Thanks, appreciate the reading suggestion!

Also, China doesn't have to claim anything. Elsewhere in this thread people have already pointed out that under International Law Chinese Taipei is already part of China.

How foreign countries consider Taiwan may very well define reality, it's also illegitimate. Would you let someone else tell you what you are ? I consider the only valid stance as per the independence of a territory to be what its citizens have democratically decided. I gather from your reply we're not actually debating this, my bad.

To the extent that the populace of the island has a position on this, it's split between wanting to retain a special status within China or separatism

Yes, this is my experience as well