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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying’s (華春瑩) persistent trolling of Taiwan has backfired to a chorus of derision after suggesting Sunday (Aug. 7) that eating at Chinese restaurants make you Chinese.

Using Baidu Maps (China’s equivalent of Google Maps), Chunying identified some Chinese noodle and dumpling restaurants in Taipei. She then drew the erroneous conclusion that because Taiwan has some Chinese restaurants it is, in fact, Chinese.

This is a logical fallacy, meaning the assertion is fundamentally flawed and can easily be disproved through reasoning. For example, both California and Merthyr Tydfil in Wales have lots of Chinese restaurants, but obviously, neither California nor Wales are the same, or part of China.

And no one is claiming this either except, presumably, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Information Department Director General, Hua Chunying. Her specious argument was swept away by a torrent of facetious and often hilarious counter examples.

Basically, she has been laughed out of town on Twitter. Here’s what Chunying’s actual tweet said:

Baidu Maps show that there are 38 Shandong dumpling restaurants and 67 Shanxi noodle restaurants in Taipei. Palates don't cheat. #Taiwan has always been a part of China. The long lost child will eventually return home. pic.twitter.com/p50RXund9T

In response, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), who is based in Tainan, was quick to get off the mark in a Facebook post on Monday morning (Aug. 8). "Let's see the truth," he said, and posed four concise points:

Clarissa Wei, a Taiwanese American food writer and author, who is based in Taipei, was equally unimpressed by Chunying’s remarks. She pointed out that, “Taiwan has had regional Chinese cuisine for 50 years. During this time, it has evolved to be distinctly Taiwanese & adapted for the local palates.”

She added: “Now let's go into Taipei Shandong (restaurants). All (that) means is that they specialize in either dumplings and/or noodles. Checks all the boxes right? But actually taste the food. You'll find that the food is very sweet. You won't find that intense signature saltiness.

“Talk to the owner. They are likely the children or grandchildren of Chinese immigrants & have never been to China. Point is: The food of Taiwan is unique to Taiwan. We have Chinese ancestry & influences, yes. But that does not mean we're part of the PRC.”

Many Americans like Chinese food, but polls show increasingly unfavorable American opinions toward China. This tweet shows how desperate BJ is to identify something that Taiwan and 〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕 have in common. Econ interdependence hasn't promoted pol integration, & cuisine won't either.

To that point, the US has 45k Chinese restaurants and 5.4 million Americans of Chinese descent; that’s twice the population of Taipei. And yet in most American Chinatowns, they fly the ROC flag.

There are 5360 Starbucks, 4400 McDonald’s, and 7437 KFCs in China. So China is a part of the United States of America? https://t.co/g9auIoM17a

Hilarious. We're not lost children, we just enjoy eating different cuisines. Taiwanese eat more Japanese, French, Italian, American food than authentic Chinese food. You remind me of a 花癡妹 who thinks any guy who just said hi out of basic manners is in love with her. 〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕

There are over 100 ramen restaurants in Taipei, so Taiwan is definitely a part of Japan. pic.twitter.com/UN6JkwJLel

Just making a global search for Italian restaurants abroad, you will all hear from us very soon, get ready. I always knew that all those pasta and pizza joints would make us bigger one day.

Kentucky Fried Chicken has always been ranked as number 1 restaurants by people in China. Palates don't cheat. China belongs to Kentucky. Mitch McConnell please come and collect your people.

There are 413 McDonalds in Taiwan. China has the most McDonalds except for USA. Russia has no McDonalds since their genocidal invasion of a peaceful democratic neighbour. Have a think about that.

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