[FPSPACE] the Celestial Empire

[Jens Kieffer-Olsen]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org 
> On Behalf Of Chen Lan
> Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 8:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] the Celestial Empire

 On the other hand just after the 2nd World War
 the Soviet Union gave up control over parts of
 Persia, Austria, Denmark, and Finland - and later
 on a couple of Japanese islands. Just as the US
 relinquished control over the Czech capital Prague.

 But of course there are even more examples confirming
 your viewpoint. The British cling to Gibraltar, Rockall,
 and the Falkland/Malvina islands claimed by Spain, the
 Faroe Isles and Argentina respectivley. They are even
 in dispute with Argentina over part of Antarctica.

 The Spaniards on their side refuse to let go of the
 Moroccan cities Ceuta and Melilla. But then Morocco
 insist on splitting the former Spanish Sahara with
 Mauretania.

 And the French are as reluctant to grant independence
 to Tahiti as they were in Algeria and Vietnam. Plus
 that they maintain control over some islands inside
 Canada on the St. Lawrence Seaway.

 But then Canada claims sovereignty over Greenland's Hans
 Island, presumably because they eye a fortune in mining
 the surrounding waters. 

 With a pious hope for a free Tibet!

--
Jens Kieffer-Olsen
Slagelse, Denmark

> It is easy to explain why Taiwan's government will not give 
> up these two islands -- They are in Taiwan's control. That 
> simple! No one will give its territory in control to others 
> as a gift. It's politics. China will also never give up 
> Taiwan. Otherwise it will be a disaster for China. It may be 
> too complicated to explain reasons on this space-only list. 
> What I can say here is that, if China is already a democratic 
> country(or China were U.S.), the war would have been over and 
> Taiwan is already in China's control.
> 
> Chen Lan
> 
> >  As a citizen of a small country bordering much larger
> >  ones I'm all in favour of political and economical
> >  independence for Taiwan and Cuba. But I don't understand
> >  why the islands of Quemoy and Matsu need to stay part of
> >  faraway Taiwan? Maybe Chen Lan can explain this anomaly?
>