What are the similarities and differences between the present Taiwan and Donbas political dilemmas? [closed]

Question

The American Congress’ Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has today (2/8/22) landed in Taiwan, against China���s wishes. China is therefore about to start “live fire” military exercises around Taiwan.

In Comparative Politics, what are the main similarities and differences between the present Taiwan and Donbas political dilemmas?

Answer 1

As a counterpoint to @Constantthin's answer, I would say that it makes much more sense to compare China with Russia, and Taiwan with Ukraine:

1. China's official stance is that Taiwan is not a country, but part of China, and historical arguments are often presented in support of that view. Similarly, Russian president in his 2022-02-21 speech presented historical arguments for Ukraine being part of Russia. That speech marked beginning of a full-scale attack on whole Ukraine, which can be understood as de-facto revocation of recognition of Ukraine. Russia is also considering de-jure revocation of recognition of Ukraine. Moreover, Russia already annexed Crimea in 2014, and considers annexing several other Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. China, on the other hand, legally claims whole Taiwan, but doesn't currently occupy any of its parts.

2. Both China and Russia are nuclear superpowers, which means that attack on what they consider their territory carries risk of nuclear escalation.

3. Both Taiwan and Ukraine have complicated history of relationships with China and Russia, respectively:

• the great majority of Taiwanese can speak Mandarin as a first or second language, and the great majority of Ukrainians can speak Russian as a first or second language,
• most Taiwanese speak Taiwanese (Hokkien/Minnan) as a first language, and most Ukrainians speak Ukrainian as a first language,
• regardless of their native language, most inhabitants of Taiwan identify as Taiwanese, not Chinese,
• regardless of their native language, most inhabitants of Ukraine identify as Ukrainian, not Russian.

4. Both Taiwan and Ukraine used to be under influence of other neighbours in the past, and currently have good relations with those neighbours. Taiwan used to be a Japanese colony, and large parts of Ukraine used to belong to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Currently Taiwan has bad relations with China and good relations with Japan, and Ukraine has very bad relations with Russia and good relations with Poland.

5. Both Taiwan and Ukraine are democratic (though some freedoms in Ukraine have been suspended due to the war), and both China and Russia are authoritarian.

Answer 2

In comparing the 2/8/22 Taiwan and Donbas political dilemmas, in the spirit of “Comparative Politics”, two main similarities stand out:

1. As China wants Taiwan back, so Ukraine wants Donbas back; and

2. Neither Taiwan, nor Donbas wants to be reunited with their big neighbour.

The three main differences between the two political dilemmas are:

1. Taiwan has been independent a lot longer than Donbas.

2. The political situation in Donbas right now is hot, while that in Taiwan is, although warming up, still cold; and

3. The two breakaway regions have different motives for wanting to remain separated from their big neighbour. For Taiwan it is mainly for cultural * reasons, while for Donbas it is mainly for linguistic reasons.

Consequently, in comparing the similarities and differences in the present political dilemmas in Taiwan and Donbas it becomes evident that gross disrespect has been directed towards regional ethnic minorities, in both the two cases.

As far as minority suppression goes, China has a bad track record with Tibet as probably its biggest trophy. And Ukraine probably should have shown little Donbas as much grace as mother Russia showed it in 1991.

*“the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.” (Oxford Languages)

Answer 3

In addition to the other answers:

1. Dissimilarity

   • Ukraine became part of the Russian empire when Catherine the Great annexed part of Ukraine in 1793. Ukraine was also part of the USSR, a communist republic.

   • On the other hand, Taiwan became part of mainland China in 1683 when Qing Dynasty started to rule Taiwan. However, it was never part of communist China.

2. Similarity

   • Neither Ukraine nor Taiwan was an independent nation 300 years ago. They became independent very recently.