• Pons_Aelius
        link
        fedilink
        32
        edit-2
        5 months ago

        Not technically.

        The country’s formal title is: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

        Northern Ireland is not part of Britain

            • @DillyDaily@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              -25 months ago

              Britain is historically just England and Wales, though colloquially now used as a shorter way of saying “Great Britain”, which is England, Wales, and Scotland.

              The British isles is England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (and all the smaller islands like the Hebrides, Orkneys, etc)

              • @Womble@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                45 months ago

                I’ve literally never heard that or read anything suggesting that. Britain/Britons has been used to describe the islands and peoples of the north Atlantic archipelago since ancient times with great Britain simply referring to the largest island (i.e. England+Scotland+Wales), as per wiki

                Written record

                The first known written use of the word was an ancient Greek transliteration of the original P-Celtic term. It is believed to have appeared within a periplus written in about 325 BC by the geographer and explorer Pytheas of Massalia, but no copies of this work survive. The earliest existing records of the word are quotations of the periplus by later authors, such as those within Diodorus of Sicily’s history (c. 60 BC to 30 BC), Strabo’s Geographica (c. 7 BC to AD 19) and Pliny’s Natural History (AD 77).[10] According to Strabo, Pytheas referred to Britain as Bretannikē, which is treated a feminine noun.[11][12][13][14] Although technically an adjective (the Britannic or British) it may have been a case of noun ellipsis, a common mechanism in ancient Greek. This term along with other relevant ones, subsequently appeared inter alia in the following works:

                Pliny referred to the main island as Britannia, with Britanniae describing the island group.[15][16]
                Catullus also used the plural Britanniae in his Carmina.[17][18]
                Avienius used insula Albionum in his Ora Maritima.[19]
                Orosius used the plural Britanniae to refer to the islands and Britanni to refer to the people thereof.[20]
                Diodorus referred to Great Britain as Prettanikē nēsos and its inhabitants as Prettanoi.[21][22]
                Ptolemy, in his Almagest, used Brettania and Brettanikai nēsoi to refer to the island group and the terms megale Brettania (Great Britain) and mikra Brettania (little Britain) for the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, respectively.[23] However, in his Geography, he referred to both Alwion (Great Britain) and Iwernia (Ireland) as a nēsos Bretanikē, or British island.[24]
                
              • @Squizzy@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                -45 months ago

                Fuck off British isles is a term used by the occupiers to legitimize their occupation. The Republic is not a part of the British isles

                • @DillyDaily@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  15 months ago

                  Makes sense, as a geographical location I imagine it has had many names over history based on who controls the narrative. Can I ask what other names there are for the area that isn’t supportive of British colonialism?

  • @GregorGizeh@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    555 months ago

    Pathetic. You’d think a country colonized by a foreign nation would be more sympathetic to their struggle for independence.

  • @erranto@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    415 months ago

    He is not technically wrong, as the Taiwanese themselves haven’t declared independence from China.

    • @erranto@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      295 months ago

      So they are not independent then. not even their staunchest ally (USA) recognizes their Independence, so I don’t see where is the controversy with Irish PM’s statement.

    • DekkiaA
      link
      105 months ago

      Yes, but that stems more from the fact that the Republic of China (aka Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China both lay claims to be the real China.

      You can’t really declare independence from yourself.

      Also the PRC would probably attack immediately if the ROC gave up their claim on being china.

      • @TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        -25 months ago

        All I heard is USA claiming to bomb TSMC if Taiwan ever wanted to go back and unify with mainland China. You may go check it, it is a real threat.

        • DekkiaA
          link
          15 months ago

          Not sure if I would call it a threat.

          Congressman Seth Moulton prposed to do this in May '23. Taiwan obviously wasn’t happy about that proposal.

          Then there’s also a statement by former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien from March '23 where he said that “I can’t imagine they’d be intact” after an invasion of China.

          The 2nd one is a bit nebulous but doesn’t talk about reunification but about annexation.

    • @Tvkan@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      -25 months ago

      Because the PRC has set this as a red line. The Taiwanese would do it in a heartbeat.

      • @CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        245 months ago

        No, it’s because they claim sovereignty over the whole of China + parts who already are independent from the People’s Republic of China. They are not independent, just the old regime in exile. To them Taiwan is just a province of China just as it is for the PRC

        • @Ranvier@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          45 months ago

          Interestingly China would also be quite upset if Taiwan stopped claiming sovereignty over the mainland. To them that would signal an end to the one China policy. So Taiwan maintaining its claim to the mainland is actually to keep China happy. I don’t think the Taiwan government is under any illusion that they will someday take over the mainland.

          • @CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            15 months ago

            It sounds extremely convoluted that a government considering itself “rightful” (ROC/Taiwan) who fought and lost a war with revolutionaries (PRC/“China”) would continue the claim that led to a war to not piss off the revolutionaries?

            Is this some homebrew theory or do you have a source?

            • @Ranvier@sopuli.xyz
              link
              fedilink
              1
              edit-2
              5 months ago

              Not some home brew theory. And it is very convoluted, but it’s bascially more “one China” policy word games.

              The Taiwanese president unofficially stated in 1991 they do not claim mainland China, but this was never affirmed by courts and there’s no force of law behind it. They cannot officially do this currently without greatly antagonizing China. China’s view is that Taiwan limiting its borders to include only Taiwan and not all of China, would signal the end of the “one China” policy and be a precursor to Taiwanese independence. If Tawain were to declare different national borders that include only the island itself, then China would view it as a violation of their anti secession law passed in 2005, which threatens military force in retaliation. In China’s view, they are another government still within China and still in civil war, without the authority to re-define national borders.

              https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Secession_Law

              Continuing to claim mainland China as part of the same country is continuing the current status quo, any deviations from that would be viewed as an attempted separation of “indivisable” China. So the claim to the mainland at this point in history is primarily to not antagonize China and continue the status quo situation.

  • apotheotic(she/they)
    link
    fedilink
    English
    -15 months ago

    This is disgusting, quite frankly. Taiwan has every right to be an independent state and it is one. Fuck right off.

    • @TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      35 months ago

      Taiwan never claimed independence and is a defacto state, NOT a dejure sovereign state, and over 170 countries recognise it as part of One China. There is only one China. Keep crying. Your pronouns do not give you immunity from being called out on bullshit.

    • @brain_in_a_box@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      -1
      edit-2
      5 months ago

      Even the ROC doesn’t consider Taiwan to be an independent state, but go off. Or better yet, fuck right off back to reddit.

      • apotheotic(she/they)
        link
        fedilink
        English
        05 months ago

        No :)

        Let’s see. How can I break this down.

        I think it’s quite fair to assume that when people use the term China in isolation, they are referring to the authoritarian dictatorship state controlled by the CCP, The Peoples Republic of China.

        ROC a governmental body, still holds onto the idea that it is the sole rightful “owner” of all the territories of pre-1949 China. Good for them, a little far from reality but I can’t blame them for having dreams.

        A significant portion of the people of Taiwan do not under any circumstances want to be part of anything under rule of the CCP, which in reality means that they do not want to be part of the Peoples Republic of China. The ROC, on the other hand, still wants to hold into the idea of their claim over the whole region, so it’s interests are in conflict with the people’s in that regard.

        Thus! Taiwan is an independent state from the PRC because the chances of the PRC being governed by anyone but the CCP is slim to none.

        I note you went straight to swearing at me, quoting my own “fuck right off” which was directed at a government and not any individual. I’m sure you understand why this doesn’t make me any more likely to support your stance, but do try to be kinder.

        • @brain_in_a_box@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          4
          edit-2
          5 months ago

          authoritarian dictatorship

          stopped reading here; what’s the point of having a more in depth discussion with someone who’s political analysis is on the level of Saturday morning cartoons. I reiterate that you should fuck off back to reddit, you’ll be happier there.

          • apotheotic(she/they)
            link
            fedilink
            English
            -15 months ago

            Ad hominem attacks will get you no prizes.

            I reiterate that you should try your hand at being kinder.

            Goodbye!

            • @brain_in_a_box@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              3
              edit-2
              5 months ago

              You may not realize this, but, for people who aren’t western anglos, casual orientalism and western chauvinism is just as disrespectful and unkind as ‘ad hominems’.

      • @Gabu@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        -15 months ago

        Did you even think before writing that? What am I saying, of course you didn’t.

        the ROC doesn’t consider th Taiwan to be an independent state

        Because they lose any possible claim to their continuity as the rightful government of China by doing so. Also, the CCP would be quite pissy about that.

    • @gnuhaut@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      23
      edit-2
      5 months ago

      Err… the Philippines, the former US colony? Where currently new US military bases are being built? Which China has never ruled, attempted to rule, or said they want to rule?

      You’re worried that China is going to claim the Philippines???

      • @Truck_kun@beehaw.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        -15 months ago

        They wouldn’t claim the Philippines without a war.

        But the Chinese government is trying to claim territorial waters, and their aggression toward all their neighbors is exactly why the Philippines have decided to work with the US and open new bases.

        They may not claim it, but they are definitely the aggressor in the territory, and most of their neighbors do not view the Chinese government as ‘the good guys’; that’s not to say they view the US as ‘the good guys’ either, simply as the one that isn’t actively aggressive and could assist in their defense.

      • Pons_Aelius
        link
        fedilink
        -125 months ago

        Which China has never ruled

        True, the CCP claiming The Philippines would be seen as ridiculous by the rest of the world.

        Then again, the CCP has never ruled Taiwan either…

        • @brain_in_a_box@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          175 months ago

          Were you hoping nobody would notice your bad faith rhetorical trick of trying to equivocate “China” with “the CCP” (by which I assume you meant the CPC)

        • @gnuhaut@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          95 months ago

          Then again, the CCP has never ruled Taiwan either…

          Oh yeah that’s like exactly the same situation.

          1. Send US military to “protect” one side in the Chinese civil war and occupy parts of China.
          2. Say you’re in favor of eventual peaceful reunification, but actually prevent it for decades.
          3. Break promise and claim the territory was never really part of China to begin with.
          4. Pretend you’re the victim and China is “expansionist”.
          5. World War 3?
          • xor
            link
            fedilink
            English
            -25 months ago

            Or, you know, you could actually respect the right to self determination of the Taiwanese people, rather than "America bad"ing your way to imperialism

          • Pons_Aelius
            link
            fedilink
            -105 months ago

            That’s a great story you have there, you should pitch it to netflicks.

      • @CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        19
        edit-2
        5 months ago

        Anyone with even a smidge of knowledge about the actual situation of the Taiwan issue.

        Contrary to what’s usually depicted, neither Taiwan nor China consider Taiwan as an independent country. Taiwan, or more accurately the Republic of China (ROC), claims sovereignty over this territory.

        Both the ROC and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) consider Taiwan to be a province of China, it just happens that the ROC only has control over Taiwan while the PRC has control over China

  • @jaeme@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    -46
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    Taiwan seperatists keep losing!

    There will be one China and Taiwan will be a respected part of that China.