Japan Although "pro-ROC" and "pro-Taiwan" are strictly distinguished today, "pro-Taiwan" meant "pro-ROC" in the period of the
KMT one-party system before Taiwan was democratized. At the time,
Japanese conservatives generally had figures in favor of the Taiwanese government led by
Chiang Kai-shek in an anti-communist stance. Some former
Japanese imperial army soldiers became military advisers to the
Republic of China Armed Forces (see:
白団); With the establishment of the
People's Republic of China in 1949, Japan was forced to recognize only one of the governments of Taiwan (ROC) and China (PRC). The outbreak of the
Korean War in 1950 greatly worsened the relationship between the PRC and the
United States, and Japan chose Taiwan in 1952 to sign the
Treaty of Taipei. At that time, Japan was friendly to the
Chiang Kai-shek regime because many people respected the generous post-war measures of the Chiang government in
mainland ROC right after Japan surrendered. In 1972, Japan established diplomatic relations with China (PRC) and severed ties with Taiwan, but Japan continued [unofficially] friendly relations with Taiwan. In the 21st century, pro-Taiwan factors in Japan mainly advocate "" (価値観外交), which focuses on the fact that they see Taiwan as a country that shares
liberal democracy like Japan, unlike China, an authoritarianism.
Shintaro Ishihara, then serving as governor of Tokyo, said on May 20, 2000, when he was visiting to attend the inauguration of President
Chen Shui-bian: .
Hong Kong The
Hong Kong–Mainland China conflict and the
Umbrella Revolution reminded many Hong Kongers of the
February 28 incident and the
Sunflower Movement in Taiwan. Some young Hong Kongers have begun to support
Hong Kong independence and additionally show a more favorable attitude towards
Taiwanese independence. == In culture ==