Qing China's Betrayal of Taiwan in 1895

Again, this is my bias take on Taiwan history.

In his book "Taiwan: Nation State or Province?", John F. Copper noted that when Taiwan's sovereignty was transferred to Japan in 1895, there were massive protests from local leaders who tried to establish the Republic of Taiwan, or Asia's first republic. But because the island had no local government in mounting a meaningful challenge, and due to its internal ethnic divisions, many decided that opposing Japan was futile.

The situation was worsened by the inaction of the Qing authorities, who were too weak and faced too numerous challenges that it "did nothing to aid the resistance" in Taiwan. This eventually drove Taiwanese into giving up any hope of help from China, and many expressed bitterness about China's "betrayal".

Of course in the overall scheme of things at that time, Taiwan was not exactly high on the radars of the Qing rulers. And it'd take a thesis to explain why Taiwan eventually emerged as one of the most important domestic and foreign policy issues for China.

But as for China's betrayal, I am more inclined to see the situation not so much as a betrayal, but as a helpless and impoverished father giving up his (youngest, most distant, and perhaps least loved) child in desperation. It is natural for the child to harbor a sense of resentment as he/she grows up. But there is no denying the child's parentage and the blood ties between the two.