Fu Yue showed courage at the Golden Horse Awards: Taiwan should be able to call itself a country

I am writing to express my views on the report, “Taiwanese director does what Hollywood won’t: defy China” (November 19).

The 36-year-old Taiwanese director, Fu Yue, said her “greatest wish” was for “our country to be seen as a truly independent entity”, in her acceptance speech after she received the highest honour in documentary filmmaking at the Golden Horse film awards ceremony, the Chinese world’s equivalent of the Oscars.

I am very impressed by what she did, as she has completely shut herself from the biggest film market in the world, which could have brought her a lot of money. Instead of aspiring to be rich and famous by courting the entire Chinese community, she chose to grasp the opportunity to stand up for her homeland, knowing it would trigger the wrath of China.

Film director at centre of Taiwan storm stands by Golden Horse remarks

In response, Chinese stars protested Fu’s pro-independence remarks by posting a map of China that included Taiwan and commenting, “China, not a single dot missing”. There are also concerns that the awards will face a boycott from Chinese celebrities next year.

In my opinion, Taiwan has been separated from the People’s Republic of China for around 70 years and is unwilling to merge with it. Over these decades, Taiwan has gone from a small undeveloped place to being counted among the four Asian tigers without any help from China.

Besides, Taiwan has fulfilled all the requirements for being a country. For example, it has its own army and political system, and it determines the rights of those on the island of Taiwan. The Taiwan-China issue is similar to the foundation of the United States. The only difference is that the US won the war of independence with Britain and the US is now stronger than the United Kingdom.

Has the time for easy Taiwan reunification already passed?

China should not act like a rogue nation. The only way it can take back Taiwan is either by force or making the Taiwanese feel they are proud to be citizens of China. What will it choose?

Vincent Sing, Tseung Kwan O