Written by: Estella Shrestha - 24007, Grade X
Posted on: 01 October, 2021
The Republic of China (often referred to as Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China are the two governments that now represent the nation of "China" (mainland China). Infighting on the Chinese mainland resumed after World War II, with the Republic of China government fleeing to Taiwan and the group led by Mao Zedong forming the People's Republic of China. The PRC still controls mainland China, while the ROC controls Taiwan, the Penghu archipelago, and the tiny islands of Kinmen and Matsu, all while claiming sovereignty over "China." There has been a lot of debate as to Taiwan being part of China. Taiwan is an independent country and has its own government, democratically elected leaders, and about 300,000 active troops in its armed forces. It considers itself a different country but legally it is still a part of China. As the Chinese government is concerned Taiwan is a renegade province that must be reunified with China. Back then Taiwan was handed back to the Republic of China.
In the 1980s, relations between China and Taiwan began to improve. China proposed the "one country, two systems" approach, in which Taiwan would be granted extensive autonomy in exchange for accepting Chinese reunification. This system was created in Hong Kong to serve as a showcase for luring Taiwanese citizens back to the mainland. Taiwan declined the offer, although it did ease restrictions on Chinese visitors and investment. It also declared the mainland war with the People's Republic of China to be concluded in 1991. Taiwan is considered a breakaway province by China, which has promised to reclaim it by force if necessary. Taiwan's leaders, on the other hand, argue that the country is far more than a province and that it is a sovereign state. It has its own constitution, democratically elected authorities, and an armed force of around 300,000 active troops. Chiang Kai-Republic she’s of China (ROC) administration, which fled the mainland to Taiwan in 1949, claimed to represent all of China at first. It was the sole Chinese government recognized by several Western nations and held China's seat on the United Nations Security Council. The ROC administration was driven out after the UN transferred diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1971. The number of countries that recognize the ROC government diplomatically has dropped dramatically since then, to around 15. Given the vast gap between these two viewpoints, most other countries are content to tolerate the current uncertainty, in which Taiwan possesses nearly all of the features of an independent state, even if its legal status is unknown.
Some Taiwanese citizens are concerned that their country's economy has become too reliant on China. Others feel that because of the expense to China's economy, deeper business connections make Chinese military action less likely. In 2014, the "Sunflower Movement" erupted in Taiwan, with students and activists occupying the legislature to protest what they saw as China's rising control over Taiwan. Officially, the ruling DPP continues to support Taiwan's formal independence, while the KMT supports reunification. According to a March 2021 opinion poll commissioned by the Taiwanese government, the majority of Taiwanese approve of the DPP government's policy of "national sovereignty safeguarding." People are increasingly describing themselves as Taiwanese rather than Chinese.
