Political status of Taiwan

The political status of Taiwan is a difficult situation that many people disagree about. There are two regions in the world that call themselves China. The People's Republic of China (PRC) is the region most people think of when they hear the name China. The Republic of China (ROC) also calls itself China. It is better known in most of the world as Taiwan.

Prior to 1912, half of Taiwan was occupied by Chin Dynasty during the 18th and 19th centuries and beyond it, Taiwan was self ruled by a number of indigenous kingdoms and tribes for thousands of years. After the First Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan and Penghu was officially transferred to Japan. After World War II, the Japanese gave up any claim to Taiwan.

The official document regarding the return of Formosa (Taiwan) to China, signed on September 2, 1945 that was signed on the USS Missouri, accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, which stipulated that Formosa be restored to China, as stated in the earlier Cairo Declaration. However, which Government Taiwan belonged to was not explicitly stated.

At the time, the Republic of China governed all of China, and represented China in the United Nations. Following its defeat in the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Republic of China government moved its seat to Taiwan, which the People’s Republic of China claimed as part of its territory. This decision was controversial as The Chinese Civil War was fought primarily over control of all of China, not just the mainland. The ROC offered a different view, and said that it was still the rightful government of China, including mainland China, Taiwan, and Mongolia. In 1971, the ROC lost its United Nations seat as China. The seat was given to the PRC instead. This made the PRC the recognized government of China internationally. The large Majority of the UN currently only recognises China and do not recognise Taiwan.

The major issue is whether Taiwan is a part of the PRC or is (as it claims) an independent country.

Current status

Today, the ROC (Taiwan) is a fully democratic society, with its own economy, currency, military, and elected officials. The Chinese mainland is ruled by the communist PRC government. Most countries have accepted the PRC as the leaders of China. Several countries, including the United States, have never explicitly mentioned the issue about Taiwan, and do not recognise it. 14 countries have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Those who don't usually have un-official de facto embassies and do business with Taiwan mostly as normal, aside from recognizing it as a country.

The current state of Taiwan and China is called the "status quo", which means neither side is trying to change the way things are. However, the PRC often emphasises that they may use military force to change the situation if Taiwan begins to explicitly fight for independence. Some people in Taiwan want Taiwan to formally become the Republic of Taiwan, an independent country, while others do not. This would change the status quo also, and many Taiwanese prefer not to do this, in order to maintain peace. In opinion polls, a minor percentage of Taiwanese people want to rejoin with the mainland.

Views by other countries

Today, most countries of the world see the PRC as China. Most countries however still have a very close economic and cultural relationship with Taiwan.

Problems

The relations between the PRC and Taiwan are tense. The PRC claims that Taiwan is a part of the PRC. The government of the PRC has said that if the people of Taiwan vote to become the Republic of Taiwan, that they will invade Taiwan and stop this from happening. In March 2004, they passed a law that will allow China to invade Taiwan if Taiwan tries to leave the PRC and become an independent country. This law has caused problems with the people in Taiwan. It has caused even more people in Taiwan not to want to be a part of PRC China.

Another issue is how a war for Taiwan would grow to include the United States, who has partially said it would help defend Taiwan, and Australia and Japan, who also hint at helping Taiwan in case of war.

Political Status Of Taiwan Media

The map in 1912 depicted Taiwan as part of Japan, the island was annexed by the Empire of Japan from Qing China in the Treaty of Shimonoseki. The PRC (founded 1 October 1949) argues that the treaty was an unequal treaty forced upon China and was never valid.
Non-partisan Taiwanese political candidate Wu San-lian (2L) celebrated his landslide victory (65.5%) in the first Taipei city mayoral election in January 1951 with his supporters. Taipei has been the capital of the Republic of China since December 1949.
A PRC Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents. Permits allow ROC residents of Taiwan to enter mainland China. The PRC refuses to accept ROC passports.
Current Republic of China passport (Taiwan Passport)
Exit and Entry Permit Taiwan, Republic of China. The Republic of China issues this permit to enable residents of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau to travel to Taiwan. The Republic of China refuses to accept People's Republic of China passports.
The building of the Provincial Government of the Taiwan Province of the Republic of China at Jhongsing Village
The Republic of China Presidential Office Building is located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei.
Voting situation in the UN general assembly respect to resolution 2758 (1971)* Vote in favor* Vote against* Non-Voting* Abstention* Non-UN-members or dependencies
With President Chiang Kai-shek, the U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower waved hands to Taiwanese people during his visit to Taipei, Taiwan in June 1960.
President Chen Shui-bian (far left) attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005. As the Holy See's recognized head of state of China, Chen was seated in the front row (in French alphabetical order) beside the first lady and president of Brazil.

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