Dharamshala, 28th October: Chinese state media slammed comedian John Oliver’s presentation on Taiwan, claiming that he “dodged facts” and misled the audience about the self-governing island that Beijing regards as a renegade province. Oliver attempted to unravel the convoluted connection between China and Taiwan for an American audience during the episode. Oliver concluded that the island’s fate should be placed exclusively in the hands of the Taiwanese people, using a mix of historical narratives, pop culture references, and salty language.
Tensions between the United States and China have recently risen over Taiwan, with Beijing flying a slew of planes into the island’s air defense identification zone in recent months. President Joe Biden also stated that the United States would support Taiwan against attack, signaling a shift in American policy from “strategic ambiguity” in the event of a Chinese invasion. Since then, White House officials have stated that US policy has not changed.
In a recent episode, the British comedian said most Taiwanese were “quite easygoing” about “saber-rattling” from across the Taiwan Strait, treating it like the second season of the smash TV show “Emily in Paris” — “Love, that is happening, but honestly I just try to carry on with my life,” he added.
Oliver’s piece garnered a warmer reception in Taipei. In 2018, China suspended the website of HBO, a U.S. film and television production firm, after Oliver aired a segment condemning President Xi Jinping for censorship.
“23 million very human folks reside there who just want to be left alone to live the way they want to,” Shelley Rigger, a political science professor at Davidson College and author of “Why Taiwan Matters: Small Island, Global Powerhouse,” explained why Americans should be concerned about Taiwan. “They are not merely a conflict between the US and China – they are people in their own right, and we must recognize that.”
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