Jh_Macloed,
I don't think you've read all my suggestion/request (accessible through the earlier link) for a seperate forum place for info about Taiwan or perhaps you've misunderstood it or read others comments and consider them mine, as I did state the political issues are for the politicians, and my interests are quite simply having a clear forum corner dedicated just to Taiwan (not solving politics or squabbles with Taiwanese/Chinese - or squabbling with fellow divers !) In the long run I would like to think if we had such forum place we could more get more local Taiwanese divers contributing, as currently they shy away and it being shown as part of "Greater China" is one reason that's been thrown back at me, from a few local divers. I dive with Taiwanese buddies, and getting more dive info from them and their local contacts would be of benefit to all coming to Taiwan to dive, or actually living in Taiwan and diving regularly.
As is, if you dredge the forum(s) - dive info on Kenting is good, dive info on Green Island is reasonable -
but dive info on N/E coast is lacking, dive info on Penghu is lacking, dive info on Orchid island is lacking, dive info on Liochiu is lacking (and I think I was the first to ever mention that island), dive info on the Eastern coast (north of Green island) is lacking, dive info on Keelung/Yeiliou area is lacking (albeit there's some busy dive shops there frequented by locals), dive info on N/W coast is lacking -- etc etc, and whilst I know a few expat and local divers around the island, obtaining info from some more Taiwanese divers via a forum like this would be excellent. For example I was told that late summer this year some excellent new dive sites close to Keelung were found by one of the dive shops there, and apparently news of such was carried in Chinese language in a local newspaper - but how and where to get to such new sites remains a mystery !
We have little sub forums for Indonesia, Malaysia/Singapore, Philippines and Thailand in Asia, so why not a little sub forum for Taiwan (or Formosa !) - It might help you and others.
I don't see it as a personal mission - I just see it as simple suggestion to hopefully get more info on diving around Taiwan.
Cheers and safe diving.
I really did try to stay clear of this political diversion that you have stirred up on the forums that I read because I'm interested in information about scuba. But you're obviously not going to let it rest and I've had enough of your paternal British attitude. The Taiwanese people can and will take care of themselves, and eventually Taiwan and mainland China will come to some kind of compromise that they can both live with. But what I'm wondering is why you feel it is your job to somehow fix what is, essentially, a family squabble. If you were a native Taiwanese islander, I would cut you some slack, because the island's native people did get invaded and taken over by the KMT and suffer indignities at the hands of both the Chinese and Japanese; but give me a break. This is a scuba board, and as someone who travels in and out of both Taiwan and mainland China on a monthly basis, I'm not buying what you're selling. I think the one who is confused is you.