Taiwan

Referring to your Dec. 21 editorial, we agree with your observation. With the reversion of Macao to China on Dec. 20, Beijing is touting “one country, two systems” as a model for swallowing Taiwan. Taiwan, however, is dissimilar to both Macao and Hong Kong. The latter are both too tiny and too close to China to have a viable, separate existence. Taiwan is a thriving economy, set apart from China by the Taiwan Strait.

The residents of the former British and Portuguese colonies had no say in their own future. Taiwan is a full-fledged democracy where the international status of the island can only be determined with the freely expressed consent of the people.

HILDA LIN

Rosemead