@Renauda Taiwanese and Mandarin are very different. They use the same writing and characters, but vocally, one cannot understand the other. Taiwanese has 7 tones, and Mandarin Chinese has 5 tones. The writing characters used in Taiwan (and still in Hong Kong, and Singapore and parts of Malaysia) are the "detailed" characters, while in mainland China, Chairman Mao "simplified" the characters. Actually, for me, it is somewhat difficult to read full text in simplified characters (and probably the same for a mainland Chinese to read the "detailed" characters.)
Taiwanese was banned in schools and on TV/radio until the late 1980's(?). The teachers would knock your knuckles with a ruler if they heard you speaking it in school. LOL
(Interesting fact - Taiwan was under marital law from the time Chiang Kai Shek arrived until mid 1980's. Also, when the Taiwan Congress was set up by KMT after the Chinese civil war, there were congressman who represented different provinces of mainland China. They were frozen in their seats, and still voted on matters until the end of the 1980's. If you think some of the US congressman are old.......)
@Mik Unfortunately, I think that Premier Xi will get more aggressive. What is one way to distract people from domestic problems? Turn the people's attention to something outside the borders and for China, this would be Taiwan.
@jolly You would be happy that there are no absentee or mail ballots. All voting must be done in person.
