea of the Republic of China - Or ROC
Taiwan - doesn’t sit well with everyone. |
FOOD SHOP |
Many people, especially younger generations,
identify as Taiwanese full-stop. People, like Ar Ji. |
SUPER: Ar Ji |
[00:29:47] [Ar Ji GLOJ] VO: Ar Ji’s ancestors came from China a
couple of hundred years ago. But he’s a sweet potato through and through [00:29:51] Take
me for example, I was born in Taiwan, right? [00:29:57] I have
nothing to do with China. |
FOOD SHOP |
And his pork on rice shop is a shrine for his
beliefs |
TV cabinet |
[00:27:51] We grew up attending rallies and campaigns with our dad. [00:28:50] [Journalist] Does your dad also support building an
independent country? [00:28:54] [Ar Ji GLOJ] Yes, very much so.
We were brought up with that idea as the norm. [00:28:56] [Ar Ji GLOJ] It’s our duty. [00:29:00] [Ar Ji GLOJ] That's how I was
brought up. [29:03] |
Gloj leaves shop – arrives at
studio [00:41:19] Shop EXTs [00:42:34] Gloj
leaves on scooter [00:53:24] Gloj
arriving at studio |
Serving pork on rice is his day job... Ar Ji is also a rapper. |
RAP CARD:
1108_FS7 Clean version of song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22gyj8xPLvc |
(41:23) Gloj
– This song is called “White Terror”. Before Taiwan became a
democracy, it suffered almost 40 years of military dictatorship under the
nationalists that came over from China That time is known as
the White Terror And it’s
why Ar Ji has little love for the
idea of the Republic of China (43:06) Taiwan can’t talk, its status is too low. Only VIPs get attention. Taiwan has no status and no money. They’d sell out Taiwan for profit in an instant. No one dared
speak up, speaking Hokkien was banned. We were
under the white terror of
autocratic threats from China. We were in
despair because of the
Nationalist Party’s occupation
The people of Taiwan have given their lives to safeguard Taiwan. If you want to sell out Taiwan to China
like a lowly traitor, I say “Fuck off, White Terror!” Hopefully music break is okay
here? I forgot the
lyrics. That’s this
song. I haven’t
sung it for a long time. |
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Ar Ji even makes a point of rapping in the Taiwanese Hokkien
language – not in Chinese. |
1108_FS7 |
GLOJ: (0:20) It says here “Speak Taiwanese Hokkien.” This is Taiwanese, Kong Tai-Gi. |
1108_FS7 |
GLOJ (36:11)
I often say, if you want to make a contribution to
Taiwan, you just do it in your own way. Writing lyrics is my way of doing my
bit. Whether
you’re overseas, or in Taiwan, or in Hong
Kong, I hope
you’ll all stay safe and come
forward for Taiwan. (37:22) |
Taiwan HK protest pics @ 15.26 LIB 040120 RTV TAIWAN ELECTION FILE_SBS_ID_7605277 |
Upsot: (01:06) GLOJ - It's a great
honour to be here supporting Hong Kong, and also
supporting Taiwan. Ar Ji and many others in Taiwan watched China’s
recent crackdown of freedoms in Hong Kong in horror. And they worry: is
Taiwan next? |
1108_FS7 |
(32:33) I think “supporting Hong Kong” is only the slogan. What we are
really doing is supporting people who uphold democracy. (32:45) /// The
problems that Taiwan has been facing from the past to the present are what
Hong Kong is facing today. (32:58) |
1108_FS7 [57.06] sunset |
Breather – music change HIS FRIENDS ALSO HAVE STRONG OPINIONS ON
TAIWAN’S IDENTITY AND FUTURE |
FRIENDS 1108_FX3 |
1108_FX3 [01:00:01] [Ar Ji GLOJ] Hi Lao Q. (Cheers) Yeah. [01:00:09] [Ar Ji GLOJ] There's more, there's more. [01:00:11] [Cameraman]More? [01:12:40] [GLOJ] Let me ask a rather pointed question... Recently China has been provoking Taiwan. To the Chinese, is there anything you’d like to say to them? /// [01:13:03] [Lao Q] Actually, I
just ignore them, they don’t worry me. [01:13:07] [GLOJ] (Laughter) /// GLOJ - A typical Taiwanese. Lao Q - We Taiwanese people carry on with our lives.
GLOJ - We’re different countries. Lao Q - Exactly! GLOJ - Taiwan and China are independent. |
1108_FX3 |
VO: The thing is,
while many Taiwanese say their country already is independent, that’s not recognised
internationally. It’s stuck in the
Chinese Civil War limbo as the Republic of China. That’s the status quo. [01:24:28] [Female talent] As for Independence, I still think it’s
important to have it as a goal, and with the right kind of leadership, Taiwan
will fare better and better. [01:25:35] [Ar Ji GLOJ] As long as we keep
doing the right things, we chant the right slogans, and we stay true to our
identity, that's good enough. [01:25:45] |
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VO: The status quo has
meant relative peace and stability for Taiwan. But with China saying
it’s determined to claim the place as its own – how long can the status quo
last? |
CREDITS |
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NWT |
Next week on Dateline: As the
Taliban take control of Afghanistan, we follow former contractors of the
Australian Defence forces through the turmoil. We find out
why some have managed to escape, whilst others are left behind.
|