I grew up in an authoritarian regime, and you have to understand, the only way people can survive is if they learn to lie to themselves, and learn to make themselves believe in the government's lies. Even after I was sued by the prime minister, that was how my relatives coped.

在這篇新文章中，我寫台灣人均 GDP 預計明年將超過 4 萬美元，而台灣目前人均 GDP 與生活成本已與西班牙、斯洛維尼亞及日本相當。然而，台灣薪資水平相比之下如何？ ——我比較了台灣的低薪與薪資中位數（包括稅後收入），以及各產業部門的薪資，來觀察台灣與這些國家的差距。 https://t.co/KBJgRKISkB

As a long-time resident in Taiwan, it's clear for many of us that @ChingteLai's rhetoric of Taiwan hasn't substantially changed from @iingwen. What has clearly changed is that the CCP has up its tempo with its aggression against Taiwan. This is clear when analyzing the data. 1/

It's easy to support another power in the hope that your own Western government will be weakened enough to do your bidding. In reality, the CCP is not fighting to just weaken your government, it's seeking to replace your world order, and using you as a pawn. 23/

Thinking about China as a faraway issue makes it less threatening, but it's different when you start imagining what it'd be like if the CCP is actually your government, with no voting, and where free speech and protests can lead to persecution and disappearances. 22/

The reality is if another major power wins, it will try to reshape the world in its own image, as did the Brits did in the 1800s, and as US tries to bring others into its influence. And if CCP gets to reshape the world if it wins, I can only say, becareful what you wish for. 21/

If we want to make our countries stronger, find more radical ways to change government into one that represents us and brings about lesser economic insecurities. And if democracies are genuinely worried, they should implement policies seriously to reduce economic anxieties. 20/

Taiwan is not a pawn to your government, nor for you. If you are unhappy with your government, the CCP is not the answer. If the CCP succeeds in conquering other countries, together with Russia, the West has all to lose when the CCP dilutes your economic power. 19/

I'm not sure if individuals who are angry with their own Western governments and thus support the CCP, understand how it's all going to play out in the long run. Maybe living in the West has blinded people to the realities outside of their own countries. 18/

Sacrificing Taiwan to the CCP will weaken the US, but not in the way you imagine. The US will not only lose its position as a major world power, but will be supplanted by the CCP as a major power, which will create a new world order to weaken the economic power of the West. 17/

Like it or not, ensuring the defense of your country and its allies are strong is the only way to protect your country. And to reduce your economic insecurities, you have to find power internally to introduce a fairer system, not be relying on the CCP as a counterweight. 16/

If the CCP and Russia can join forces to weaken the US and Europe (by using Taiwan and Ukraine as entry points), then there'll be no major powers to counter them. By then, your rights in the US and Europe will be even worse off. It's not going to get better. 15/

I wish people would be honest with themselves. You feel countering your government or an unfair capitalistic system is difficult or impossible, but the solution isn't hoping a country bigger and faraway enough can weaken your government to do what you want. That's naive. 14/

Yes, the US has been a global bully, but this does not mean the CCP is not, especially not when China has land mass and population larger than US, and is working with the geographically largest country in the world to wage war against other countries. 13/

Before I came to Taiwan, I didn't understand the seriousness of the CCP taking over Taiwan. But as @michaelturton points out, the CCP has made clear its plans to even take over Japan's Okinawa and it's aggressively taking over land belonging to Southeast Asian countries. 12/

If people haven't yet understood, the world order of peace achieved after World War 2 is at risk of being dismantled, because the CCP and Russia are working together to weaken international institutions and attempting invasion of other countries. 11/

If an individual wants to use the CCP's rhetoric, I wish they would be honest—they are afraid of facing war or face backlash from the CCP. Don't use Taiwan as an excuse for your own fears, the Taiwanese are not pawns for your government, or for you and your fears. 10/

For all intents and purposes, Taiwan is an independent country, and the only reason Taiwan cannot just get on with its life is because there is a neighboring country threatening war against it, and undermining people's ability to think freely for themselves. 9/

It's especially disingenuous to use genuine problems in Taiwan to disrupt Taiwan's society, without any resolve to address these problems. But this is the asymmetrical warfare that the CCP and Russia is waging against the countries they want to hostile takeover. 8/

Also, Taiwan has genuine issues like its low wages, but its extremely disingenuous that CCP trolls use it as an excuse to say the CCP should rule over Taiwan to resolve these issues. How laughable, when CCP is resisting raising wages to grow its economy, and poverty is high. 7/

If writers believe the CCP has a right over Taiwan, in spite of Taiwan asserting this shouldn't be the case, and the CCP having never ruled over Taiwan, then you believe in the tyranny of power, colonialism, oppression and not freedom. I wish people would be honest about it. 6/